This episode explores one of the most underrated and overlooked superpowers for founders and entrepreneurs - the ability to listen deeply to your customers.

It's easy to drift into building products and services based on our own assumptions and hunches. The founders and industry leaders joining us have battle-tested strategies for doing the opposite - obsessing over authentic customer voices to uncover game-changing insights.

You'll learn from Sean Byrnes why a perpetual "learner's mindset" and adaptability are crucial, especially in rapidly evolving tech landscapes. He'll share how your startup's survival may hinge on truly listening to customers.

Janel Galucci takes it a step further with a case study on how she used the voice of the customer to radically reshape her entire marketing strategy and messaging.

Matthew Leibowitz hammers home why a CEO's willingness (or unwillingness) to empathize with customers can make or break an entire venture. He'll share the framework he uses to merge customer listening with industry foresight.

Whether you're an upstart in a garage or a grizzled veteran, this is a master class in stealing an unfair competitive advantage by giving customers the attention they need. World-class founders make it a habit - click play and learn the secrets.

Show Notes:

0:59 Embracing a Learner's Mindset as a Founder in Tech

2:32 Avoid the "Solution Looking for a Problem" Trap

3:59 Using Customer Feedback to Shape Marketing Strategies

4:35 The Power of Authentic Customer Listening

6:35 The CEO's Role in Merging Customer & Industry Insights

8:11 Active Listening: From Interviews to Company Culture

Guests in this episode:

Sean Byrnes (linkedin.com/in/sbyrnes/)

Janel Galucci (linkedin.com/in/janelgallucci)
Aaron Endré (linkedin.com/in/aaronendre/)

Josh Posamentier (linkedin.com/in/posamentier/)

Matthew Leibowitz (linkedin.com/in/matthewleibowitz/)

Host: Alex Shartsis (⁠linkedin.com/in/shartsis⁠)

Audio Engineer & Video Editor - James Fixx (⁠fixxmusic.com⁠)

Theme music - Matthew “Shark” Shartsis @thegreatwhiteshark

The Seed to Sequoia podcast is created by Silverwood Advisors to help founders with practical advice on building successful startups.

If you would like to get expert advice for your startup reach out to us on:

Website: ⁠silverwood.ai⁠

Linkedin: ⁠linkedin.com/company/silverwood-advisors