THE BLOG

One of the biggest challenges for business owners when it comes to growing their business is troubleshooting the problems that are holding back their growth. With so many responsibilities on your plate, it can be hard to find time to diagnose what’s holding your business back.

We’ve been working with businesses on this problem for years, and there are a few common (but critical) mistakes businesses are making that are crippling their growth potential. Do any of these sound...

Good customer service is an essential ingredient in the success of your business. In order to keep our customers coming back, we have to provide them with a fulfilling experience – one that makes them feel they are better off when they leave than when they came in.

And good customer service might not be such an elusive concept. It might be as easy as being nice to people – offering them a smile and your full attention instead of just a passing hello. But sometimes...

At the core of all businesses—underneath the bustle of the day-to-day operations, behind the buzzing new marketing efforts—is a value proposition. Before you roll your eyes and say "Got it, Mr. Value Prop Man", let me ask you:

Tell me in one sentence why anyone should buy X from you at Y price. 

And if you can do that, let me challenge you a little more: Would your customers believe your competitors could say the same thing?

You see, your value proposition is more than a...

As an entrepreneur, product manager, or CEO, you have to be vigilant of what is going on in the marketplace. Are you taking a holistic view of both competitors and even more importantly, trends? Ask yourself: are you really offering something that has a truly distinct Value Proposition? If not, someone else will.

The following are practical suggestions for keeping up with Competitors, Alternatives, and Disruptors in the Marketplace:

1. Talk to your customers and...

I’ve been asked at times to describe the I3 Principles (innovation, indispensability, and inspiration) for the value propositions for companies that have been in the lead for a long time. That is to say, how can they still be innovative after all these years? How are companies like Southwest or Nordstroms still innovative today? How are some of these other companies innovative in the context of – or in consideration of – the fact that their value proposition has...