"Founders and Customers: Love and Service" - Why You Think You're Right, Even If You're Wrong

"Founders and Customers: Love and Service" - Why You Think You're Right, Even If You're Wrong

In the world of entrepreneurship, there is a powerful connection between founders and customers. When founders truly love their customers, it has a profound impact on the success of their company. This love manifests in various ways - from increased customer loyalty to a willingness to try new products and features. But how do you know if founders genuinely love their customers?

One clear indicator is how founders talk about their customers internally. If they know each customer by name, understand why they use the product, and are aware of their long-term goals, it shows a deeper level of connection. Instead of viewing customers as mere clients, these founders see them as friends. You can see the genuine excitement on their faces when a specific customer is mentioned in conversation. This level of care and love for customers is rare but immensely valuable.

So why is it crucial for founders to have this love for their customers? One reason is that love motivates people to work through challenges that would otherwise lead them to give up. Building a successful company is no easy task, and without a genuine care for customers, founders often lose hope before they run out of money. When you truly love your customers, you are more likely to persevere and create something that addresses their deep needs.

However, some may question whether a passion for building products or scaling businesses is enough. The answer lies in understanding that you are not just serving an abstract concept or a bottom line. You are serving real people - your customers. They define the value of your products and business. How can you dedicate years of your life to serving someone you do not love?

Moving away from the realm of entrepreneurship, let's delve into the topic of why we often think we're right, even when we're wrong. The key takeaway here is that our certainty or confidence in our beliefs is not solely based on intelligence or knowledge. It is primarily rooted in how we feel. This applies to both the "soldier mindset" and the "scout mindset."

The soldier mindset is characterized by emotions like defensiveness and tribalism. It leads us to hold on to our beliefs tightly and resist any information that challenges them. On the other hand, the scout mindset is driven by curiosity and a desire to learn. Scouts find pleasure in acquiring new information and feel an itch to solve puzzles.

A scout's job is not to attack or defend, but to understand. They venture out, map the terrain, and identify potential obstacles. This mindset is crucial for making unbiased judgments and decisions. However, our unconscious motivations often shape the way we interpret information, leading to what is called "motivated reasoning."

Motivated reasoning, or soldier mindset, occurs when our desires and fears unconsciously influence our judgment. It affects how we think about various aspects of life, including our health, relationships, voting decisions, and ethical considerations. What is most concerning about motivated reasoning is how unconscious it is. We can genuinely believe that we are being objective and fair-minded, only to realize later that we have unknowingly ruined someone's life.

To counteract this unconscious bias, we need to cultivate the scout mindset. This entails the drive to see things as they truly are, even if it is not convenient or pleasant. It is about seeking the truth, rather than making one idea win or another lose. In order to improve our judgment as individuals and as societies, we need to embrace the scout mindset.

In conclusion, the love between founders and customers is a powerful force that drives the success of a company. When founders genuinely care for their customers, it leads to increased loyalty, honest feedback, and positive word-of-mouth. Conversely, a lack of love for customers can lead to a loss of hope and ultimately, the failure of a business.

Additionally, understanding why we often think we're right, even when we're wrong, is crucial for personal and societal growth. The soldier mindset, driven by emotions and motivated reasoning, can cloud our judgment and lead to detrimental outcomes. By embracing the scout mindset - one of curiosity, objectivity, and a drive to understand - we can make better decisions and see the world more accurately.

To apply these insights in your own life and business, here are three actionable pieces of advice:

• 1. Cultivate a genuine love for your customers. Get to know them on a personal level, understand their needs, and make their success a priority. This love will drive you to persevere through challenges and create meaningful solutions.

• 2. Practice the scout mindset in your everyday life. Be curious, seek out new information, and be open to changing your beliefs when confronted with evidence. This will lead to better decision-making and a more accurate understanding of the world.

• 3. Encourage a culture of love and openness within your team. Foster an environment where feedback is welcomed, and different perspectives are valued. This will help combat the soldier mindset and promote a more productive and inclusive work environment.

By intertwining love and service, and embracing the scout mindset, we can create a world where founders and customers thrive, and where our judgments are based on truth rather than unconscious biases.