Share

cover art for Ep. 137 Adam Mosseri: What The Head of Instagram Really Thinks About Growth Hacks, Algorithms and Creation

Working Hard with Grace Beverley

Ep. 137 Adam Mosseri: What The Head of Instagram Really Thinks About Growth Hacks, Algorithms and Creation

Ep. 137
‱

This week I sat down with the Head of Instagram & Threads, Adam Mosseri (no biggie).


It was a pretty personal one for me, as I've been on this app since right at the beginning, every update, every logo, every new feature, and I even remember the moment 15 second videos came along, it felt like a whole new world.


So many of us use Instagram every single day, whether that's to build a business, create incredible content or just send memes to your mate. So I knew I had to get answers from Adam on the app's evolution, what 'the algorithm' actually means, the key metrics to tracks, and who he thinks is killing it at the moment.


We also had a great chat about productivity when you're in the top job, and why (in his words) 'not being great at anything' was the key to his success. I hope you enjoy listening!


+


CHAPTERS

0:00: Introduction

1:22: Working Hard or Hardly Working

2:30 A typical day for Adam

4:00: Adam's non negotiables

6:00: Emails & workflows

7:00: Decisions & delegation

8:15: Getting into tech

9:34: Starting as a founder

11:35: Aspirations for leadership

12:12: The skills that have helped him rise

14:00: How to climb the ladder

17:34: Working with Mark

20:10: How to hone your leadership skills

23:17: How to grow on Instagram

26:24: Keeping everyone in mind with evolution

27:47: Why DMs & stories are most important

28:50: Why he builds in public

32:33: How many times you should be posting

36:00: The new edits app

37:15: The creators that are killing it

38:50: What entrepreneurs are getting wrong

40:40: The most important metric to track

41:30: Productivity non negotiables

45:15: The best piece of advice he's ever received


+


MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/

FOLLOW ADAM: https://www.instagram.com/mosseri/?hl=en


+


RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is obviously monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊

More episodes

View all episodes

  • 181. Your 2026 mindset glow up: how to remove self doubt and make this your most successful year yet with Dr ShadĂ© Zahrai

    01:20:18||Ep. 181
    Dr. ShadĂ© Zahrai is a behavioural researcher, and a leadership and confidence coach. She’s advised the world’s biggest companies and her work has had over 300 million views. I knew I wanted to get Shade on for so long, and there was only one day she was in the UK this year, and we’ve managed to make it happen, so if you’re heading into the new year feeling stuck, second-guessing yourself, or craving a mindset reset that actually lasts, this episode is for you! Each Monday in January we’ve got an episode designed to make 2026 your best year yet, so hit follow and you’ll get the episode exactly where you want it every week!+DR SHADÉ ZAHRAIIG: https://www.instagram.com/shadezahrai/?hl=en TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@shadezahrai?lang=en BOOK: https://www.shadezahrai.com/ +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghard...TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpo...+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 180. Experts On Exactly How To Improve Your Life In 2026 (Mindset, Career, Diet & More)

    37:40||Ep. 180
    It's the Working Hard Christmas party!! 🎄And what better present to end the year with a curation of absolutely everything you need to know to make next year your best year yet!And let me tell you I took this task seriously, I came up with key categories we most want to improve every year, and found the perfect clip for each of them, so you can make 2026 your best year yet.+EPISODES FEATURED:SAHIL BLOOM: https://youtu.be/NtRCKfNi_KU SARAH BERRY: https://youtu.be/abEDZ254cj8 MATTHEW HUSSEY: https://youtu.be/ufpOg6wnEOQ DR JULIE: https://youtu.be/eDKamvLQ1dc EMMA GREDE: https://youtu.be/mPn1JFfwfSEANNICE MUKHERJEE: https://youtu.be/q4s9KEwuet0 ROXIE NAFOUSI: https://youtu.be/JMFqm-P6KOw +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASThttps://www.instagram.com/workinghardpod/?hl=enhttps://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpodcast?lang=en+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 180. Plan With Me For 2026: A Step-by-Step Framework For Actually Effective Goal Setting

    20:35||Ep. 180
    Today’s episode is something that’s really become a tradition for us!! We're planning for 2026.Grab yourself a coffee, get your planner ready, and let's get into it.If you like the look of our TPM digital planner, the first 1000 listeners can use the code WORKINGHARD to get 40% off! (sorry I know I mentioned this at the beginning and forgot to tell you in the actual episode!)Here's the link: https://productivitymethod.com/products/the-digital-planner-2?utm_source=social_grace&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=digiplanner2+SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghard...TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpo...+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 179. How to actually futureproof your career and get promoted with Vanessa Kingori

    01:16:59||Ep. 179
    I loved loved loved this recording! Today I am talking to Vanessa Kingori, one of the most respected leaders in British media. She has led huge brands, shaped culture, and built the most incredible, bucket list career. +VANESSA KINGORIIG: https://www.instagram.com/vanessakingori/?hl=en-gb +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghard...TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpo...+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 178. How to rewire your brain in order to start making your dream life happen with neuroscientist Dr Tara Swart

    01:07:29||Ep. 178
    Today I’m speaking with Dr Tara Swart, a world renowned neuroscientist. She has a medical degree from Oxford, a PhD in Neuropharmacology from Kings College London, and she lectures at MIT’s business school. She’s the author of the bestselling book The Source, and her new book The Signs is all about your following your instinct. If you’re feeling off track with your goals or your motivation has dipped as the year gets going, this episode is genuinely like a reset button for your mind.+DR TARA SWARTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtaraswart/?hl=enThe Source: https://www.taraswart.com/the-source/Her new book, The Signs: https://www.taraswart.com/the-signs/ +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghardpod/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpodcast?lang=en+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 175. How Can I Break Up With A Friend? [Your Unfiltered Dilemmas Answered]

    18:06||Ep. 175
    Today we’re doing a full bonus episode dedicated to going through your friendship dilemmas and having a big old chats about what works and what doesn’t.The catch-up friends episode I mentioned: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2t3hom9tw1TYmCalzFO2Si +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghardpod/?hl=en-gbTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpodcast?lang=en+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 175. This is how you build real friendships (as an adult)

    31:09||Ep. 175
    This is a bit more of a chatty one than usual, but it's something I've been thinking about a lot over the past few weeks. Today I want to talk about how to build amazing friendships and what it really takes. It’s about building real, amazing friendships as an adult. Not the catch-up coffee once a quarter kind of friendship, but the ones that actually feel like a village. The ones where people show up for you, and you show up for them, even when it’s inconvenient.+A huge thank you to Michelle Elman for being my expert for this episode, you can find her links here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/michellelelman/?hl=en TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@michellelelman?lang=en Bad Friend: https://www.michelleelman.com/bad-friend/Michelle's Episode of WH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi3n-4fAhtk +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghardpod/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpodcast?lang=en +DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 173. Your Money Glow Up Guide: What To Actually Do Every Month

    20:47||Ep. 173
    Today we are talking budgeting, saving, investing, debt, and mindset. Not in the usual “cut your iced latte and buy a house” way, but I wanted to tackle it in a way that actually feels achievable, empowering, and grounded in reality.Because whatever stage you’re at in your career journey, and whatever starting point you’ve come from, money stress can take over your life if you do not have a system.+ABIGAIL FOSTERIG: https://www.instagram.com/abigailrosefoster/?hl=enBook: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/468579/the-money-manual-by-foster-abigail/9781529147032Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCk7VL4QPvtByiCg2QoPaU0Q +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram:TikTok:+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊
  • 172. How To Actually Make The Most Of Your Twenties

    25:44||Ep. 172
    Today’s solo episode is all about your twenties, the decade everyone loves to romanticise and panic about at the exact same time. We’re told “these are the best years of your life”. That this is the decade where you’re supposed to find your passion, find your people, figure yourself out, build your career, start investing, go to therapy, travel the world, and somehow also enjoy being young and carefree. So today I wanted to break that all down. We’re going to talk about what actually matters in your twenties, what the research says about how this decade shapes the rest of your life, and how to make the most of it without losing your mind trying to do everything perfectly. I also spoke to the amazing Dr Meg Jay who had some great advice!+DR MEG JAYIG: https://www.instagram.com/drmegjay/ Books: https://megjay.com/books/ + +SIGN UP TO THE WORKING HARD NEWSLETTER: https://graceb.myflodesk.com/k0sfhlac34+FOLLOW THE PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/workinghard...TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@workinghardpo...+DILEMMA SUBMISSIONIf you'd like to submit any dilemmas to the podcast to be answered in the bonus episodes, please send them to podcast@grace-beverley.com with the subject beginning DILEMMAS or DM us @workinghardpod on instagram!+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear 😊