No more building. Just talk to customers. “We decided we weren’t allowed to build anything at all. We had to just talk to people—and talk to them until we had a lot of confidence and a mental model of customers, their jobs, the problems they might have and how we might solve them.” (For more here, check out Cacioppo’s write-up on some of her... See more
A few of your strongest customers can teach you more than many of your weaker ones. Your strongest customers are generally your most engaged users, deriving the most value from your product. If you use the Sean Ellis question, your strongest customers will be those with the highest scores. Try to learn: what characteristics make them a better fit... See more
If you’re going to build a product, you want people to use it. But far too often, founders get drawn to the building and tinkering side of the business, forgoing the go-to-market piece until they’re actually ready to get out and sell.
That’s a mistake, says Foster. “I think one of the biggest things that... See more
The company is an extension of my psychology as the founder. All my strengths and knowledge get amplified and extended, but so do my weaknesses and limitations.
If you notice something at your company below standards and don't fix it or make sure someone else does, you have set a new standard.
Complaining about it does not count as fixing it.
If someone gets upset/tells you to stay in your lane, they've set an even worse new standard.
The success myth is a trap entrepreneurs fall into where they assume success will make their lives easier. But that’s not actually how success works in entrepreneurship. As you progress further into your entrepreneurial venture, the success and growth you achieve is going to lead to lots of challenges you weren’t expecting.