From Growth Hacks to Growth Love — Night at Notion HQ
“Growth is changing fast,” said the Notion invite — and honestly, it couldn’t have been more true.
Last night I joined a fireside chat at Notion HQ with Elena Verna (Growth @ Lovable) and Andrew Silard (Head of Growth Marketing @ Notion) — and the conversation absolutely delivered.
It wasn’t just about metrics or funnels — it was about emotion, community, and what makes a company not just viral, but beloved.
The Event Vibe
Walking into Notion HQ instantly reminded me why I love design culture: the attention to detail, the energy, the care for user experience that extends from product to physical space.
And the merch? Don’t even get me started — sleek minimalism, tactile textures, just the right amount of tech-meets-human. (Yes, I took photos. Yes, I want one of every single item.)
Wow, you really thought of everything
That was the moment.
During networking, someone asked me about NASI — my AI-native social dashboard project — and after a few minutes of deep UX-to-AI conversation, he said:
“Wow, you really thought of everything.”
And without skipping a beat, I literally replied:
“Of course I did. I’m a UX strategist — it’s my literal job to think of everything.” 😎
Because… duh.
What kind of UX strategist would I be if I didn’t think of everything — users, scaling, revenue, feedback loops, future tech, human emotion, and even the psychological on-ramps for non-tech users?
That’s the bridge I live for, every single day. I don’t just design for users; I design for humans — the ones behind the data, the curiosity, the late-night scrolls.
That moment reminded me how much of my work sits at the intersection of AI innovation and human intuition.
I might not be coding AI agents yet (hold my matcha, I’m learning), but I deeply understand what’s powering this era — and how to make it usable, lovable, and scalable.
Elena Verna’s Talk — Key Notes That Hit Home
Elena is pure brilliance. Everything she shared validated the growth approach I’ve been crafting for NASI and the startups I consult for at KH Creative.
Her points were razor-sharp, and I couldn’t agree more:
It’s guerrilla marketing all over again — just with new tools.
Community-driven engagement is the heartbeat of modern growth.
Transparency builds traction. Building in public is how non-tech audiences connect and care.
Team belief fuels user belief. If your team doesn’t love your product, no one else will.
Love Score matters. You don’t need millions — just a solid, engaged base who truly believe.
SEO vs AEO (AI Engine Optimization)? TBD. But focus on the humans first.
What It Means for NASI (and Beyond)
Everything Elena said aligns with the core of NASI’s philosophy — creating a social ecosystem that connects creators and consumers through agentic AI, emotional awareness, and transparency.
And for KH Creative, it’s a validation of the direction we’ve been moving in: bridging tech and emotion, data and design, automation and authenticity.
Growth isn’t just about traction anymore. It’s about trust.
Takeaway
I left Notion HQ inspired — not because the tech world is moving fast (we already know that), but because the best people in the room are still talking about humans first.
It’s the same mantra I’ve been carrying since day one:
Design for connection. Scale through empathy.
Come for the insights. Stay for the community.
