This week, Luke sat down with Thomas Griffin, Co-founder of OptinMonster, the conversion optimization platform powering millions websites globally. You'll hear about identifying a massive problem before the market did, the infrastructure crash that forced a 3-week WordPress pivot, why coining "exit intent" helped dominate an undefined category, and the "10-minute onboarding rule" that reveals where churn really happens.
About Thomas Griffin:
Thomas Griffin is the Co-founder of OptinMonster and Gro-Rite Garden. His software powers over 25 million websites globally, and he pioneered the lead capture space by coining and trademarking the term "exit intent." Thomas built OptinMonster during the early days of modern marketing automation, positioning the company at exactly the right place and time as MailChimp, HubSpot, and Constant Contact created market demand for conversion optimization tools.
About OptinMonster:
OptinMonster is a conversion optimization platform that helps businesses capture leads before visitors leave their website. Created to solve the problem that 70% of website visitors never return, OptinMonster introduced exit intent technology and became the category leader by defining the terminology itself. The platform now powers lead capture for millions of websites and has built a thriving affiliate community of bloggers and marketers who rely on its tools for conversion optimization.
Show Notes:
00:00 Early entrepreneurial spirit and the path to software
02:59 Transitioning to software and SaaS: learning the fundamentals
05:59 The birth of OptinMonster: solving the "70% never return" problem
09:01 Overcoming early challenges: the SaaS crash and WordPress pivot
11:55 Understanding user behavior and psychology: why exit intent works
14:59 Marketing strategies and growth: timing the MailChimp/HubSpot wave
18:09 The evolution of the product: from WordPress to cross-platform dominance
21:01 Building a community and affiliate network: creating viral growth loops
24:33 The journey to customer acquisition: when bloggers couldn't stop recommending
25:38 Key metrics for business growth: the four-lever framework
30:19 The importance of onboarding: the 10-minute rule that changed everything
35:56 Transitioning from SaaS to hardware: applying software principles to Gro-Rite Garden
42:06 The power of community and support: combating entrepreneurial isolation