Foundations for Growth: Chiara Quadranti on Culture, AI, and Customer Insights

In today’s competitive landscape, growth is about more than just scaling quickly—it’s about building solid foundations, staying true to your vision, and fostering a culture that motivates your team. Chiara Quadranti, a seasoned Growth Consultant and mentor to startups, shares her insights on what it takes to succeed. From the role of generative AI in product and marketing to the importance of understanding customer needs over assumptions, Chiara offers a candid look at what’s driving growth today. She also clears up some common misconceptions and shares why founders must look beyond traditional marketing tactics to truly move the needle.

Let’s dive into her thoughts on sustainable growth, the impact of AI, and the key elements founders often overlook on their growth journey.

1. What’s the #1 piece of advice you give startup founders about growth these days?

Growth can only happen if the foundations are solid: a strong vision, a cohesive leadership team and a motivated team who enjoy coming to work. These are non-negotiable.

2. What’s one big change in tech product or marketing that you’re seeing with the spread of generative AI?

I don’t know if there’s one big change. Engineers are using it to speed up the way they solve problems, Content Marketers are using it to speed up their writing process. Its proliferation across every aspect of Growth is undeniable but I strongly believe it should remain a tool, not a replacement. Use it indiscriminately and you risk ending up in the “sea of sameness” with everyone else.

3. What’s the question you’re tired of answering? And what answer do you keep repeating and yet nobody seems to get it?

Question: “But Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Why should I speak to my customers?”

My answer: “The point is not to ask customers what they want. The point is to ask them what’s not working, what they’re anxious about, what’s holding them back and what they believe about your product (that might be wrong). That’s where the real insights lie.”

4. What’s one thing that founders need to know about growth people that nobody seems to get?

Growth is not marketing. Marketing can be part of the execution but a good Growth strategy is really about two things: a robust understanding of the product/ tech as well as the people who are going to use and pay for it. Why does your product matter to them? And what’s holding them back? This is what will make your campaigns (and other marketing activities) really move the needle.