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Tip: Increase retention by making it painless to switch between plans

Source: Growth Bites

If a user can't downgrade frictionlessly, they'll cancel. Simple as that. Decrease churn by making it ridiculously easy to switch between tiers.

Nudge Coach's MVP didn't allow users to switch between plans. Their second-tier churn was at about 15%, but when they made downgrading possible (and easy), that quickly decreased to just about 0%. If a customer wants to spend less and there isn't a frictionless way to do so, they'll cancel. And while users downgrading may not seem ideal, it's a lot better than losing them entirely. So place each user's plan front-and-center in their account details and let them switch it with the click of a button. And while you're at it, consider offering a cheaper plan in your cancelation flow.

What’s trending?

AI Agents are running your life, and that’s not a bad thing

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You’re halfway through your workday when your phone buzzes. It’s not a text from a friend or a spam email—it’s your AI agent. And it says: “Hey, you’ve got a meeting in 15 minutes. I’ve already prepped the agenda and sent it to your team. Oh, and don’t forget to grab your water bottle—you’re behind on hydration today.”

This is the reality of AI agents—smart, proactive tools that don’t just answer questions but reason, plan, and take action.

Remember “Her”? That movie where Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Theodore, falls for his AI assistant, Samantha? Back in 2013, some people called it science fiction, while others thought, “This could actually happen.” Well… guess what? 🙂

Here we are—AI agents aren’t just a quirky concept from a movie anymore. They’re real, they’re here, and they’re getting better every day, helping us think, plan, and act in ways that feel almost human.

“Her” wasn’t just a love story—it was a glimpse into a future where technology blurs the line between tool and companion. And while we’re not quite at the point of forming romantic relationships with our AI assistants (or are we?), the film’s vision of hyper-intelligent, proactive systems isn’t so far off. AI agents today are not just reactive—they’re learning, adapting, and becoming more integrated into our lives.

So, let’s talk about: what these AI Agents are, how they work, and how they’re changing the way we live, work, even take care of ourselves, and why they’re more than just a fancy tech trend👇

How Canva Grew to a $40 Billion Valuation

Source: Nathan Latka

Canva made graphic design effortless for non-designers and scaled from a simple tool to a global creative powerhouse. Here’s how they did it, step by step, with insights you can apply to your business.

Step 1: Solving a Simple Problem

In 2007, Melanie Perkins saw students struggle with complex design tools like Photoshop. Creating professional visuals was frustrating, expensive, and slow. She envisioned a simpler way—one that made design accessible to everyone.

This idea became Canva, built on a clear mission: empower the world to design—no steep learning curve, no barriers, just effortless creativity.

Lesson: The best ideas come from everyday frustrations. Solve a real problem, and you’ll find demand.

Step 2 - Finding the Right Support Before Launching

Melanie Perkins and her team knew they needed funding to bring Canva to life, but investors weren’t convinced. Many doubted that a simple design platform for non-designers could scale. After years of rejections, a breakthrough came when Melanie pitched to Bill Tai, a Silicon Valley investor, at a business conference in Perth.

This connection led to a network of backers who believed in her vision and helped make Canva a reality.

Lesson: A great idea isn’t enough—you need the right people to believe in it. Persistence and strategic networking can open doors that seemed impossible.

Step 3: The Power of Freemium

When Canva launched in 2013, it used a freemium model—giving away core design tools for free while charging for premium features. This lowered the barrier to entry and fueled rapid adoption among individuals, small businesses, and educators.

The strategy worked: users got hooked on the free version, and as their needs grew, they naturally upgraded to paid plans. This seamless transition helped Canva scale from thousands to 50 million users and reach $100M ARR by 2020.

Lesson: Offering free value upfront builds trust. If your product delivers real benefits, users will gladly pay to unlock more.

Step 4: Turning Users into a Growth Engine

Canva’s biggest marketing asset? Its own users.

By making design effortless, Canva encouraged people to proudly share their creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest—turning everyday users into brand advocates. The result? Every shared design became free advertising, attracting new users curious about the tool behind it.

Canva fueled this even further by:

• Integrating with social platforms for instant sharing.

• Releasing viral templates tied to trends and events.

• Running contests and spotlights to reward active users.

This user-generated content strategy helped Canva scale without heavy ad spending.

Lesson: A great product markets itself when users genuinely love it. Make it easy—and rewarding—for them to share.

Step 5: Scaling Through Team Collaboration

Canva’s growth exploded when it expanded beyond individual users to teams and enterprises—a shift that drove an estimated $500 million in revenue.

By introducing real-time editing, shared folders, and permission controls, Canva made it easy for teams to collaborate without endless email chains or messy file versions. To further support businesses, Canva launched Pro for Teams, offering:

• Brand kits for consistency.

• Content planners for streamlined marketing.

• Enterprise integrations with Slack and Trello.

This made Canva not just a design tool, but a workplace solution—one that even non-designers could use effortlessly.

Lesson: Growth isn’t just about adding users; it’s about expanding how your product is used. Solve problems for teams, not just individuals, and you’ll unlock massive new markets.

Step 6: Building a Community-Driven Growth Engine

A key driver? Education.

Canva’s Design School offered tutorials, courses, and resources to help users create confidently. It wasn’t just about teaching the platform—it was about making design accessible to everyone.

Beyond education, Canva turned users into brand advocates through:

• User-generated content – Encouraging users to share their designs, creating organic marketing.

• Certified Creatives program – Rewarding power users and influencers who promoted Canva.

• Inclusivity & accessibility – Ensuring people of all skill levels could participate.

By fostering engagement, empowerment, and advocacy, Canva created a self-sustaining growth loop.

Thank you for reading! ✌️

We look forward to sharing more with you next week. Stay tuned!

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