When Kate Syuma joined Miro (then called RealtimeBoard) as their third designer, the company had just 63 employees. Today, they're approaching 2,000 staff and are one of the most celebrated examples of product-led growth. But their path to success wasn't paved with growth hacks or conversion tricks.
"Everyone wants to talk about activation metrics and monetization strategies," Syuma tells me from her Amsterdam office. "But nobody wants to talk about the unsexy foundation – building a product that actually works." She would know. As Miro's former Head of Growth Design, she watched the company evolve from regional player to global powerhouse.
The timing of our conversation couldn't be better. As tech companies face increasing pressure to show profitability, many are rushing to implement product-led growth strategies without understanding the fundamentals. Syuma's insights offer a sobering reality check.
[EXECUTIVE SUMMARY]
Remember when "digital transformation" was the buzzword of choice? Today, it's "product-led growth." But while executives rush to implement self-serve models and freemium tiers, they're missing what actually drives success: product experience quality.
Through our conversation, Syuma revealed how Miro built their growth engine by obsessing over user experience before optimization. This approach, while slower initially, created the foundation for their explosive growth.
The implications for B2B companies are significant. As buyers increasingly expect consumer-grade experiences, the gap between good and great product experiences is becoming a competitive moat. Companies that nail this foundation can build sustainable growth engines; those that don't will struggle with high acquisition costs and poor retention.
Why It Matters: The shift to product-led growth isn't just another trend – it's a fundamental change in how B2B products succeed. But without exceptional product experience, even the best growth strategies will fail.
The Unsexy Truth About Product-Led Growth
"Want to know why most product-led growth initiatives fail?" Syuma asks, leaning forward. "Companies treat PLG like a marketing strategy when it's really an organizational mindset." She shares how Miro's early days weren't focused on growth metrics but on obsessive user experience refinement.
This approach seems counterintuitive in today's metrics-driven world. But Syuma insists that rushing to optimize before achieving product excellence is like "putting racing stripes on a broken car."
The Real Cost of Poor Product Experience
The numbers back her up. While companies don't typically report on failed PLG initiatives, the pattern is clear in their financials. High customer acquisition costs, poor retention metrics, and struggling net revenue retention often trace back to fundamental product experience issues.
"We're seeing companies spend millions on marketing automation and growth tools," Syuma notes, "when their basic user flows are broken." She pulls up examples on her laptop – well-known B2B products with confusing onboarding, overwhelming interfaces, and friction-filled conversion paths.
When Technology Gets in Its Own Way
The challenge is particularly acute for complex B2B products. "Not every product can be as simple as Calendly," Syuma acknowledges. "But every product can learn from their principles." She describes how even enterprise software can create moments of delight through progressive disclosure and contextual guidance.
The Human Side of Product Experience
Here's where Syuma gets animated. "Everyone talks about personalization," she says, "but I personally haven't seen a one-size-fits-all solution work well." Instead, she advocates for understanding different user mental models and creating experiences that adapt.
Rethinking Risk in Product-Led Growth
The conversation turns to business models, specifically the trend of requiring credit cards upfront for trials. "It's controversial," Syuma admits. "From a pure UX perspective, it's not ideal. But for B2B products where your ideal customer profile has purchasing power, it can actually improve qualification."
Building Your Product Experience Foundation
So what's the playbook? Syuma emphasizes starting with the basics: "Map your entire user journey, from first touch to activation. Where are the moments of confusion? Where do users get stuck? Fix those before you worry about optimization."
The Future of B2B Product Experiences
As our conversation wraps up, Syuma shares her vision for the future. "The companies that will win aren't necessarily those with the most features or the biggest marketing budgets," she predicts. "They'll be the ones that create experiences so good, their products sell themselves."
For B2B leaders, the message is clear: Product-led growth isn't about growth tactics – it's about product quality. Everything else is just decoration.
