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Vikas Acharya
Building WelBe| Entr... • 6m
Why Most Startups Die Due to “Zombie Metrics” (And How to Avoid) ⁉️ Many early-stage founders celebrate the wrong things—likes, followers, website visits, or app downloads—thinking they signal growth. In reality, these are Zombie Metrics. What Are Zombie Metrics? Zombie Metrics feel like success but don’t drive real progress. They give founders a false sense of growth while their startup slowly dies. Here’s how they show up: ✅ 100,000 app downloads → ❌ But only 1,000 active users. ✅ 10,000 Instagram followers → ❌ But only 20 sales. ✅ 500 leads from ads → ❌ But zero conversions. Zombie metrics make you think you're growing, but they mask the real problems in your startup. 3 Ways to Escape the Zombie Trap & Build a Real Business 1️⃣ . Measure “North Star Metrics” Instead A North Star Metric (NSM) is the one number that truly reflects business health. Examples : Airbnb: Nights booked (not app installs). Slack: Messages sent per team (not signups). Your Startup? Identify the metric that signals actual usage and retention. Ask yourself If this number doesn’t grow, will my startup survive? 2️⃣. Focus on Retention, Not Just Acquisition A startup with 10,000 new users per month but 90% churn is dying. A startup with 1,000 new users but 80% retention will explode over time. 💡 The rule: If people don’t come back after trying your product, growth is an illusion. 3️⃣. Make Every Metric About Money or Usage Instead of vanity metrics, focus on revenue-driving or engagement-driven metrics: ✅ Active users (daily, weekly, monthly) ✅ Repeat customers (how many buy again?) ✅ Referral rate (do users bring others?) ✅ Revenue growth (how much money per user?) Final Takeaway: Kill the Zombies Before They Kill You If a metric doesn’t lead to retention or revenue, it’s probably a Zombie Metric. Startups don’t die because of low Instagram likes—they die because users don’t stick around. 📌 Ask yourself today: Which metric am I chasing that doesn’t actually grow my business?
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