From PLG to Multi-Threaded Growth: Why Product-Led Growth Alone Won’t Cut It Anymore

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Welcome to the 103rd edition of The Growth Elements Newsletter. Every Monday and sometimes on Thursday, I write an essay on growth metrics & experiments and business case studies.

Today’s piece is for 7,000+ founders, operators, and leaders from businesses such as Shopify, Google, Razorpay, Hubspot, Browserstack, Zoho, Freshworks, Darwinbox, Servcorp, Zomato, Postman and Swiggy.

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Product-led growth has been the dominant strategy for many SaaS startups over the last decade.

The playbook was simple: offer a frictionless self-serve product, drive viral adoption, and scale through organic referrals.

Companies like Slack, Zoom, and Notion thrived on this model.

But in 2025, the landscape has changed.

• Customer acquisition costs (CAC) are rising. Organic channels are saturated, and paid ads are less effective.

• PLG-driven companies struggle with monetization. Free users don’t always convert, and expansion revenue is unpredictable.

• Enterprise deals require human touchpoints. Mid-market and enterprise customers expect deeper engagement beyond self-serve.

Startups that depend solely on PLG are seeing slower growth, lower retention, and weaker revenue expansion compared to those that layer on multiple growth motions.

What Is Multi-Threaded Growth?

Multi-threaded growth is an integrated strategy that combines PLG with:

1. Sales-Assisted Growth: Adding SDRs & AEs to convert high-value leads.

2. Marketing-Led Growth: Using demand generation and outbound campaigns.

3. Community & Network Effects: Leveraging referrals and ecosystem partnerships.

4. AI-Driven Growth Optimization: Automating onboarding, segmentation, and expansion.

Instead of relying on one engine, high-growth startups run multiple GTM motions in parallel.

The New Growth Framework: PLG + Sales + Marketing + AI

[1] PLG as the Entry Point, Not the Only Engine

PLG still works, but only as a starting point.

• Free trials and freemium remain powerful top-of-funnel (TOFU) drivers.

• But to scale, companies must actively convert, not just wait for users to upgrade.

[2] Sales-Assisted Expansion: Monetizing the Free Users

Companies that layer in sales-assisted motions see faster revenue expansion.

• Identify high-intent users using product analytics.

• Route qualified leads to SDRs or Account Executives (AEs).

• Offer white-glove onboarding to maximize conversions.

Example: Figma started as purely PLG but built an enterprise sales team to close six-figure deals with companies like Microsoft.

[3] Marketing-Led Growth: Capturing Demand Beyond Word-of-Mouth

PLG companies often assume organic virality is enough. It’s not.

• Paid acquisition (PPC, Meta and LinkedIn Ads) can accelerate user adoption.

• SEO & content marketing establish long-term inbound demand.

• ABM (Account-Based Marketing) nurtures enterprise-level deals.

Example: HubSpot shifted from 100% inbound to layering in ABM & outbound sales, dramatically increasing ACV (Annual Contract Value).

[4] Community-Led & Network Effects: Building a Moat

The best growth engines are self-reinforcing.

• Private communities drive brand loyalty and referrals.

• Marketplace & ecosystem integrations increase switching costs.

• Network effects turn users into growth drivers.

Example: Notion’s community-driven growth fuels viral expansion and user retention.

[5] AI-Driven Growth: Automating & Scaling Expansion

AI is transforming how startups acquire and retain customers.

• AI-powered onboarding reduces time-to-value.

• Predictive analytics identifies users likely to upgrade.

• Chatbots & automation lower sales and support costs.

Example: Calendly uses AI-driven personalization to improve conversion rates and expansion revenue.

Why Multi-Threaded Growth Wins

Startups that scale in 2025 will master GTM diversification. Here’s why:

Final Words

1. Start with PLG, but don’t stop there. Use it as the foundation, not the entire GTM strategy.

2. Layer in sales assist for high-value conversions. Don’t leave money on the table.

3. Invest in demand generation & outbound marketing. Organic growth alone isn’t enough.

4. Build community-driven growth & ecosystem integrations. Reduce churn and increase network effects.

5. Use AI to automate and scale efficiently. AI-driven insights will optimize retention and revenue expansion.

The best SaaS startups no longer rely on a single-threaded growth model.

The future is multi-threaded, combining PLG, sales, marketing, community, and AI for sustainable, scalable growth.

That's it for today's article! I hope you found this essay insightful.

Wishing you a productive week ahead!

I always appreciate you reading.

Thanks,
Chintankumar Maisuria