When everyone can generate AI content, taste and storytelling are the new performance metrics.

In this week’s episode of Growth Talks, Everett Butler, Head of Marketing at Lindy, joins host Krystina Rubino to unpack what it takes to bring a brand-new product category to market when there is no roadmap, no search volume, and no shared language.

With over fifteen years of experience scaling teams at Tesla, Uber, and Affirm, Everett shares how to apply first principles thinking to build a go-to-market strategy grounded in fundamentals, aligned with real customer needs, and focused on clarity over complexity.

Tune in to learn the key traits Everett looks for in modern AI marketers — and why taste, product-led storytelling, and genuine curiosity are more valuable than ever.

🗝️Key Takeaways:

• Vision shapes strategy. When you’re launching a product, don’t copy a playbook. Create one. Start from first principles: know who needs you, what problem you solve, and tell that story clearly.
• Ship, Test, Learn. When you’re defining a new category, don’t get stuck on semantics. Use real language in campaigns and see what engages your audience. Go-to-market is part marketing and part anthropology.
• Embrace the Uncertainty. In the age of AI, no one has all the answers. The best marketers balance curiosity for new tools with a steady focus on timeless principles and solid fundamentals.
• Scale What Sticks. Sustainable growth starts with retention. The best teams track activation quality, prioritize lifetime value, and reward customer loyalty.
• Lead with Storytelling. As AI handles more of the mechanics of marketing, the edge belongs to those who can curate taste, tell meaningful stories, and create emotional connections that last.
• Build for Tomorrow. The teams that scale best invest early in process, shared language, and cross-functional alignment. Those foundations create leverage that lasts well beyond the next campaign.
• Use AI to Elevate. AI can handle the tasks, but it can’t replace your creativity or intuition. The next generation of marketers will use that freedom to think strategically and lead the next wave of innovation.

⏰  Timestamps

• 02:12 Defining New Product Categories
• 05:34 How New AI Marketing Shift
• 10:38 Channel Selection and Sequencing 
• 15:45 Retention in Growth Marketing
• 21:13 Marketing Clarity Comes From Context
• 30:47 Common Mistakes in Scaling Teams
• 35:56 Storytelling in the AI World
• 42:03 Challenging the Status Quo
• 45:31 The Quintessential Growth Non-Hack

 Mentioned in this episode:

• Lindy: https://www.lindy.ai/
• Uber: https://www.uber.com/
• Affirm: https://www.affirm.com/
• Tesla: https://www.tesla.com/
• Thumbtack: https://www.thumbtack.com/
• Elena Verna: https://www.elenaverna.com/
• Rick Rubin: https://www.thewayofcode.com/

👍 Did you enjoy this video? Don’t forget to click the like button! And find more episodes of Growth Talks here: https://bit.ly/3xXGJJc

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