In this episode, Sharan and Sudeep dive deep into a critical topic for emerging businesses—how to leapfrog the "long chew" phase of the brand lifecycle and accelerate growth once product-market fit (PMF) has been achieved. Sudeep unpacks the idea of "gaming the marketing stage," explaining how brands can effectively transition from proving their PMF to scaling up without getting stuck in the long chew—a period where many businesses struggle to convert early success into sustained growth. The conversation covers: The long chew dilemma: Why so many brands get trapped and how to break free. Three key strategies for accelerating growth: Riding, creating, and buying the wave. Real-world examples from Indian and global brands like Paytm and Red Bull, illustrating how they gamed their way to success by leveraging market trends and innovation. Myths debunked: Sudeep challenges the assumption that effective marketing post-PMF must be expensive. Whether you're an entrepreneur or marketer looking to scale your brand, this episode is packed with actionable insights on how to drive brand acceleration. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Long Chew: Understanding why businesses get stuck and the critical importance of moving past this stage to scale effectively. Riding the Wave: How brands can leverage external market trends to accelerate growth. Creating the Wave: Strategies to create your own marketing platform, similar to Red Bull’s event-driven approach. Buying the Wave: The role of high-budget campaigns and how they fit into the growth strategy. Sustained Growth Beyond PMF: Why it’s essential to prepare for brand acceleration before hitting the scaling stage. QUOTES "It's not about hacking growth, but gaming the system to create a brand pull that accelerates your journey." "The myth that post-PMF marketing is expensive needs to be busted. There are smarter ways to get the traction you need." Listen to the previous episode on PMF here. Please tell us what topics you'd like to have discussed on the CoBB, by filling in this ⁠CONTENT SUGGESTION FORM⁠⁠ It only takes a few minutes, and it will help us provide you with the content most relevant to you. Connect with our Hosts Sudeep Chawla on LinkedIn Sharavana Raghavan on LinkedIn Follow CoBB: LinkedIn Instagram CREDITS Album Art & Design by ting.in Voiceovers by Anjale Stephanos Music from Zapsplat.com As always, we'd love to hear your feedback and suggestions! Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. This episode distills the essence of accelerating growth after PMF, delivering practical strategies that you can implement today to ensure your brand leapfrogs to success. Don't miss it!