He wasn't looking for a traditional marketer who would be concerned with factors such as cost-per-acquisition; his main focus was, how can I grow my user base as quickly as possible?
In contrast, growth marketers use growth hacking techniques to experiment with different channels and strategies frequently, optimizing their tests incrementally to determine how to best optimize their marketing spend. Growth hackers were keen to use a range of innovative experiments and constant analysis to increase their user base at lower costs as quickly as possible. The term itself was coined by entrepreneur Sean Ellis in 2010, when he was seeking an employee for a new marketing role. He wasn't looking for a traditional marketer who would be concerned with factors such as cost-per-acquisition; his main focus was, how can I grow my user base as quickly as possible? This question was a central concern for SaaS startups, which needed to outpace their competitors or die.