Creating customer value is the raison d'être for a company. Value comes from two main sources: product and customer experience. In the customer value equation, product should deliver the vast majority of value. It’s the concrete solution that addresses the problem a customer has. Customer experience contributes less value overall, as it isn’t what a customer directly spends money on to solve their problem. But it’s part of realizing value from a particular solution vs. other solutions. C...

Creating customer value is the raison d'être for a company. Value comes from two main sources: product and customer experience. In the customer value equation, product should deliver the vast majority of value. It’s the concrete solution that addresses the problem a customer has. Customer experience contributes less value overall, as it isn’t what a customer directly spends money on to solve their problem. But it’s part of realizing value from a particular solution vs. other solutions. C...

When you’re working at a startup, pay attention to the company’s Sun. What are the 1–2 functions that have a disproportionately large influence on calling the shots? The Sun is always derived from the founders — the founders’ biases, experiences or what they’re good at. In the best case, founders take an unabashed and authentic stance around where power lies. In the worst case, the founders are half-assed about the identity of the company. Successful companies have been built with all kinds o...

When you’re working at a startup, pay attention to the company’s Sun. What are the 1–2 functions that have a disproportionately large influence on calling the shots? The Sun is always derived from the founders — the founders’ biases, experiences or what they’re good at. In the best case, founders take an unabashed and authentic stance around where power lies. In the worst case, the founders are half-assed about the identity of the company. Successful companies have been built with all kinds o...

Prototypes are tools used to answer specific questions quickly and cheaply. While the word “prototype” is commonly associated with design, other things first-formed (or “proto”) can be thought of as prototypes too. This includes startups. As “first-formed” vehicles, comprised of people and ideas, startups aim to answer two fundamental questions:Is there a product or service that people want?Is there a viable business to scale this product?At Gigster, I saw how challenging it was to answer and...

Prototypes are tools used to answer specific questions quickly and cheaply. While the word “prototype” is commonly associated with design, other things first-formed (or “proto”) can be thought of as prototypes too. This includes startups. As “first-formed” vehicles, comprised of people and ideas, startups aim to answer two fundamental questions:Is there a product or service that people want?Is there a viable business to scale this product?At Gigster, I saw how challenging it was to answer and...

There’s a difference between being technical and being technological. Being technical is a knowledge and skill state. The more someone understands a subject, the more expertise they have either to expand their thinking or apply that knowledge. Being technological is a mindset. At its core, it’s an optimistic belief in progress, which any open-minded person can access. As one ascends the hierarchy of being technological, the details around the what and the how of technology become more importa...

There’s a difference between being technical and being technological. Being technical is a knowledge and skill state. The more someone understands a subject, the more expertise they have either to expand their thinking or apply that knowledge. Being technological is a mindset. At its core, it’s an optimistic belief in progress, which any open-minded person can access. As one ascends the hierarchy of being technological, the details around the what and the how of technology become more importa...