Product-centric growth – setting the path to sustainable performance

Evolve Enterprise Solutions (EES) has been leveraging product-centric growth agendas in scaling and turning around enterprise-technology businesses with focus on the areas of open-source software (OSS) and software as a service (SaaS). It is a key pillar of our value-creation methodology. The following blog outlines this approach with its main features.

Our applied product-centric growth (PCG) methodology builds on the term “product-led growth” – abbreviated as PLG that was introduced and coined by OpenView and then championed by Wes Bush with his book series. We further lever Pavilion University’s growth curriculum in combination with our own experience and research. Please see the section on notes and further reading for the respective references.

Product-centric growth (PCG) places product and technology strategy at the heart of the value-creation journey. Rather than relying on traditional sales, partnerships, or marketing-led motions, PCG focuses on delivering value through the product itself. In this approach, the product vision and roadmap guide the marketing strategy, inform campaign planning, and shape the sales approach and customer journey throughout the go-to-market (GTM) lifecycle. A continuous product–market fit (PMF) feedback loop ensures that product development remains aligned with its commercial potential.

PCG agendas

PLG uses the product itself as the primary driver for acquiring, activating, and retaining customers. In this model, users are also the buyers, making the in-product experience critical for lead generation and funnel conversion. In the step-by-step framework developed by Wes Bush, products are expected to deliver immediate value – typically through a freemium model or free trial. This approach lowers adoption barriers and allows potential customers to experience the product’s value firsthand before committing to a purchase.

PCG builds on this framework by placing the product at the core of the entire commercial strategy and customer journey, including lead generation, acquisition, onboarding, and expansion. It establishes both a management philosophy and an execution strategy. The product becomes the central pillar that delivers value, drives sales, supports users, and scales the business.

Our methodology emphasises a deep understanding of customer needs, coupled with continuous product development and innovation. This is reflected by the establishment of well-defined use cases across industry verticals. Customer retention is driven by the product experience itself, while growth loops are built into feature development and the product roadmap. We place strong emphasis on guided product demos and customised implementations, often delivered through professional services engagements. This ensures that the product’s value is clearly demonstrated in the specific context of the customer’s requirements, facilitating deeper engagement and faster adoption. This adoption begins typically with individual users or small teams; as the product’s value becomes evident, usage expands organically across the organisation, fuelling scalable, sustainable growth.

PMF feedback loop

Dedicated PMF feedback loops are a core driver of product improvement and GTM motion. These loops are dynamic, iterative cycles that enable businesses to continuously refine their product based on real market needs. At the heart of this process is the validation of commercial hypotheses, starting with the development of a minimum viable product (MVP), followed by the systematic collection and analysis of user feedback. This includes both quantitative metrics (such as engagement and retention scores) and qualitative insights (such as user interviews and surveys). Successful execution of PMF loops requires tight alignment across product, marketing, customer success, and growth engineering teams. Everyone operates from a shared foundation of product usage data to run use cases, learn quickly, and iterate efficiently. Data-driven, objective decision-making is fundamental to the process.

Feedback is not a one-time validation exercise. It is a continuous stream of insight into how well the product aligns with evolving customer expectations and commercial demands. By uncovering user behaviour patterns and pain points, product teams can iterate, refine, or pivot to strengthen the product’s value proposition. When applied consistently, the PMF feedback loop becomes a strategic engine for scalable growth, driving customer retention, organic referrals, and increased market traction. As both a managerial tool and an execution framework, it ensures that products do more than just launch – they learn, adapt, and continually earn their place in the market and in the hands of customers.

Applications

The land-and-expand strategy central to PCG aligns seamlessly with the recurring revenue model of SaaS. Success is measured not only by customer acquisition but also by net revenue retention and ongoing expansion. Key enablers of effective PCG execution include cloud accessibility, modular pricing, built-in analytics, and rapid iteration cycles. OSS also complements this methodology – particularly in the context of developer tools and infrastructure components – by fostering adoption, community-driven improvement, and flexible integration.

PCG is equally effective for both scaling high-growth businesses and turning around underperforming ones. At its core is a rigorous assessment of commercial viability and GTM positioning. While many technology startups excel in innovation, they often struggle with commercialisation due to limited insights on client needs and expectations. PCG enables boards and management teams to evaluate the PMF and, by extension, the viability of the business itself. This evaluation forms the basis for a focused, action-oriented value-creation plan aimed at addressing shortfalls and closing critical gaps. As conclusion, every business plan should begin with the product at its centre and execute the PCG framework with discipline and intent.

The author used ChatGPT for editing and researching this article.

Notes and further reading:

• BUSH, WES: Product-Led Growth; Product-led Institute, 2019

• BUSH, WES: The Product-Led Playbook; Product-led Inc., 2024

• BUSH, WES AND RAMLI, JOHN: The Product-Led Onboarding; Product-led Press, 2021

• BROWN, MORGAN AND ELLIS, SEAN: Hacking Growth; Virgin Digital, 2017

• CAGAN, MARTY: Inspired; Wiley, 2017

• CAGAN, MARTY AND JONES, CHRIS: Empowered; Wiley, 2020

• CHEN, ANDREW: The Cold Start Problem; Cornerstone Digital, 2021

• JACOBS, SAM: Kind Folks Finish First: The Considerate Path to Success in Business and Life; G&D Media, 2023

• OLSON, DAN: The Lean Product Playbook; Wiley, 2015

• OPENVIEW: 2022 Product Benchmarks available on https://openviewpartners.com/2022-product-benchmarks/ 

• PAVILION UNIVERSITY: CRO school curriculum available on https://www.joinpavilion.com/pavilion-university/cro-school 

• REFORGE: Case studies available on https://www.reforge.com/case-studies 

• RUMELT, RICHARD: Good Strategy / Bad Strategy; Profile Books, 2011