Elena Verna: Growth is a trust issue, emotional engagement drives software success, and subscription-only models can be risky | 20VC
Building trust through product experience is now crucial for driving growth in the software industry.
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Add us on Google by Editorial Team Apr. 10, 2026Key takeaways
- Growth is increasingly seen as a trust issue rather than just a marketing challenge.
- Subscription-only monetization strategies can be risky and may require diversification.
- Trust in software is becoming more critical than just its functionality.
- Emotional engagement in software products is now a key factor for success.
- Building trust through product experience is essential for driving growth.
- SEO remains necessary but is declining in effectiveness as a primary growth driver.
- Building in public and employee-led social media engagement can foster trust.
- Authentic connections in marketing are crucial due to saturation of marketing messages.
- Encouraging employees to build personal brands can enhance company marketing.
- The blurring of lines between company functions is accelerating.
- Paid growth strategies are risky without sufficient experience.
- Trust in the team behind a product influences consumer purchasing decisions.
- Emotional responses to software can be as important as its functionality.
- Investing in SEO is essential for baseline growth but not a winning strategy.
- Employee branding can transform them into powerful marketing agents.
Guest intro
Elena Verna is the Head of Growth at Lovable, one of the fastest growing companies in the world having hit $400M in ARR in just 18 months. Prior to Lovable, she was Head of Growth at both Dropbox and Miro.
Growth as a trust issue
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Growth is fundamentally a trust problem.
— Elena Verna
- Trust is now a key factor in purchasing decisions for software.
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Growth is a trust problem now who do I trust to actually purchase it from…
— Elena Verna
- Trust in the team behind a product is crucial for consumer confidence.
- Building trust through product experience is more important than traditional marketing.
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What becomes more important is your product as a channel where you actually earn that trust…
— Elena Verna
- The shift towards trust emphasizes the need for transparency and authenticity.
- Trust drives word-of-mouth and likability, essential for growth.
The risks of subscription-only monetization
- Locking users into subscriptions can be a risky strategy.
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Do not lock people in subscription as the only way to monetize…
— Elena Verna
- Diversification in revenue models is necessary to mitigate risks.
- Subscription models may not be sustainable long-term without trust.
- Exploring alternative monetization strategies can enhance growth potential.
- Subscription fatigue among consumers is a growing concern.
- Companies need to balance subscription models with other revenue streams.
- Relying solely on subscriptions can limit market reach and flexibility.
The emotional aspect of software growth
- Software is judged by the emotions it evokes, not just functionality.
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You’re really trying to create what I call minimum lovable product…
— Elena Verna
- Emotional engagement is crucial for software success and growth.
- Creating a “minimum lovable product” can drive customer loyalty.
- Emotional responses can differentiate software in a competitive market.
- Products need to connect with users on an emotional level for retention.
- Emotional design can enhance user experience and satisfaction.
- Understanding consumer psychology is key to software development.
The evolving role of SEO in growth strategies
- SEO is necessary for baseline growth but not a primary driver.
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Is SEO still fruitful absolutely… but is SEO gonna be the reason that you’re gonna win…
— Elena Verna
- The effectiveness of SEO is declining due to market saturation.
- Companies need to adapt and innovate beyond traditional SEO tactics.
- SEO should be part of a broader, diversified growth strategy.
- AI and changing algorithms impact SEO effectiveness.
- SEO investments must be strategic and aligned with overall goals.
- Relying solely on SEO is not sustainable for long-term growth.
Building in public and employee-led engagement
- Building in public fosters trust and connection with customers.
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I really mean where you start building in public…
— Elena Verna
- Employee-led social media engagement enhances brand authenticity.
- Authentic connections are crucial in a saturated marketing landscape.
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That trust piece that I’m like circling back over and over again…
— Elena Verna
- Encouraging employees to build personal brands can amplify marketing efforts.
- Transparency in company operations builds consumer trust.
- Public engagement can differentiate brands in competitive markets.
Leveraging employee branding for marketing
- Employees can become powerful marketing agents through personal branding.
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If you can use your company to help people build a better social presence…
— Elena Verna
- Personal branding aligns employee and company goals for mutual benefit.
- Encouraging employees to build their brands enhances marketing reach.
- Employees with strong personal brands can drive authentic engagement.
- Companies benefit from the increased visibility of employee branding.
- Personal branding strategies should align with company values.
- Employee branding can lead to organic growth and community building.
The blurring of lines in company functions
- The lines between different company functions are increasingly blurring.
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There’s a massive blurring of lines and all has been happening for a long time…
— Elena Verna
- Cross-functional collaboration is essential for modern business success.
- The integration of roles enhances innovation and problem-solving.
- Companies must adapt to evolving role expectations and structures.
- Blurred lines require flexible and adaptable organizational strategies.
- This trend reflects the need for holistic approaches to business operations.
- Employees must develop diverse skill sets to thrive in blurred roles.
