Series for App Founders, After Meeting With 200+ Entrepreneurs
One of the biggest issues I see is expectations that have nothing to do with reality.
Founders expect:
- A certain number of installs.
- A certain number of subscribers.
- High retention.
- Fast revenue.
Even when there is no data, no budget, and the product is not ready.
There is a clear relationship, the number of users you reach depends on your product quality, messaging, and budget. There is no skipping that.
Yet I constantly see unrealistic goals:
- One hundred percent or more monthly growth with the same budget.
- Higher retention without improving the product.
- More purchases without A/B tests or offer changes.
- Higher revenue without improving conversion or running experiments.
Real example:
A founder wanted 100,000 installs in 3 months with a total budget of 1,500 dollars, in a market where CPI is 8 dollars. No organic marketing, no social media, no email marketing.
There is no scenario where this happens. No magic. No tricks.
Founders who understand the numbers save money, avoid frustration, and do not fall for “experts” promising miracles.
The founder who looks at data, understands what is possible, and improves accordingly, that is the one who reaches their goals.
Hila Gonikman
App Marketing and Growth
