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| Time Commitment | Program Outline | Reviews | FAQ
An 8-Week Part-Time Program for Advanced Growth Professionals
The Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive is the newest program and extensively covers one of the most impactful frontier topics.
By the end of the program, you will accelerate growth in your company and career by building a growth model to serve as the tool that drives alignment, prioritization, strategic investments, metrics, and ultimately growth.
The program is designed for both B2C and B2B practitioners, features dozens of up-to-date and relevant examples, and practitioners can participate from anywhere in the world.
Next Session: Spring 2019
Subscribe to Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive and more programs around other topics, with our next programs launching in Spring 2019.
Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Join our list to get notified of future programs.
The only career development program...
Created by: Leaders from companies like HubSpot, Uber, Pinterest, Atlassian, and more.
Featuring: Top growth leaders from companies including Google, Dropbox, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Atlassian, Slack, ClassPass, OfferUp, Segment, SurveyMonkey and others.
Tested: 1,000+ alumni have brought learnings back to companies like Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, Dropbox, Airbnb, Evernote, SoundCloud, Nike, IBM, HubSpot, Drift, Coursera, and more.

“The materials and interviews are uniformly excellent. They are filled with relevant, practical, and actionable guidance. I’ve found myself referring to them again and again. You just can’t get this depth and quality of training anywhere else. I would definitely recommend Reforge to anyone seriously working on growth problems in technology companies.”
Reforge is a new kind of career development
Top performers expect to work on the frontier challenges of today.
But what happens when the edge of the frontier gets pushed further everyday?
Technology, methodologies, and best practices are changing so fast, 50% of the Fortune 500 companies won't exist in 2025. To keep up, companies expect top talent to adapt faster, acquire new skillsets, and have a growth mindset.
And top talent... they want the same thing.
Today's top performers want applicable skills that drive impact at the world's best companies.
Unfortunately, these companies can't keep up with today's career development demands.
That's why we created Reforge. We focus on:
Application over memorization. You'll spend time applying every lesson directly to challenges in your company.
Results over credentials. A curriculum designed to give you the tools to do the job, not a certificate that qualifies you for the job.
Going deep rather than surface. Reforge material is the culmination of years of experience at top companies from dozens of leaders in growth.
Continual learning over expertise. After every cohort, we spend 100+ hours getting feedback, updating frameworks, and curating relevant, current examples from companies like Stitch Fix, Airbnb, Zoom, Blue Bottle Coffee, Dollar Shave Club, Spotify, Netflix, Gusto, Medium, HubSpot, Drift, Segment, and many more.
All businesses are unique, but everyone faces similar growth challenges. The difference between those who succeed and those who fail is how they approach those challenges.
Meet Your Program Hosts

Brian BalfouR
Brian Balfour is the Founder and CEO of Reforge. Most recently, he was the VP Growth @ HubSpot. Prior to HubSpot he was an EIR @ Trinity Ventures and founder of Boundless Learning (acq by Valore) and Viximo (acq by Tapjoy). He advises companies including Blue Bottle Coffee, Gametime, Lumoid, GrabCAD, and Help Scouton growth and customer acquisition.
casey winters
Casey Winters is a former Growth Advisor in Residence at Greylock Partners, Growth Lead at Pinterest and first marketer at Grubhub. He advises companies including Tinder, Eventbrite, Reddit, Canva, Pocket, and others on scaling and growth, specializing in retention and engagement.


Kevin Kwok
Kevin Kwok is a former Investor @ Greylock Partners, where he focused on marketplaces, autonomous vehicles, and crypto.
Andrew CheN
Andrew Chen is a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. Previously, he led Uber's rider growth team and has been an advisor and investor in tech startups including AngelList, Dropbox, BarkBox, Kiva, and Product Hunt. He writes extensively with over 650+ essays, and has been quoted in The New York Times, Fortune, Wired, and WSJ.


YURIY TIMEN
Yuriy Timen leads the user growth + monetization team at Grammarly. Previously he led the growth team at DriversEd.com (acquired by CIP Capital) and spent time on the digital agency side at LeadQual. Yuriy advises and invests in start-ups, as well as works on JS Dance Reach, his non-profit benefiting underprivileged youth.
Featured Growth Leaders
All Reforge programs incorporate interviews from top growth leaders. Past featured leaders include:

JOANNA LORD
CMO @ ClassPass
MATT PLOTKE
Strategy Lead @ Stripe
GINA GOTTHILF
Former VP Growth & Marketing @ Duolingo
STEVE DUPREE
Former VP Mrk @ SoFi/LogMeIn
SIMON TISMINEZKY
VP Growth @ Ipsy
BRITTANY BINGHAM
VP Marketing @ Raise.me
MIKE DUBOE
Head of Growth @ Stitch Fix
NAOMI PILOSOF IONITA
Partner @ Menlo Ventures
JOSH LU
Sr Dir Product Growth @ Zynga
ELENA VERNA
SVP Growth @ Malwarebytes, Former SurveyMonkey
ADAM FISHMAN
VP Growth & Marketing @ Patreon
DARIUS CONTRACTOR
Eng Manager, Growth @ Dropbox
ADA CHEN REKHI
Former VP Mrktg @ SurveyMonkey
FAREED MOSAVAT
Growth Lead @ Slack
MATT GREENBERG
VP Engineering @ Credit Karma
REBECCA GREENE
Chief Product Officer @ Handy
And Many More...
Reforge is an incredible opportunity for up-and-coming growth PMs and marketers looking to build a stronger foundation.
The stuff that Brian Balfour is teaching is what should be taught in universities.
Subscribe to Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive and more programs around other topics, with our next programs launching in Spring 2019.
Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Join our list to get notified of future programs.
What the Growth Models Deep Dive Experience Looks Like
We focus on delivering the highest amount of impact as efficiently as possible. We know your time is valuable, so we've streamlined a program that cuts straight to the point with no "filler content."
When you join the Reforge program you get access to:
1. In Depth Coursework
Each week there is 2 to 3 hours of video and written material. All material is taught by Brian Balfour and will teach you actionable frameworks to apply to your own products and career.
The coursework is comprised of original material exclusive to the Reforge Program. The videos will be hosted on the Reforge website and available for you to watch at any time during the week and as reference material after the program.


2. Dozens of Relevant Examples
To complement coursework, we weave in examples and case studies applying the frameworks from the material to recent companies.
What are the exact loops that powered explosive growth at companies and products like Slack, Fortnite, Stripe, Dropbox, Glossier, and others? And what are the building blocks of those loops you can translate to your company?
If you were leading growth at Instagram, Airtable, Front or Tinder, how would you use your growth model to set goals, prioritize experiments, and draw insights from the results? We walk you through examples from companies like the above, and many more.
3. Application Sections at Each Step
At Reforge, we believe in application over memorization. That means integrating your learning into your work at every opportunity. Each week is accompanied by application sections designed to operationalize the material on your product or company. You'll also hear from Reforge leaders and experienced practitioners in the community for additional ideas and learning.


4. Weekly Events with Top Experts and Peer Practitioners (Both Online + Offline)
You'll connect with other top growth practitioners via weekly events, both online or in person (SF only). The program can be done from any location. Events start with an interview with a top growth leader from great companies like Google, Evernote, Stripe, Pinterest, Slack, SurveyMonkey, Segment, and many more. Then, we break off into small groups to discuss how you'll apply that week's learnings to your company, and hear perspectives from practitioners in similar roles and companies. All events require your active participation.
5. Community Support
We designed the Reforge content to walk you through each framework step-by-step. However, we know each business is different, so naturally you'll have specific questions. That's why we created a community to help you get unstuck. If you have questions about modeling customer acquisition costs, how to segment your existing customers, tying NPS to core business metrics, or anything else, you have access to people from a variety of companies, all at different stages, at any time.

“Each week we gathered together and discussed retention case studies in small breakout groups of like-minded product and growth leaders. I was constantly impressed by the quality of discussions in our breakout groups — fellow Reforge attendees brought their unique experiences and background to ask questions that really caused you to think about the case studies, and in turn, your own products.”
The Growth Models Deep Dive Delivers Outcomes, Not Hacks
If you want a laundry list of tactics like "send cart abandonment emails on Thursdays" this program isn't for you.
The Growth Models Deep Dive is designed to help practitioners apply the core elements of growth loops and modeling so that you can develop winning strategies specific to your current and future companies and roles.
By the end of the program, you will:
Dissect how the fastest growing products like Uber, Slack, Dropbox, Stripe, Airtable, Instagram, Fortnite, Tinder, and others grow using growth loops
Learn the detailed components of 20+ growth loops
Systematically construct growth loops your product can use after analyzing the three qualitative properties of every growth loop
Assess gaps and uncover opportunities for growth by identifying, measuring, and analyzing your products existing growth loops
Combine loops to decrease costs, increase returns, and drive sustained growth in your company
Complete a step-by-step walkthrough to build your quantitative model for a single loop and your entire product
Construct and implement your growth model from the ground-up, including how to drive alignment, goal setting, metrics definition, experiment prioritization, and strategic investments
Communicate actionable insights from your growth model to obtain buy-in from leadership and across teams
Who
Our programs aren't for everyone. We select applicants based on professional experience, initiative, and program fit. You should apply if you have...
3+ Years of Experience - 3+ years of professional experience as a product manager, marketer, designer, engineer or other professional looking to accelerate your knowledge about growth modeling.
Strong Initiative - The program includes both passive and active participation. Those that not only consume the content but engage with it and the community will get the most value.
Growth Related Role - The topics we cover aren’t for every role. Typical roles of successful applicants are a Product Manager, Sr. Marketer, Data Analyst, Engineer, or Executive working on growth initiatives or making the transition to growth.
This program is not for you if you are...
Entry Level - Less than three years of professional experience. The program material assumes a certain level of base knowledge.
Career Switching - If you are looking to get your first job in growth. The program material is designed to help accelerate an existing professional's path rather than establish one anew.
Pre Product-Market Fit - If you are working on a product that is just getting started. The program material is designed for those working on products that have signals of product-market fit.
Enterprise/Hardware - If you are in a company that primarily sells enterprise deals or primarily a hardware product. The program material is not designed to address these topics.
“The Growth Series was a great way to network with other top growth professionals. I met several people who I look forward to keeping in touch with going forward and even some people I hope to work with soon.”
Subscribe to Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive and more programs around other topics, with our next programs launching in Spring 2019.
Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Join our list to get notified of future programs.
Commitment
All Reforge programs are 8-week, part-time programs. They run from September 24 - November 16. You don't need to take time off from work to participate — we designed each program to fit your current work and personal schedule.
However, we also believe that you get out what you put in. The value that you and your company get from the program is directly correlated with the amount of time and participation you're able to dedicate to the experience.
To get the most out of the program, you should expect to spend a minimum of 5 hours per week on program material:
2 - 3 hrs on course material.
1 hr applying frameworks and community participation.
1 - 2hrs participating in an online or in person event.
Our most successful participants typically spend about 8 hours per week total. They set aside additional time each week to:
Connect with other participants
Review what they learned with co-workers and managers
Apply the material to their product
Program Outline
We've designed the Growth Models Deep Dive so you can set your own schedule to work through the material week after week. The program runs from September 24 - November 16. Here's what a typical week will look like:
Course material opens. Every week you will get access to a new module, which features original, in-depth Reforge content, dozens of relevant examples, and opportunities to apply lessons to your own company
Questions about the content? Get answers at any time. You have 24-7 access to the Reforge community, where other practitioners and growth leaders can share perspectives and help you get unstuck
Weekly events for all participants. Whether you attend online (via Zoom) or offline (if you're in the SF Bay Area), you will hear a live interview with a top growth leader. Then you'll join a small group to discuss how you and your fellow participants will apply this week's material to your companies
Following the event, a new module opens and you'll start the process again. See below for a full syllabus of the program.
Sept 24 - Sept 30
Create a compounding growth machine
We'll kick the program off by discussing:
The most important growth question every practitioner should be able to answer... and why most get it wrong
Why loops (not funnels) are the answer to creating sustainable, compounding, and defensible growth.
Why and how a Growth Model is the essential tool to communicate, prioritize, set goals, and make strategic investment decisions
...and more
Plus, an opening event for all attendees, where you'll connect with other growth practitioners and get a taste of the upcoming 8 weeks.
Oct 1 - Oct 7
loop properties
In order to create, analyze, and optimize loops we need to understand what creates a growth loop. In this module we'll discuss:
The three qualitative properties in every growth loop.
The step-by-step process on how to identify these qualitative properties for your product.
The three quantitative metrics to evaluate for every loop
How to analyze every type of growth loop
...and more
Oct 8 - Oct 14
the different types of growth loops
The most meaningful companies create compounding, defensible growth by understanding and utilizing their growth loops. We want to know what loops exist and how they work. In this module, we'll discuss:
The 3 major categories of loops, and 19 sub-types of loops
Detailed breakdown of 14 types of growth loops
How to evaluate when and what type of growth loop for your product
...and more
Oct 15 - Oct 21
MEASURING + ANALYZING YOUR LOOPS
Once we have a qualitative understanding of how loops work, we can begin to measure and analyze those loops. You'll:
Measure the
Build a micro loop quant model to help you identify the loops viability
Determine a loop’s maximum scope, minimum scope, and speed
...and more
Feb 4 - Feb 10
IMPROVING YOUR LOOPS
Once we understand how different loop types function, we want to improve the loops we'll use. To do this, we need to understand the primary resource of your loop, identify maximum conversion rates at each step, and identify loop bottlenecks. We'll:
Discuss how to map your growth loops
Diagnose problems at various steps in the loop
Learn the step-by-step process to optimize the different levers of your growth loop
...and more
Feb 11 - Feb 17
SEQUENCING LOOPS
The largest and fastest growing products combine growth loops over time. Properly sequencing loops will build a more sustainable, powerful, and defensible growth model over time. We'll discuss:
How to combine loops to decrease costs and increase returns of your growth model
Combining loops to avoid saturation and increase your maximum growth ceiling
Combining loops to hit defensible points in the product
...and more
Feb 18 - Feb 24
BUILDING YOUR QUANTITATIVE GROWTH MODEL
The growth model is your foundational tool to operate all growth efforts around. In this module, we'll discuss:
The step by step process to translate your qualitative model into an end to end quantitative model
Key mistakes to avoid
What separates a useful quantitative model from the rest
...and more
Feb 25 - Feb 28
implementing your models
With both your qualitative and quantitative growth models in place, the final hurdle is implementation and using the model to align the team and company in a focused direction. We'll discuss:
Step-by-step process on using your growth model for setting goals, prioritizing experiments, and evaluating strategic bets
How to communicate and get buy-in around your growth model
How to use your modeling skills not just in your current role, but future roles and companies
...and more
Subscribe to Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive and more programs around other topics, with our next programs launching in Spring 2019.
Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Join our list to get notified of future programs.
Reviews

JESSICA webb
PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER, GROWTH
TRELLO
"The Growth Series got me thinking on a macro level about how a company functions and the different levers my team can impact to make a true difference.
I was able to network with people from many companies I admire, and I learned from their challenges (many of which were similar to my own).
Overall, it was hard but rewarding. It felt like being in a mini MBA program -- the material came at us quickly but the discussions were lively and motivating. I'm going through the material over and over now that the course has ended!"

GEORGE ZENG
PRODUCT MANAGER
"The content was excellent. Even though I work on a growth team at Facebook, I still learned new concepts that I implemented right away.
I focus my work specifically on developer growth, and based on the course content, I improved how we build growth loops into our developer acquisition channels. Overall, the course made me adopt a more robust way of instrumenting, logging, and tracking our funnel.
Beyond the content, I met so many growth people through the events - the program is a powerful growth network that I'm excited to be a part of."

CASEY CAREY
Director, platforms & publisheR marketing
"I was very impressed with the depth and structure of the content and discussions. I left each session of the Growth Series with newfound knowledge, ideas, and real strategies I could begin working on the next morning.
The case studies, real-life examples and discussions with seasoned growth leaders rapidly took each week's content from theory to application. While the concepts are powerful in the abstract, actually applying them or hearing how others applied them takes the learning to a whole new level.
I was a bit worried it would be too much about virality and "hacking" growth, which most of us can't apply in our businesses (especially here at Google). To my surprise, the topics provided coverage of all aspects of growth -- from business strategy and pricing, to user psychology, paid acquisition, activation, retention and more. None of this was 'hacky.'"

SARAH PAYNE
PRODUCT MANAGER
SURVEYMONKEY
"I strongly, as strongly as possible, encourage product managers in Growth roles to apply for Reforge. This program is the holy grail for Growth professionals who may be one of the few members of their organization tackling growth models and AB testing. With Reforge you find your peer set who share best practices and insights onto the responsibilities and goals of their Growth teams. In addition, the robust online content puts structure around the many concepts floating around tech companies and blogs on what Growth actually entails! I can’t thank the team enough for building such a comprehensive program – Reforge shaped the foundation of how I will approach the Growth team at SurveyMonkey."

HUGH MINSON
SR. PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER
SALESFORCE
"Thanks to the Reforge Summer Growth Series, I have gained a foundational understanding of one of the newest and yet most valuable areas of understanding to companies: growth. Brian and Andrew have done an incredible job of pooling and delivering knowledge acquired by industry leaders through extremely accessible content. The in-person get-togethers and online community also provide a terrific forum for idea exchange amongst all participants. I highly recommend this course to any individual who is looking to gain widespread adoption of their product or service."
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this program be worth it?
Good question — we know the Reforge program is a serious commitment. So if you're looking for the latest hacks to 10x your activation rate or 7 lessons after acquiring 1mm customers, then the Growth Models Deep Dive won't be worth it.
Also, if you're interested in a credential or logo to tack onto your LinkedIn profile, then the Growth Models Deep Dive won't be worth it.
However, if you're looking for frameworks you can apply directly to your company, step-by-step walkthroughs of dozens of current, relevant examples, taught by growth leaders who spent years in the trenches AND weekly events where you can connect with actual growth practitioners... then yes, this program is worth the commitment.
I'm not located in the San Francisco Bay Area, can I attend the program?
Yes. All Reforge programs are designed to be location-independent, with over 50% of program participants joining from outside the SF Bay Area. In addition to our all-online original content and live online events, we also offer in-person events in San Francisco that all participants are welcome to join, whether you're local or traveling in. All participants enjoy access to 100% of our original content, our live online discussions, the private Reforge forums, and community.
How is the Growth Models Deep Dive different from the Growth and the Retention + Engagement Deep Dive?
The Growth Models Deep Dive is focused solely on working through real-world examples of growth models and learning the frameworks for how to develop your own. We examine the models that encompass the end-to-end growth cycle and further analyze the building blocks of loops.
The Reforge Growth Series provides a comprehensive overview of all the major topics in growth, from your core growth model to your acquisition and monetization strategies. There's one week dedicated to the topic of retention and engagement, and one week dedicated to growth models.
The Retention + Engagement Deep Dive is an in-depth exploration of everything within the specific category of retention and engagement. Models come into play as we discuss the elements of retention (activation, engagement, churn, and resurrection).
All programs are designed for mid-career Product Managers, UX, Marketers, and Engineers who are 3+ years into their field. There is only a 10% overlap in material between each program.
If you have an advanced understanding of growth fundamentals or already finished the Growth Series and want to better understand the systems that drive growth for your company and others, then the Growth Models Deep Dive would be a great fit for you.
Can I join more than one program at a time?
All the programs are held concurrently, so it’s not possible to join more than one at the same time. We will be holding additional cohorts of each program throughout the year, and you can get notified about future programs here.
How many applicants get invited?
In previous programs, we've accepted 12% of applicants, though this varies program to program. Rather than focus on an acceptance rate, we focus on ensuring the best possible experience by curating an engaged and high-quality group of people whose backgrounds and goals are a strong fit for the program material, in a class size that's intimate enough to facilitate some of the most memorable relationships of your career.
How do we choose whom to invite?
We want to make sure if you take the time to participate that it is more than worth it. Unfortunately we can't cover every topic for every person in one program. As a result, our application process screens for three things. One, fit with the program material. Two, curating fit with the other program attendees. Three, your work experience (3+ years is required).
How advanced is the material?
This program is not a fit for beginners. As with Brian's and Andrew's public essays, the program is focused on practitioners who already know the basics and are figuring out how to take the next step. The content will be intermediate to advanced. We assume that you know about A/B testing, ad buying, etc., and the real challenge is thinking about the entire picture of growth and forming a coherent and compelling strategy. We do not cover tips, tricks, hacks, or tactics. Instead, we provide strategies and frameworks that enable you to solve growth challenges specific to your situation.
How much time should I expect to spend on the program?
Please see more details in the Time Commitment section above. All Reforge programs represent decades of collective expertise in growth. To get the most out of this condensed "8 years in 8 weeks" experience, you should expect to spend at minimum 5 hours per week on program material and event attendance. That said, our most successful participants set aside dedicated time each week to stay current with lecture material, connect with other participants and growth leaders at online and offline events, and complete interactive activities -- spending up to 8 hours or more per week.
While the Reforge programs are designed to fit with your current work and personal schedule, we also believe that you get out what you put in. The value you and your company get from the program is directly correlated with the amount of recurring time and participation you're able to dedicate to the experience.
How much does the program cost? Do you have discounts or scholarships?
Individual program seats cost $3495. The Group Rate for teams of 3+ is $2995 per seat. If you need an invoice or any other materials to expense to your company we will provide that at the time of payment. Aside from the Group Rate, there are no additional discounts or scholarships available at this time.
Is this right for very early product teams seeking initial traction?
No. The best use of your time is to find product/market fit and build your initial business before you spend too much time on growth. If you are at or past product/market fit, then you will get a lot of value out of this program.
How actionable will the content be?
The content will provide actionable and analytical frameworks for understanding growth and forming a comprehensive strategy. But there will be minimal “how to” content on topics such as setting up landing pages, buying ads, etc. Those can be found on many other great sites free of charge.
In what timezone will the live online events be held?
We offer our live online events in the mornings, Pacific Time. If you can't join during that time, all sessions are recorded, and our community and online discussion forums provide global time zone coverage. It is possible to attend the Growth Series 100% remotely and asynchronously.
How much of the material is about SaaS/B2B versus B2C?
There is a balance of both B2B and B2C coverage in all of our weekly materials. Many of the frameworks apply to both given that “consumerization of enterprise” is now real. Please note, however, that there won't be direct material on enterprise sales or acquiring enterprise customers, although it may come up in Q&A.
Will I get access to the material after the program is over?
Yes, participants will retain access for a period of one year from the start of the program. After one year there will be ways to keep access and receive updates to the material.
Are the in person events recorded or live streamed?
We do not live stream our events, however, we record the featured guest portion of each one and make it available on your dashboard. The discussion portion of our events does not lend itself well to recording. The events are designed to attend one per week (online or in person). Both online and in person events follow the same format with the same exercises so you won’t miss out on any content or learnings.
Subscribe to Get Notified of Future Programs
We will be launching additional runs of the Reforge Growth Models Deep Dive and more programs around other topics, with our next programs launching in Spring 2019.
Our programs are limited and fill up extremely fast. Join our list to get notified of future programs.