+ roundup: Paid acquisition basics, most-valued startups, 10 investors open to pitches
Summary
Paid acquisition takes time to generate positive returns, but growth expert Jonathan Martinez says it’s still “the most efficient and frictionless way possible” to achieve product-market fit. In this week’s column, he explains how to determine which channels work best with your offerings and breaks down his “battle-tested waitlist method” for capturing and leveraging user interest using tools like Canva and Leadpages. In a wide-ranging conversation, Thione shared his views on today’s frothy AI market, spoke about where the sector is headed, and emphasized why it’s important to support founders who identify as LGBTQ+. “Don’t worry, the answer here is not just ‘build an AI startup,’ even if that does appear to be pretty solid advice for avoiding a down round.” Get the TechCrunch+ Roundup newsletter in your inbox! “Retention is a major challenge and still remains so,” says Braswell, who’s now launching 2045, a career platform that will support workers between 30 and 45 years old with coaching, advice and events.