From flywheel-pm
Growth loops, retention frameworks, viral mechanics, and acquisition models. Use when designing growth engines, diagnosing retention problems, or evaluating acquisition strategies.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/flywheel-pm:growth-systemsThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
Growth is a system of interconnected loops, not a set of tactics. This skill provides frameworks for understanding, measuring, and improving the loops that drive product growth.
Growth is a system of interconnected loops, not a set of tactics. This skill provides frameworks for understanding, measuring, and improving the loops that drive product growth.
Based on Reforge growth frameworks and Web 2.0/mobile-era viral loop mechanics.
A closed system where the output of one cycle becomes the input of the next.
Input → User Action → Output → [Output becomes next cycle's Input]
Unlike funnels (which have a start and end), loops are self-reinforcing. The best products have one dominant loop that drives the majority of growth.
| Loop | Mechanism | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Viral | Users invite/share → new users join | Dropbox referral, WhatsApp sharing |
| Content | Users create → content discovered → new users create | YouTube, Instagram, TikTok |
| Paid | Revenue → ad spend → new users → revenue | Subscription apps, SaaS |
| SEO/AEO | Content indexed → discovered via search/AI → conversion | Wikipedia, Stack Overflow |
| Sales | Success → referrals/case studies → new customers | Enterprise SaaS |
| Community | Users help users → community grows → attracts new users | Reddit, Discord |
| Loop | Mechanism | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Habit | Trigger → action → reward → investment | Duolingo streaks, social feeds |
| Social | User acts → others notified → they act → notification | Slack, Instagram likes |
| Progress | Advance → unlock → new reasons to return | Gaming, learning platforms |
| Recommendation | Consume → algorithm learns → better suggestions | Netflix, Spotify |
| Loop | Mechanism | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Expansion | Success → needs grow → upgrade → more success | Slack seats, AWS usage |
| Network pricing | More users → more value → higher WTP → investment | Marketplace pricing |
Viral Factor = New users acquired via existing users / Original cohort size
Practical measurement:
product.com/share?ref=[user_id])| Viral Factor | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| >1.0 | Self-sustaining viral growth (very rare) |
| 0.5-1.0 | Meaningful viral amplification |
| 0.1-0.5 | Some organic sharing |
| <0.1 | Not meaningfully viral |
| # | Signal | Healthy Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cohort retention curves flatten | Yes — plateau exists |
| 2 | Actives / Registered users | >25% |
| 3 | Power user curve (smile shape) | Concentration at high end |
| 4 | Viral factor | >0.5 |
| 5 | DAU/MAU ratio | >50% consumer, >30% B2B |
| 6 | D1/D7/D30 retention | >60/30/15 |
| 7 | Revenue per user expansion | Positive trend |
| 8 | Organic acquisition at scale | >60% |
| 9 | Subscription annual retention | >65% |
| 10 | Older markets more engaged | Yes |
6+ green: Strong retention → invest in growth loops 3-5 green: Adequate → fix gaps before scaling <3 green: Weak → growth investment is premature
Healthy: Weak: Critical:
100%─┐ 100%─┐ 100%─┐
│\ │\ │\
│ \___ │ \ │ \
│ | │ \ │ \
└───── │ \__ │ \
└────── └────→0
The most leveraged retention period:
| Strategy | When to Use | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Product improvement email | After shipping something relevant to churned users | "Here's what changed since you left" |
| Social trigger | When a churned user's connections are active | "Your colleague just..." |
| Pain recurrence | When the original problem resurfaces | "Still dealing with [problem]?" |
| Win-back offer | When price was a churn factor | Time-limited discount |
| Seasonal/contextual | When product usage is cyclical | "It's [season], time to [action]" |
npx claudepluginhub abhitsian/compound-pm-marketplace --plugin flywheel-pmAnalyzes products for viral, content, network, and paid growth loops using Elena Verna's framework. Identifies opportunities, designs loops, optimizes velocity, and maps mechanics.
Maps self-reinforcing growth loops (viral, content, paid, usage) in products, measures cycle time and throughput, identifies broken loops for compounding growth strategies.
Identifies growth loops for sustainable traction by evaluating viral, usage, collaboration, user-generated, and referral types. Use for product-led growth design, competitor analysis, or reducing paid acquisition.