Community | University 

Oct 01, 2025

Hello, GrowthHackers! 

Welcome to your daily unfair advantage.

Every morning, we cut through the noise to bring you sharp insights, fast news, and fresh sparks to light up your brain and fuel your hustle. From scrappy hacks to big tech moves, AI shifts to culture flips this is your intel to stay ahead, move fast, and break boring.

Think of it as your growth-fueled espresso shot.
Short. Smart. Addictive.

Let’s dive in.👇

Quick Hits

1. Google reveals its Gemini-powered smart home lineup and AI strategy
   (Gemini isn’t just in the cloud anymore, it’s wiring itself into your living room.)

2. YouTube Launches AI Stickers for Shorts, Polls for Live
   (Engagement at scale is now an AI design problem.)

3. Amazon launches a grocery brand with most products under $5
   (Amazon isn’t chasing margins, it’s chasing market share and household habit.)

The Growth joke of the day

What do hippies and SEOs have in common?
A love for anything organic. ⚡️

What's New in Growth Hacking/Growth Marketing?

Strategies

• Airbuds is the music social network Apple and Spotify wish they had built

  Airbuds drives viral growth with widget-based passive music sharing. Innovative invite-based feature unlocking and Gen Z-focused social features like “ghost mode” and emoji reactions signal smart growth hacking design strategies.

• Google Discover Adds Social Media Posts & Follow Buttons

  Google enhances Discover feed by allowing direct follows and embedding content from Instagram, X, and YouTube Shorts. This presents a big opportunity for organic social visibility in web discovery key for digital marketing strategies.

• Why Horizon and Havas are joining forces in the U.S. market

  The arrangement is an attempt to compete more effectively for clients amid an agency sector undergoing a series of slow motion earthquakes as Horizon and Havas’ holdco cousins merge, disintegrate and decline.

• Why The iPhone Actually Changed From Lightning To USB-C Ports

  By now, it's hard not to notice that the latest iPhones are equipped with USB-C ports, and there's a fairly specific reason for that. While some may remember when Apple's smartphone lineup was equipped with a 30-pin Dock connector, you're likely more familiar with the Lightning connector, which has maintained a presence in the iPhone ecosystem for the majority of the device's history

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People

• Spotify founder steps down from CEO role
  The Stockholm-based streaming giant said Ek will be replaced by two lieutenants who will become co-CEOs: Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström and Chief Business Officer Alex Norström.

Join us for an unforgettable
online experience!

Growth Meets Influence: Amplify Your Reach & Revenue ⚡️

When growth hacking and influence intersect, magic happens.
This event explores how influence can unlock new channels, accelerate trust, and scale outcomes.

🚀 LIVE WEBINAR
📅 02 OCTOBER 2025
🕛 9AM PT - 12PM ET - 5PM GMT

Join to leave with fresh strategies, ready-to-launch ideas, and connections that turn influence into momentum.

What's New in Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

• Spotify now lets you exclude tracks from your taste profile, improving recommendations

  Spotify on Wednesday announced the launch of a new feature that allows users to take more control over their recommendations. The service will now let users exclude certain tracks from influencing their taste profile.

• Google unveils AI-powered Nest indoor and outdoor cameras, and a new doorbell

  As part of its Google Home event on Wednesday, the company unveiled a revamped lineup of Nest devices   Google’s brand of smart home security cameras and doorbells.