Ben Williams

Guest: Ben Williams - VP of Product at Snyk. Ben has a background in computer science and has held various roles in developer tooling and product management, including positions at IBM and CloudBees, before joining Snyk to lead their growth organization and developer experience initiatives. Key Takeaways: Focus on Community and Product-Led Growth: Snyk initially targeted Node.js developers using open-source components, engaging deeply with the community through conferences and meetups, which helped them gain their first users. Growth Loops and Strategy: Identifying and optimizing growth loops, such as the GitHub integration that automatically fixes vulnerabilities, has been crucial for Snyk’s growth. Regularly revisiting and refining these loops helps maintain focus and drive growth. Cross-Functional Growth Teams: Embedding growth marketers within cross-functional teams has allowed Snyk to execute ideas rapidly and test them effectively, leading to faster learning and iteration. Activation and Retention Metrics: Snyk defines activation as a team fixing vulnerabilities within 30 days, which correlates strongly with long-term retention. This focus on team-based metrics reflects the collaborative nature of security. Iterative Approach to Freemium and Trials: Regularly reassessing what features to include in free vs. paid plans and how trials are structured ensures alignment with user needs and business goals. Topics Covered: Product-led growth, community engagement, growth loops, cross-functional teams, activation metrics, freemium strategy, developer tools, security, product strategy, organizational structure.