Andrew Chen | The Cold Start Problem: How to Start and Scale Network Effects | Talks at Google

Startup executive and investor Andrew Chen discusses his book "The Cold Start Problem: How to Start and Scale Network Effects", revealing what makes winning networks thrive, why some startups fail to successfully scale, and, most crucially, why products that create and compete using the network effect are vitally important today.
Although software has become easier to build, launching and scaling new products and services remains difficult. Startups face daunting challenges entering the technology ecosystem, including stiff competition, copycats, and ineffective marketing channels. Teams launching new products must consider the advantages of “the network effect,” where a product or service’s value increases as more users engage with it. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other tech giants utilize network effects, and most tech products incorporate them, whether they're messaging apps, workplace collaboration tools, or marketplaces. Network effects provide a path for fledgling products to break through, attracting new users through viral growth and word of mouth. Yet most entrepreneurs lack the vocabulary and context to describe them-much less understand the fundamental principles that drive the effect. What exactly are network effects? How do teams create and build them into their products? How do products compete in a market where every player has them?
Andrew Chen is a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz where he invests in consumer technology, including social, marketplace, entertainment and gaming experiences. Today, Andrew serves on the boards of All Day Kitchens, Clubhouse, Envoy, Hipcamp, Maven, SandboxVR, Singularity6, Sleeper, Snackpass and Substack. He is a prolific writer and leading voice on mobile, metrics and user growth. He is also a board member and instructor at Reforge, which offers selective growth-focused programs for experienced professionals in marketing, product, data and engineering.
Get the book here: goo.gle/3F5CklE.
Moderated by Ali Norup.

[@FromFame]

10:00 Andrew had you not voiced the book I wouldn’t have bought it since I simply can’t keep my eyes stable on text. Thank you for listening to yourself & voicing it for us. You have a fantastic voice to listen to!

[@merajis]

The interviewer keeps saying “exactly” which kinda implies she already knows everything Andrew is talking about, which is kinda intimidating because Andrew is talking about a book he just launched that he spent 3 years on. I hope she’ll see this and take it into account for future interviews. Listening without interaction would be a better addition

[@oluwadaraabodunwa9368]

Exactly! 💯 🤣

[@elevensphere6854]

@@oluwadaraabodunwa9368 😂

[@KaplanAkincilar]

Exactly

[@aeremthirteen2771]

jfc this is so parasocial and sexist 😅

[@tomnicocelli759]

Awesome talk. Very thoughtful. Thank you for your time. Reading the book right now.

[@sayyamzahid505]

Hi there

[@rohangaikwad255]

Great talk! Pretty insightful, especially stories from Tinder, and Airbnb.

[@parinhasok7615]

Great talk. I'll definitely read the book!

[@fidelomondi1208]

Great talk! Will definitely read Andre Chen's Book.

[@sfguy4739]

Good talk and book. Could "have" done without all the “uh-huh, yups, and exactly” from the interviewer though.

[@jahnotdead]

You literally wrote “could of done”…..

[@sfguy4739]

@@jahnotdead Clearly the interviewer has lots of defenders..

[@gfulpakwuli3799]

The continuous interruptions by the interviewer are quite bothersome. Additionally, it appears that the interviewer's sound level is consistently higher than that of the guest. These factors are detracting from the overall quality of the video. Despite my interest in the content, I find myself inclined to switch it off and look for an alternative. It makes me wonder if these interruptions are intentional, possibly meant to overshadow the genuine message being conveyed.

[@karenmorgan2146]

Good insights!

[@DharmendraRaiMindMap]

Great talk but I m missing offline talks - its a totally different world with greater learning there

[@sayyamzahid505]

I agree with your

[@peggywang8974]

great talk and inspiring !

[@alexd9656]

surprised that the audio is so bad though, considering it's Google and Andrew Chen -__-

[@BSPoK]

Great interview. I'll definitely read the book. However, I've been searching for a book about: how to build a successful eCommerce website. From product, generating traffic and sales etc. Any suggestions that you've read and found useful is welcome. Thank you.

[@ianng89]

Definitely check out one of my favourites - Delivering Happiness

[@BSPoK]

@@ianng89 Great thank you. I’ll check it out 🙃

[@aeremthirteen2771]

Be aware of your environment. The online one, the distribution and 3rd party integrations, the local and global economic landscape its in, etc...

[@benzun9600]

Andrew you going to pay for the clean up of you trashing wedding?

[@KaplanAkincilar]

Exactly

[@neoukff9971]

Amazing

[@meghachaturvedi7166]

Aah the chat we were waiting for

[@sayyamzahid505]

Cairo dindori mandhya Pradesh cemetery

[@holdenmcgroin8917]

Wow there's an asian male speaker at Google Talk!

[@MohammadRazzaghnoori]

I dare you to drink every time she says "exactly" 😀

[@robloxmamaw4266]

Happy Birthday 🎂

[@cathylu9723]

The interviewer did a fine job!

[@sayyamzahid505]

Yes she did..

[@davidw8668]

She's actually super awkward and distracting by pretending Andrew talks to her instead of listening to the speech..

[@shivanichhabra1166]

nyc video . ap planet ayurveda ka kaas-har churna v try kr sakte ho .

[@John-gm5mf]

Holy cow the person he's with needs to sit still and LISTEN, SO distracting, SO annoying. Please never use this Interviewer again.

[@BSPoK]

Sir, wether your comment is true or not is irrelevant since it is your opinion but why did you have to say it in such a hurtful manner? Would it have been difficult to express your opinion with more etiquette and savoir vivre?

[@John-gm5mf]

@@BSPoK What part was I trying to be hurtful?

[@BSPoK]

@@John-gm5mf On a scale of 1 to 5 of “hurtful”, the first part of the message would be a 2.7 and the last part a good 4.1. Personally, if I’ve felt the same as you, I would have written something along the lines of: As a suggestion for the interviewer for future interviews, it would make watching and understanding the information easier if the interviewer listened more. It might not be exactly like that, but along those lines. I just feel like using words that can create negative feelings in peoples mind is a poor way to use such a great tool that is language 😉.. I appreciate and recognize the fact that your comment to mine was actually quite composed. One point for you.

[@BSPoK]

@@John-gm5mf At the very least, we can agree to disagree.

[@sayyamzahid505]

Agreed but what

[@olivergleave4795]

The host was utterly pointless here and way out of their depth. Just him next time - golden.