Fiat Growth Newsletter #1

Growth Loops are the New Funnels

Hey it’s Fiat 😄 

Welcome to the Fiat Growth Newsletter. This issue takes 7 minutes to read, but if you only have one, here’s the quick rundown:

• Founders’ note: Why we created the Fiat Growth newsletter. 

• Verse’s AI-powered campaign: How they drove 250K new signups with a viral side-project.

• Neon Money Club’s pop-up dating app: Connecting people with good credit scores and generating 8,000 matches.

A note from our founders:

90% of marketing tactics fail, but yours doesn’t have to. The Fiat Growth Newsletter delivers successful growth strategies from today’s fastest-growing startups—in just 7 minutes or less. Get the stories, frameworks, and tactics that will make you a 10x better leader.

At Fiat Growth, we pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of all things creative, bold, and game-changing in growth strategies. Our unique insights come from our work across:

• Fiat Growth: Full-Stack Marketing agency

• Fiat Ventures: An early-stage fintech venture firm

• Fiat Advisors: A marketplace for top growth consultants

• Fiat Finance: Fractional finance, accounting, taxes, and bookkeeping

Since our founding in 2019, Fiat Growth has partnered with 226 clients, driving over $2B in revenue. We've also invested in 28 fintech brands and built a team of 31 of the brightest minds in growth marketing.

We’re excited to share our insights and knowledge with our community. Enjoy!

This issue is brought to you by Fiat Finance.

AI-Powered Growth Loops

How Verse attracted 250K users with a viral side-project.

One creative way to drive new users is through viral side-project marketing, as seen with Verse’s success. They launched a simple web app that connected to Spotify and created a personalized “internet bedroom” based on users’ music tastes. This fun, AI-driven project attracted over 250,000 users and boosted Verse’s visibility on TikTok and the App Store.

Why it worked:

• Low friction: Users just connected Spotify for instant results. No lengthy setup needed.

• Personalization: AI-generated, unique web pages based on music tastes made the content highly shareable.

• TikTok/X (micro & macro) influencers: They shared their “internet bedrooms,” sparking a viral trend that spread organically.

Takeaway:
Viral side-projects are cost-effective, easy to scale, and tap into user psychology, driving large waves of new users. Just ensure there’s a clear call to action, funneling traffic back to your core product.

What we love most: There are endless creative ways to bring in new users. You just need to think outside the box!

How can you apply this strategy:

Launch a simple, fun side-project that connects to your main product. Focus on personalization to make it highly shareable, and use low-friction onboarding to boost engagement. Promote it through viral platforms like TikTok and X. I can’t stress this enough -  ensure there's a clear call to action driving users back to your core offering. 

Example CTA: “Discover your personalized ‘internet bedroom’ now and see how your music taste shapes your digital space! Then, explore more features on our app to connect with a community that shares your vibe. Try it now and unlock exclusive benefits by signing up today!”

Niche Pop-Up Apps

How Neon Money Club drove 8,000 users by creating a dating app for people with good credit scores

Score, the dating app focused on users with good to excellent credit, is a prime example of thinking outside the box for growth. Launched as a 90-day pop-up app by Neon Money Club, Score received so much interest that it stayed live for six months, gaining 18,000 users and making 8,000 matches. More importantly, it sparked a conversation about credit health and financial literacy—its core mission.

Why it worked:

• Focused niche: Targeting users who prioritize financial wellness set the app apart in a crowded dating market.

• Clear mission: The app didn’t just connect people; it also educated them on their credit health, adding value beyond dating.

• Temporary exclusivity: As a pop-up, Score created urgency and curiosity, driving more users to engage within a limited timeframe.

• Launch Strategy: Score was launched on Valentine’s day - strategically taking advantage of a massive dating moment.

Takeaway:
Innovative, time-bound projects like Score can drive rapid user engagement, even in saturated markets. The key is finding a unique angle that taps into broader societal or lifestyle trends.

How can you apply this strategy?

Identify a niche, create urgency with temporary products, and tie your campaign to a broader societal issue. Use low-cost pop-up models to quickly test the market and pivot as needed for high-impact results.

That’s all for this edition. Cheers!