Hire ambitious people, never stop improving, be attentive to your customers, and mine their feedback for insights. These are just a few of the ways these leaders say you can cultivate loyalty and expand to new audiences without diluting your brand.
1 Stacy Spikes Co-founder and CEO MOVIEPASS
“Becoming obsessed with the details—and the data—is what gives outsiders the hidden advantage. I call five customers every week. Good or bad. They canceled; they quit. They love it; they don’t love it. I learned that from Steve Jobs. He used to answer customer service emails himself.
What I get from doing that is amazing, and I’ve been doing it my whole career.”
Spikes is a veteran of the film industry. He’s the author of Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider.
2 Heidi Yu Co-founder and CEO SOCIALBOOK
“We have team meetings dedicated to always finding and brainstorming new ideas for business opportunities. This includes new products, new ways to market, new services, new UI design, etc.”
Foster City, Californiabased SocialBook is an influencer marketing platform and two-time Inc. 5000 winner.
3 Reid Hoffman Co-founder LINKEDIN
“When you’re asking people for advice and feedback, don’t ask, ‘What do you think of my idea?’ Instead ask, ‘What do you think is wrong with my idea? Why do you think my idea won’t work?’ Because the answers you get will force you to ask yourself, ‘What do I know that they don’t know?’ That is your active theory. Being forced to grapple with it will strengthen it. People often think that someone who’s questioning an idea just doesn’t get it or isn’t very smart. But that’s wrong. It’s the smart people who tell you when something isn’t working.”
Hoffman is a founding board member of PayPal and currently hosts the podcast
Masters of Scale. He’s also a partner at the investing firm Greylock.
4 Steven Weisbrot CEO ANGEION
“If you can predict the question behind their question, you will have limitless new opportunities. Critically listen, thoughtfully respond, and overdeliver.” Weisbrot has more than 15 years of experience as a litigator and a consultant. His Miami-based settlement firm is a two-time Inc. 5000 winner.