The Twenty Minute VC: Building and Scaling a Consumer Social Platform with Sujit Dash, Co-founder of Dubsmash and VP of Core Product Experience at Reddit

In this episode of The Twenty Minute VC, Harry Stebbings interviews Sujit Dash, co-founder of Dubsmash and VP of Core Product Experience at Reddit. Sujit shares the story of Dubsmash's journey, including the challenges they faced with retention and the competition from TikTok.

Falling in Love with Product Management

Sujit fell in love with product management because he enjoyed the decision-making process, the leadership aspect, and the act of getting things done. He shares his passion for building and scaling consumer social platforms.

The Struggle with Retention and the Pivot

Dubsmash initially struggled with retention, but they saw rapid growth due to their viral nature. Sujit discusses how they eventually pivoted to focus on the dance challenge use case, which improved retention and led to product-market fit.

TikTok's Game-Changing Entry

TikTok's entry into the market was a game-changer. Sujit explains how they used aggressive marketing tactics and targeted advertising to quickly gain market share. He discusses the impact of TikTok's competition on Dubsmash's growth strategy.

Partnering with Reddit

Dubsmash made the strategic decision to partner with Reddit rather than compete with TikTok. Sujit shares how this partnership allowed them to leverage Reddit's resources and focus on their core product. He highlights the importance of collaboration and communication in larger companies.

The Importance of Mindset and Perseverance

Sujit emphasizes the importance of mindset and perseverance in the startup journey. He discusses the need for intellectual honesty and the ability to adapt and pivot when necessary. He shares valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of building and scaling a consumer social platform.

The Future of Video and Monetization

Sujit believes that the future of video and monetization lies in elevating conversations and making them more central to the user experience. He discusses the potential for innovative approaches to video content and revenue generation.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of building and scaling a consumer social platform. Sujit Dash's experience with Dubsmash and Reddit offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and product managers in the fast-paced world of social media.

Suchit Dash is the VP of Core Product Experience at Reddit, responsible for the surfaces that millions of users interact with daily. Prior to Reddit, Suchit was a cofounder at Dubsmash, a short video platform that was used by millions globally and acquired by Reddit in December 2020. In just 10 days, Suchit scaled the product to an immense 43M users, and gained fans such as Neymar and Jimmy Fallon. Suchit previously held roles at Soundcloud and PayPal.

In Today's Episode with Suchit Dash We Discuss:

1. The Founding of Dubsmash & V1:

• How did the founding of Dubsmash come to be?
• Suchit scaled V1 of the product to 43M users in 10 days, what was the secret? What worked?
• What were the first signs that all was not right?
• How did the team respond to the realization that their retention numbers were terrible?
• What are Suchit's biggest lessons and pieces of advice from this massive V1 and launch?

2. Data: Retention, Cohorts and The Smiley Face:

• What specific data did Suchit and the team really use to understand their level of product market fit?
• What level of retention were they looking for? What is average, good, and great in terms of retention in consumer social?
• What is really important for founders to try and observe and analyze in net new user cohorts?
• When and why did the team start to see the hailed smiley face of consumer returning to the app?

3. Battling TikTok:

• Despite the resurgence, TikTok was roaring, what did TikTok do so well to take the market?
• How did TikTok leverage both FB and Snap's ad platform to acquire so many users so fast?
• What did TikTok not do well? What could they have done better?
• How did TikTok pay and incentivize the creator community?
• What are some of Suchit's biggest lessons and advice for founders battling a better-funded incumbent?

4. The Decision to Sell: Being Acquired by Reddit:

• Ultimately, why did Suchit decide to sell the company to Reddit?
• Why did the first two acquisition attempts fail?
• What are 1-2 of the biggest pieces of advice Suchit has for founders debating whether it is right to sell their company?
• What do all founders being acquired need to remember?
• With the benefit of hindsight, if Suchit could do the acquisition process again, what would he do differently?