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Merci Grace
Former Head of Growth at Slack
Merci Grace is a founder, former Head of Growth at Slack, VC, and co-founder of Women in Product, with a background spanning game design, product management, and venture capital.
Dimension Profile
Strategic Vision 70%
Execution & Craft 65%
Data & Experimentation 60%
Growth & Distribution 90%
Team & Leadership 70%
User Empathy & Research 65%
Key Themes
product-led growth at Slack when to go PLG hiring first head of growth common PLG mistakes career path through curiosity growth team building
Episode Summary
Merci Grace shares lessons from leading growth at Slack during its explosive PLG-driven expansion, covering the most common mistakes companies make when going product-led, signs your product is ready for PLG, and when to hire your first head of growth. Her career arc from game designer to VC to founder illustrates the power of following curiosity.
Leadership Principles
- → Follow your curiosity — the best career arcs come from genuine interest, not strategic planning
- → PLG requires the product to deliver enough value that users want to spread it organically
- → The most common PLG mistake is trying to bolt it on to a product that doesn't naturally spread
Notable Quotes
"I got my first term sheet as a founder before I knew what venture capital was. Purely accidental."
— On her unconventional career journey from game designer to growth leader
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