Overview​

"The Mom Test" is a practical guide on how to talk to customers and gather genuine, useful feedback. Author Rob Fitzpatrick begins with a common dilemma entrepreneurs face: when we ask others (especially friends and family) about our business ideas, we often receive polite or well-intentioned lies rather than truly valuable feedback. This book aims to teach entrepreneurs how to ask the right questions and obtain reliable information from potential users' daily behaviors and pain points, avoiding misleading praise. The book is well-structured and concise (approximately 200 pages), explaining how to conduct effective customer interviews through rich examples and practical principles. It covers every stage of the customer interview process: from designing questions and avoiding misleading information to finding interviewees, advancing conversations, and sharing insights with your team. Through this book, readers can systematically understand the methodology of customer interviews, avoid typical mistakes, and ultimately help their products find genuine market demand.

Core Concepts​

The core idea of "The Mom Test" can be summarized in one sentence: "Make your questioning method pass 'the mom test.'" The "mom test" means designing your questions so that even your mom (the person least likely to discourage you) cannot lie to you or give you evasive answers. To achieve this effect, you need to follow these three golden rules:

• Focus on the user's life, not your idea. In other words, discuss the user's real experiences and problems instead of immediately promoting your idea. For example, instead of asking "What do you think of my app idea?", ask "What difficulties did you face the last time you...?". By discussing the user's own behavior, you avoid leading them to agree with your line of thinking.
• Focus on specific past behavior, not hypothetical futures. That is, ask about real situations that have happened in the past, not assumptions and promises. For example, don't ask "Would you buy this if it had XX feature?", but rather "When was the last time you encountered XX problem, and how did you solve it?" Past behavior is real, while hypothetical answers are mostly unreliable.
• Talk less, listen more. Let users talk more while you talk less. Your goal is to gather information, not to sell, so control yourself, don't rush to interrupt or explain, and listen carefully to the other person's genuine thoughts.

By following these principles, your interview questions will be more objective and neutral, making it impossible for even those most inclined to please you (like family and friends) to merely flatter you with empty praise. This method is called "The Mom Test" precisely to emphasize that good questioning techniques can bypass favoritism and politeness, allowing the truth to emerge.

The book repeatedly emphasizes that in the entrepreneurial process, incorrect information and false positive feedback are more dangerous than direct bad news. Rather than seeking approval for your ideas, actively seek facts that might disprove your assumptions. Only by doing so can you quickly validate ideas and avoid detours. In summary, The Mom Test advocates an honest, efficient approach to customer conversations: user-centered, fact-based, seeking truth rather than approval.

Detailed Chapter Summaries​

Chapter 1: The Mom Test Concept and Examples of Bad Questions​

Chapter theme: Introduces the basic concept of "The Mom Test" and uses the example of "asking mom about a startup idea" to contrast traditional incorrect questioning methods with improved approaches.

The author points out that we often ask questions like "What do you think of this idea?", but these questions themselves are problematic. For instance, when a son asks his mother, "I want to create a recipe app, what do you think?", the mother, out of love, will only praise and encourage: "Sounds great, quite interesting," even if she doesn't actually think it's a good idea. This kind of conversation seems to give the entrepreneur confidence but actually yields nothing, because the mother is just telling a well-intentioned lie out of love. The failure stems from inappropriate questioning methods: focusing on the entrepreneur's own ideas and asking for opinions about future hypotheticals, which can only elicit vague or flattering responses.

This chapter contrasts incorrect examples with correct examples to distill criteria for effective questioning, namely the "three golden rules" mentioned above. In the correct example conversation, the son instead uses open-ended questions like "What do you usually do with your iPad?" and "What did you last use your iPad for?" focusing on the mother's actual iPad usage. As a result, the mother mentions using her iPad to look up travel information, suggesting she might not need a recipe app at all. This conversation yields far more valuable information than the mere "sounds good" obtained by simply promoting the app. Summary: If your questioning approach conforms to "The Mom Test" principles, even your mom can't "fool" you—truly effective dialogue should let the other person talk about their life details, allowing you to judge the feasibility of your idea for yourself, rather than directly asking what they think of your idea.

The end of this chapter lists examples of bad questions and good questions, explaining how to improve questioning:

• Bad question: "What do you think of this idea?" Analysis: This asks for an opinion, and unless the person is a market expert, you'll only get subjective opinions with no practical reference value. Improved question: Don't directly ask if an idea is good or bad, but instead ask the person to demonstrate or describe how they currently solve the related problem. For example: "How do you currently manage suppliers? What difficulties do you encounter? What methods have you tried before?" Through these questions, you understand the current situation and pain points, then judge for yourself whether your idea is effective. Rule of thumb: Opinions at the "idea" level are useless; what really matters are facts.

• Bad question: "Would you buy a product with X feature?" Analysis: This asks about a hypothetical, and almost everyone will instinctively answer "yes," but this doesn't represent actual behavior. Improved question: Ask about the present: "How do you currently handle problem X? How much time/money do you spend?" or "What exactly happened the last time you encountered this problem?" If the person hasn't yet solved the problem, ask why. By understanding how much cost and effort the person currently invests in solving the problem, you can judge how important the problem is to them. Rule of thumb: Answers about the future are often well-intentioned lies (such as "I'll definitely buy it in the future"), don't take them at face value.

• Bad question: "How much would you pay for X feature?" Analysis: Directly asking how much someone would pay makes it difficult for them to give a credible answer; they might quote a number just to please you. Improved question: Ask about the current situation: "How much does this problem currently cost you? How much are you currently spending to solve it?" Understand the real cost of the problem to deduce the value of your solution. Price sensitivity often only becomes clear when actually using the product, so asking hypothetically doesn't mean much.

• Bad question: "What would your ideal product look like?" Analysis: Asking users to imagine an ideal product often results in a pile of imagined features, making it impossible to determine real needs. Improved question: If you do ask this, follow up on the reasons: "Why do you want these features?" The focus is on understanding motivations, not collecting a feature list. Don't become a recorder of user fantasies; dig into the pain points behind the needs. Only by understanding "why" can you judge which features are truly important.

In contrast, some examples of good questions and their value are also mentioned in the book:

• "Why do you bother?" This is a good question that strikes at motivation, leading from surface problems to deeper reasons. For example, the author mentions founders talking to finance professionals who spent hours daily sharing Excel sheets via email. They thought they needed better information synchronization tools, but when the founders asked "Why do you do this?", they discovered the real demand was "ensuring everyone uses the latest version of the data." The final solution wasn't a better email tool, but something like Dropbox for file sharing. This question reveals the real need, avoiding confusion from surface phenomena.

• "Talk me through the last time that happened." This question encourages the other person to describe specific examples, allowing us to learn through the user's actions rather than subjective views. For example, with restaurant customers, rather than asking "Do you prefer burgers or cheeseburgers?", it's better to observe what they actually ordered. If observation isn't possible, have them recount their last experience. This is more reliable than listening to their imagined preferences. Rule of thumb: Observation or specific examples often reveal where the real problem lies, not just what users think the problem is.

• "What else have you tried?" This question explores what efforts the person has made to solve their pain points, revealing much information: What solution are they currently using? How much do they spend, what do they like and dislike? Have they actively sought other solutions? If they have never actively sought solutions, it usually indicates the problem isn't serious, and even if you provide a product, they might not use or purchase it. Rule of thumb: Problems users haven't actively tried to solve are also problems they're unlikely to pay to adopt your new solution for.

In summary, this chapter sets the tone for the entire book: avoid "mom-trapping" ineffective questions. By focusing on the user, focusing on specifics, and listening rather than pitching, we can get meaningful feedback. The author reminds us: "If you ask a bad question, you deserve to be misled by an insignificant answer" (implying it's not the user deceiving you, but you asking the wrong question). This chapter provides the foundational principles for questioning techniques in subsequent chapters.

Chapter 2: Avoiding Bad Data​

Chapter theme: Explains what information in customer conversations counts as "bad data" and how to identify and avoid this misleading feedback. The author classifies "bad data" into three major categories:

1. Compliments – Praise that sounds nice but has no practical value. For example, "I think this idea is cool!" This kind of compliment might make you think the person likes your product, but it's just politeness.
2. Fluff (vague talk, hypotheticals, and future tense empty talk) – Statements not based on specific facts, including general statements ("I usually...", "We never..."), future promises ("I will definitely...", "If... I will..."), and hypothetical guesses ("I might...", "Maybe..."). These expressions, lacking specific scenario support, are full of uncertainty and optimistic bias. The author particularly points out that "I will definitely buy it" is the world's deadliest fluff—users say this out of goodwill, but it doesn't mean they'll actually pay.
3. Ideas – Various product suggestions and new ideas from users. Entrepreneurs are already drowning in too many ideas, and users throwing in more ideas might lead you astray. It's not that these ideas have no value, but you need to dig into the motivations behind them, rather than trying to implement everything.

This chapter first warns us: "To bankrupt a fool, give him information." In other words, customer feedback without filtering can lead entrepreneurs astray. To avoid being confused by bad data, the book offers specific countermeasures:

• For compliments, neither take them seriously nor feel awkward; gracefully move past them and continue digging for information. Most interviews end with phrases like "good luck" or "sounds good." The author suggests "ignore compliments and redirect to the topic." For example, when you hear "This idea is great, I love it!", don't secretly feel pleased, but politely redirect to practical issues: "Thank you. So the last time you encountered this problem, what exactly happened...?" Rule of thumb: Compliments to entrepreneurs are "free candy"—they sound sweet but have no nutritional value. If a conversation only has compliments without substance, that conversation is almost a waste of time.

• For vague talk and hypothetical answers, learn to "anchor" them to specific facts. Once you notice someone starting to use words like "usually, always, never" or "I will, I plan to", you should ask for details, bringing the conversation from imagination back to reality. For example: You ask: "What do you usually do to improve XX?" (May elicit a general answer) They respond: "Oh, I've always been doing..." (Typical vague talk) You follow up: "When was the last time you specifically did this? Can you talk about the situation at that time?" Through this series of specific follow-up questions, the person has to give a real example, thus anchoring vague information to a factual scenario, making it easier for you to judge the real situation. Rule of thumb: When users show great enthusiasm about the future (such as imagining themselves definitely being active in the future), entrepreneurs should not get excited, but return to "what they are actually doing right now."

• For various new ideas suggested by users, don't immediately implement them as requirements, but "dig beneath ideas." Users giving you ideas usually means they're interested in your field, which is good, but if you accept all of them, you risk losing product focus. The author suggests: record these ideas to show respect, but then ask: "Why is this feature important to you?" "What do you hope to achieve through it?" Through questioning, find out what problem the user really wants to solve or what need they want to satisfy. If they mention having tried other solutions before with poor results, it indicates this need is critical; if they mention already having a clumsy way to solve it at a high cost, your opportunity might be there. In short, don't be distracted by surface feature requests, but understand the motivations and pain points behind them. After understanding, then evaluate whether these ideas align with your core direction.

• Stop seeking approval. The author emphasizes that entrepreneurs often subconsciously want others' affirmation, which tempts them to ask leading questions (like "Don't you think this is great?") and receive perfunctory praise. You must resist this urge to seek agreement and focus on obtaining facts. Rule of thumb: Once you talk about your own ideas or solutions, people typically consider your feelings and beautify their feedback. So, in the early stages of interviews, try not to mention specific solutions, don't give the other person a chance to "protect" your emotions.

Additionally, this chapter cautions through examples: don't get caught up in selling your solution (Cut off pitches). Sometimes entrepreneurs, upon hearing lukewarm user responses, will insistently pitch harder, trying to "persuade" the other person to get excited. This behavior wastes time and may irritate the other person. The correct approach is to accept flat or even negative feedback, treat it as valuable information, rather than insisting on hearing good words. Remember, you're here to find the truth, not to find confidence. If you can identify and filter out the above "bad data", you'll be able to more soberly judge your direction.

Chapter 3: Asking Important Questions​

Chapter theme: Discusses how to identify and ask questions that are truly important to the business, emphasizing embracing bad news and making good use of each interview to validate key assumptions.

• Love Bad News: Entrepreneurs often fear hearing negative or critical feedback in interviews, but the author emphasizes that bad news is actually good. If an assumption is wrong, the sooner you find out, the better. For example, if you have $50,000 in startup funds and spend$5,000 to verify an idea won't work, that's a very good result; conversely, if you burn through $50,000 only to discover you went in the wrong direction, that's terrible. So be brave enough to ask questions that might disprove your assumptions. Each interview should be approached with the mindset of "let me see if there's anything wrong" rather than "I need to prove I'm right." When you get a tepid response, don't rush to persuade and turn a "meh" into a "wow"—"meh" is actually a reliable signal, indicating the person really doesn't care about this issue. Rule of thumb: "You can get more reliable information from 'meh' than from 'wow'." Because enthusiastic praise might be politeness, a flat attitude clearly tells you: this customer doesn't care about the problem your product solves.

• Look before you zoom: Don't dive into details too early and overlook the big picture. Sometimes we assume from the start that a specific problem is important and directly ask users about their views on certain details, but these details might not be their pain points at all. The author gives an example: asking in an interview "What's the biggest problem with going to the gym during the day?" assumes the person actually cares about fitness, when they might not go to the gym at all. The correct approach is to start with the big picture, confirm whether the broader problem area exists and is important, then gradually focus. For instance, you could first ask "What challenges do you face in staying healthy?" If the person obviously has no interest in fitness, then discussing gym details is meaningless. Only when the person shows strong pain points is it worth zooming in to discuss details. Rule of thumb: "First broad, then deep," don't immediately delve into a problem area that might not be important.

• Gaze upon the elephant: "Elephants" refer to key assumptions or risk points that are obvious but easy to overlook. Startups have two main risks: product risk (whether a solution can be developed) and market risk (whether anyone is willing to pay). Many founders are obsessed with discussing product details with users but avoid talking about the big issues that could make the entire business fail. For example, in a previous chapter's case, a team developed tools to improve teaching efficiency for teachers in resource-poor schools; they confirmed that teachers being overworked was a fact, but ignored a fatal factor: "poor schools have no budget to buy." After investing a lot of time, they found that market risk (willingness to pay) could not be overcome. Lesson: In customer conversations, don't just focus on users and problems, but also validate assumptions that determine success or failure (such as whether target customers have a budget, have permission to purchase, etc.). Some things cannot be verified through conversation alone (such as whether a technologically feasible product can be made), so they need to be verified through action as early as possible. In short, both validate market demand through conversation and don't forget to evaluate product feasibility, business models, and other "elephants in the room."

• Prepare your list of three: The author suggests that before each important interview or communication opportunity, prepare three questions you most want to clarify. These questions should directly address the most ambiguous and critical assumptions in your current business plan. The benefits of preparation are:

  1. Avoiding asking random questions on the spot and wasting opportunities;
  2. Helping you muster the courage to ask important questions that make you nervous (because you've thought about the worst possible answers in advance and are mentally prepared).
  3. Different subjects can be asked different focus points; for example, potential customers, industry experts, and investors might have different focuses, so the list should be adjusted accordingly.
  4. These questions don't need to be perfect or eternal; they can be constantly iterated based on new information learned from previous interviews. The key is to ensure each conversation has clear learning objectives. Furthermore, if you happen to meet potential customers in informal settings, you can immediately throw out a key question, rather than just exchanging business cards and missing an opportunity. The author vividly says this will make you "look professional," and such impromptu questions often get unexpectedly honest answers. In short, carrying "three big questions" can make each of your conversations efficient and targeted.

Chapter 4: Keep It Casual​

Chapter theme: Advocates liberating user interviews from formal meeting rooms, integrating them into casual daily conversations to more efficiently learn about customer problems.

A common practice in the startup world is to arrange formal user interview meetings, but the author believes informal, quick exchanges often work better. He points out that "meetings" themselves bring many unnecessary burdens and pressures:

• The meeting anti-pattern: If every contact with customers is made to feel like a formal interview or survey questionnaire, it's a tense experience for both parties. The author makes an analogy: if you're in a café and interested in a stranger of the opposite sex, if you first go away to dress up and then return in a formal suit to approach them, this date is basically ruined. Similarly, in early customer interviews, the more casual the better. Signs of being too formal include: "Thank you very much for accepting our interview invitation..." or taking out a scoring sheet for users to rate things. These make the other person feel like they're completing a task, and their answers become unnatural. Rule of thumb: If the other person feels they're "doing you a favor" by accepting the interview, then you've made it too formal. Conversely, chatting about their problems like friends makes it easier for them to speak freely and truthfully.

• The more casual the conversation, the more controllable the time: The author points out that effective early conversations are usually short. Even 5 minutes is enough to judge whether a pain point exists and is important. If the conversation goes straight to the user's pain points, confirming "whether this problem is worth solving," you can quickly get an answer; and once you determine it's worth delving into, you can spend another 10-15 minutes listening to them detail the process and requirement specifics. Compared to deliberately arranged one-hour meetings with venue pleasantries and setup, casual chats are straightforward, saving more time. The book gives an example: the author's team prepared for a long time on an idea, but in just 5 minutes of chatting realized the other person didn't have this pain point at all, so they immediately knew to cut their losses, avoiding wasting more time. Of course, if the pain point exists, you can talk longer, but initially there's no need for a long discussion. Rule of thumb: In preliminary communication, try to reveal as little as possible about your product concept to prevent the other person from following your train of thought and saying what you want to hear. Keep the topic centered on the other person's problems, making the conversation natural and brief.

• Formal and casual are not opposites: Of course, this doesn't mean you can never hold formal meetings. If you have indeed scheduled a formal interview, you can also use some techniques to keep the atmosphere relaxed, making the formal meeting feel like a casual conversation. For example, don't adhere strictly to the pre-prepared question order, freely follow up on points mentioned by the other person, or chat casually before the meeting starts to establish rapport. The core is to avoid making the other person feel psychologically burdened.

The key message of this chapter is: seize every opportunity for customer conversation, don't fall into the "formal meeting" mode. During industry conference breaks, chance encounters in cafés, or any natural context, you can always ask your key questions (like the "three questions" from the previous chapter). These fragmented user insights accumulated over time may yield more than a few formal meetings. And time is the most precious resource for entrepreneurs; lightweight, frequent conversations allow you to contact more customers and validate more ideas within limited time.

Chapter 5: Commitment and Advancement​

Chapter theme: Explores how to judge the genuine willingness of interviewees and how to advance potential customer relationships by requesting "small commitments," thereby distinguishing truly interested customers from polite onlookers.

First, the author introduces two concepts from sales:

• Commitment: Refers to the other party's willingness to pay a certain price (sacrifice) to show they take your proposal seriously. This price can be time (willing to spend time discussing deeply or testing your product), reputation (willing to introduce you to colleagues and friends, essentially vouching for you), money (pre-ordering, paying deposits), or other resources. Commitment reflects how much the other person values your solution.

• Advancement: Refers to the progress of the sales process—the other person moving further along in your "conversion funnel." For example, from initial chat to willingness to see a demo, then to willingness to try it out, until final purchase. Each advancement indicates getting closer to closing the deal.

In early customer conversations, we should pursue commitment or advancement to the next step, as that's the touchstone for judging a customer's true intentions. If someone always just verbally praises your product but takes no actual action, they're very likely not going to become a real customer. Rule of thumb: Those "customers" who are always friendly to you and say everything is good are often the most dangerous, as they provide confusing signals. Conversely, even if someone directly says "No, I won't buy," this actually clearly saves your time.

No "okay" meetings: The author states directly that interviews (or meetings) only have success and failure as outcomes, with no ambiguous "it was okay" conclusion. The standard is simple: if there's no clear next step or hard information obtained after the meeting, then it was a failed meeting. For example, if the other person gives a bunch of compliments or says "I'll take a look when your product launches," and you neither get commitment nor learn anything new, this meeting is essentially wasted. The author lists several typical scenarios and evaluates their quality:

• "That's cool, I like it!" – Bad result. Pure compliment, no actual data. You should politely return to specific questions on the spot, rather than basking in the praise.
• "Looks good. Let me know when you launch." – Bad result. Compliment + delay. The person neither provides substantial feedback nor commits to any action, just politely ends the topic. This means they don't really care about your product at the moment.
• "When you're ready, I can introduce you to some people." – Mixed result. The good part is that the person is willing to help with introductions (putting their own reputation on the line, which is a form of commitment); the bad part is that the introduction is pushed to the future, not specific enough. There's no actual progress at present. For this, the author suggests making the vague specific, such as following up with: "Who are you planning to introduce? What exactly does 'ready' mean? Why not introduce them now?" Clarify the details to confirm the other person's sincerity.
• "What's the next step for us?" – Good result. When customers actively ask about the next step, it usually means they're interested in advancing. But the premise is that you yourself must know what the next step is; you can't answer "Well, I'll think about it and get back to you," otherwise you're essentially dampening the other person's enthusiasm.
• "I'll definitely buy it!" – Bad result. This sounds great but is extremely risky, a typical false positive. Many entrepreneurs are overjoyed to hear this, but the other person has actually promised to purchase without investing any cost. The correct approach is to request some actual commitment to verify, such as having them sign a letter of intent or pay a small deposit. People with genuine needs won't mind these small barriers, whereas those who are merely offering verbal support will back off.
• "When can we start the trial?" – There's progress, but sincerity needs to be discerned. A trial indicates interest, but you need to note whether the trial costs the customer anything. If the trial is completely free and effortless, they might just be mentioning it out of curiosity. The author suggests setting a small cost for the trial (such as needing to invest time for feedback, or paying after the trial period) to see if they're still willing, which can test their genuine intent.
• "Can I buy this prototype directly?" – Excellent result. This indicates the other person urgently needs your solution, willing to purchase even before the product is perfected. Such customers are valuable "seed users."
• "When can you come talk to other people on our team?" – Very good result. In B2B scenarios, if the other party invites you to meet with more decision-related people, it indicates the project has advanced a step internally.

These examples show: you need to measure the credibility of their words by "what they have given up." No matter how nice it sounds, if they haven't sacrificed anything, it doesn't count. "Currencies" of commitment include: time (willing to talk more/test), money (advance payments, etc.), reputation (introducing others or supporting you in their circle), and risk (willing to try early-stage immature products). Rule of thumb: The more the other person invests, the more their words can be taken seriously.

So, how do you seek commitment or advancement in interviews? The author gives several suggestions:

• Always request specific commitments or next steps. Don't let meetings end abruptly with "Okay, thank you for your time." You can make some small requests near the end to test the other person's willingness, such as: "Could you introduce us to the colleague you mentioned?" or "Next week, can I bring an early demo for you to try?" If they readily agree and follow through with action, that's progress; if they hesitate or refuse, that's fine too, at least you get a clear signal. The worst is that you don't ask at all, missing the opportunity to understand how serious they are. The author states directly that not daring to ask or not knowing what to ask is a major taboo for entrepreneurs, as it means you yourself aren't clear on what the next step is. Rule of thumb: "If you leave a meeting not knowing what to do next, the meeting was pointless."

• Fixing a bad meeting: If you realize the entire conversation is just the other person giving nice words without substance, you can try to salvage it. The method is to directly request a specific action: "It sounds like you think our direction is good, would it be convenient to schedule a demo time for next week right now?" or "You mentioned this is important to you, would you be willing to sign a pre-purchase letter of intent?" Force out the other person's true attitude through a sudden specific request. If they genuinely have a need, they'll usually seriously consider or even agree; if they start making excuses, at least you know their previous praise was just politeness. Rule of thumb: Only when you give the other person a chance to refuse you is the progress you get genuine.

• Rejection isn't scary, not asking is: If you boldly make a request, the worst case is just being rejected. And rejection isn't failure; it helps you save time. The real failure is when you don't ask for any commitment at all, the other person is happy not to take a position, and you stay in an ambiguous state of "polite but no progress." So, don't be afraid to hear "no"; be afraid of not hearing a clear "yes" or "no."

• Cherish "crazy" users: The book quotes Steve Blank's concept of "early evangelists." Those users who are deeply stuck in pain points and eager for solutions are often willing to support you very early on. Characteristics include:

  • They definitely have this problem and know its pain well (strong awareness of pain points).
  • They have the budget or authority to solve this problem.
  • They have already tried to solve it themselves (even with clumsy methods), indicating an urgent need.
  • They are enthusiastic about new solutions and willing to take risks to try them quickly.

  Such people may be few but are extremely valuable. If during interviews you encounter someone whose eyes light up at your product, eager to pay right away, definitely hold onto them, listen to their needs, and let them get involved in product testing early or even become your first customers. Conversely, interviewees who don't show strong emotions and interest likely won't become your early users in the short term; you can note their feedback but shouldn't rely too heavily on them. Rule of thumb: In the early stages of a startup, rather than chasing revenue, it's more important to find such genuine needs and enthusiastic users; revenue is just a byproduct accompanying learning.

In summary, this chapter hopes entrepreneurs will always maintain sales and validation acumen in customer conversations: constantly thinking "what counts as advancing a step next?" and bravely pursuing that advancement. By requesting commitment, you can effectively filter out false signals, allowing users with genuine needs to surface.

Chapter 6: Finding Conversations​

Chapter theme: Shares how to find and approach potential customers for meaningful conversations as discussed above, providing a series of strategies for obtaining user interviews, including two main directions: active outreach and attracting inbound interest.

6.1 Going to them: When you're just starting, customers won't come to you; you must find them. The author candidly admits this is difficult, and many methods aren't comfortable, but there may be no choice in the early stages. The main methods are:

• Cold calls / cold reachouts: Cold contacting potential customers (such as making stranger calls, sending stranger emails) is almost destined to have a rejection rate of over 90%. Most people don't like being suddenly disturbed for surveys. However, if you don't have existing networks, this is one way to get your first few conversations. Even if 99 out of 100 ignore you, as long as one person is willing to meet you, you've started breaking the ice. The author suggests adjusting your mindset, treating this as practice and a screening process, and not getting discouraged. The goal is to quickly get past the cold contact stage—once you have some users and experience, you can use other more effective methods.

• Seizing serendipity: Always be ready to spot potential users in daily life and strike up a conversation. People are actually willing to talk about their problems if the situation is relaxed and natural. In these "chance encounter" conversations, be careful not to pitch yourself upfront, but instead start with topics the other person is interested in (find a common point as an excuse). For example, if you overhear industry problems being discussed at a neighboring table in a café, you can politely join in and ask for advice. This method is highly efficient if successful, but transitioning to product topics requires skill: don't reveal upfront that you're there to sell something, otherwise you might lose trust. You can just talk about problems first, and after the other person has spoken in detail, then mention you're researching this field. In short, show natural and genuine interest in their troubles, which often leads to a valuable conversation.

• Find a good excuse: Sometimes creating a reason for conversation can lower the other person's guard. For example, pretend to be a newcomer to a field asking for advice (provided you actually have something to learn), or pose as an industry researcher conducting interviews. The author gives an example: "You know a lot about coffee, right? I really like this shop, could we chat about your thoughts on the coffee here?" This kind of opening sounds more acceptable than directly saying "Can we talk about my product?" Once you get the other person talking about their topic, gradually transition to related problem areas. However, this strategy should be used carefully; don't make the other person feel deceived, so the excuse should be sincere and have mutual benefit.

• Immerse yourself in where they are: Essentially, go to places where users gather. For example, attend industry conferences, exhibitions, forums, offline salons, etc. In these settings, people are already sharing and discussing, making it easier to find willing conversationalists. The author suggests paying particular attention to those who spend time attending industry events, as they often have passion for industry problems and provide rich information in conversation. In such environments, meet several people, whom you can then arrange to talk with individually later, or casually chat about their most pressing concerns on the spot. Rule of thumb: "A chatty mouth can uncover golden opportunities"; ask boldly and seek advice frequently, and you'll eventually find ways to enter user circles.

• Creative online methods: The author mentions landing page testing strategies. For instance, Buffer's founder, before developing the product, created a simple landing page outlining the concept, collected user emails, and then further communicated with interested individuals. Paul Graham also suggests a similar method: release a rough version early to see who uses it, then directly contact these early users. This is a semi-passive way to obtain user conversations—first screen out interested individuals through web pages or advertisements, then talk with them. This helps validate concepts.

6.2 Bring them to you: Compared to searching everywhere for people, having potential customers actively seek you out is certainly more ideal. The author shares several methods to increase your exposure in target user circles:

• Organise meetups: Be the center of the stage, not part of the audience. For example, if you're making a product for the HR industry, you can organize a "small HR exchange" or "HR roundtable cocktail party." When you invite them to attend as the organizer, your credibility and network will improve. During the event, you have numerous opportunities to casually chat with participants, understand the problems they face, and because you've provided the platform, they're more willing to engage in deeper conversations with you. Although this approach requires effort to plan events, the return is extremely high: one gathering can quickly connect you with many precise users and build trust.

• Speaking & Teaching: Teaching and sharing are underestimated customer acquisition methods. If you have experience in a field, consider applying to speak at industry conferences, hosting free seminars, recording sharing videos, or writing article series. By providing valuable knowledge to your target user group, you both establish yourself as an expert and often attract people who genuinely care about these issues to discuss with you. For example, entrepreneurs making project management software can write blogs or host online sharing sessions on how to improve team collaboration efficiency. Audience members/readers are likely potential customers who benefit from your content and are more willing to discuss their own needs.

• Industry blogging: If you already have a certain readership, directly reaching out to your target audience through your blog is also a good approach. Write an in-depth article analyzing industry problems, and at the end invite those with similar troubles to contact you; this often attracts high-quality conversations. Even if you don't have fame, consistently outputting professional insights can gradually accumulate attention, making you someone worth talking to in the circle.

• Get clever: Above are conventional tactics. The author encourages finding some unconventional "hacking" methods to reach users based on your field. For example, he once organized a phone exchange for university department heads, using industry knowledge exchange as a pretext to gather many potential customers (university decision-makers) to discuss, while absorbing information and building relationships on the side. This method seems indirect but works well because you provide value (opportunity for peers to communicate) while gaining direct access to target users. In short, design valuable activities or resources around your target user group that both help them and make them notice you, naturally making them willing to communicate.

• Creating warm intros: The concept of "six degrees of separation" indicates the world is small; through a few referrals, you can meet almost anyone. Compared to cold contact, using existing networks for introductions has a much higher success rate. Channels mentioned by the author include:

  • Industry advisors: Find senior industry professionals to be your advisors or mentors; they're usually happy to introduce you to relevant contacts. Some entrepreneurs even give advisors a small percentage of equity in exchange for their ongoing network support.
  • Academic circles: University professors often have connections with industry, especially in specific professional fields. If your product is relevant, consider contacting related professors or researchers; they might be willing to introduce your ideas to industry partners.
  • Investors: If you have investors or know people in investment circles, their networks are also treasures. Top investors are usually willing to connect portfolio companies, and even for non-portfolio companies, sometimes an introduction letter from an investment circle VIP is much stronger than your own exploration.
  • Cashing in on favors: Those friends or former colleagues who said "let me know if you need anything" in the past—now is the time to use them. Don't be shy; email them saying you're now doing X and need to contact certain types of customers, and see if they know people they can introduce. Many requests might be ignored or politely declined, but even a few leads can bring valuable conversations.

  Using warm introductions requires moderation: don't abuse friendships by frantically harassing your entire friend circle. When asking for help, make the other person feel the matter is meaningful and not too troublesome. For example, clearly write who you'd like to be introduced to and why you're contacting them. When you really need to break through, all these relationships are resources that can be activated.

6.3 Framing the meeting: When you schedule meetings with potential customers, how you word your invitation and how you start the conversation directly affects the other person's attitude. The author provides a "five-element" framework to help you effectively set expectations when requesting and beginning meetings:

• Vision: Start by stating the macro problem you're trying to solve or the vision you want to achieve, letting the other person perceive the importance of this topic and your passion. For example: "Hi, I'm trying to make office leasing simpler for startups..."
• Framing: Explain the stage you're currently at, emphasizing you have nothing to sell (if that's indeed the case). For instance: "We're just starting, don't have a formal product yet, just want to ensure what we're building is truly useful." This way the other person lowers their guard, not worrying about being sold to.
• Weakness: Acknowledge your limitations in certain areas, giving the other person an opportunity to teach you. For example: "I've only seen this issue from a tenant's perspective before, don't quite understand how things work on the landlord's side, feeling a bit lost." This shows humility and a learning attitude.
• Pedestal: Elevate the other person, emphasizing that their experience is very helpful to you. Like: "Your extensive experience in this field is exactly what I need guidance on; your pointers can help me avoid many detours." This will make them feel flattered and willing to help.
• Ask: Clearly make the meeting request. For example: "Do you have time for a face-to-face chat in the next two weeks? I'd really like to hear your thoughts." Express that you're seeking help, not selling.

Combining these, an example email/opening might look like this:

"Hi Pete, I'm working hard to solve the problem of how complicated it is for startups to rent offices (Vision). We're still in the very early stages, no product to sell, just want to ensure we're on the right track (Framing). Since I've always been a tenant myself, I don't understand much about the landlord side's needs, feeling a bit confused now (Weakness). You have a lot of experience in renting office space and could definitely help me see many issues clearly (Pedestal). I wonder if you have time to chat and give me some guidance in the next two weeks? (Ask)"

This wording concisely explains your intentions while lowering the other person's guard, greatly increasing the likelihood of them agreeing to meet. Once the meeting begins, the author suggests you control the pace, not allowing the other person to drag you into discussing product ideas in detail. After pleasantries, repeat the background from your email (emphasizing you're here to learn), then immediately jump into your first question, guiding the conversation to revolve around their pain points. If you don't seize the initiative, curiosity might drive the other person to question your product details, leading to you being interviewed, defeating the purpose of the interview.

6.4 To commute or to call: The author personally prefers face-to-face communication because it allows observation of body language and emotions, making it more personal. Phone calls are considered too rigid. However, in modern environments, video conferences (like Zoom) have made remote communication close to in-person effects. The important thing is to choose an effective and efficient method for you: if video allows you to talk to 5 people in a day, that's better than visiting in person and only meeting 1 person. In short, being there in person usually works best, but don't be bound by form; being able to converse is the key.

6.5 The advisory flip: An interesting approach is to convert some customer interviews into opportunities to recruit advisors. That is, when you meet an interviewee who really understands the industry, try to establish a long-term relationship, making them your "advisor" or "mentor." This way, you can consult them regularly in the future, or even invite them to join the company as a formal advisor, rewarding them with a small equity stake or compensation. This transformation makes the other person more invested in helping you and is like having an "insider" with an internal perspective. Of course, this should be carefully chosen, attempting only with truly enthusiastic people who are domain experts.

6.6 How many meetings?: How many customers should you talk to before it's enough? The author quotes user research experience: "Keep interviewing until you stop hearing new things." Many UX researchers find that around 5 interviews often reveal the main problem patterns. For simple, clear markets, 3-5 conversations might be enough to lock down key requirements; if interviews exceed 10 and still lack clear commonalities, it's likely your targeted user group is too broad and needs to be segmented before further discussion. Therefore, don't be obsessed with "large samples"; "information saturation" is the signal that you can stop for now. Proceed to product development or the next validation step promptly, don't get stuck in endless "let's talk and then decide."

Chapter 7: Choosing Your Customers​

Chapter theme: Emphasizes the importance of focusing on market segments and provides methods to divide the complex potential user base into manageable small groups for validation. As an old saying goes: "A product trying to serve everyone ends up serving no one." Excellent startups often start from extremely narrow entry points, gradually expanding their results.

• Segmentation: The author mentions examples of companies that had to narrow down their target users at the beginning. When the user group is too diverse, the feedback you receive will be conflicting and chaotic, making product direction difficult to decide. By focusing on specific groups, you can:

  1. Custom-tailor products and marketing messages that better fit that group;
  2. Get consistent, clear feedback from them to rapidly improve your product.

• Customer slicing: The author provides a set of sequential questions to continually divide a broad user group, finding the most core early target users:

  • Among this large group, which type of people most need my product?
  • Will everyone in this group buy my product? Or just a subset?
  • Why does that subset need it? What are their specific pain points or goals?
  • Does the entire large group have this motivation, or just part of it?
  • What other motivations can my product satisfy?
  • Are there other types of people who also have these motivations?

  Keep asking, and you can gradually narrow vague large circles into clearer small circles. For example, initially you might think "students" are all your users, but after slicing you might discover that "soon-to-graduate non-local PhD students" is a small group with more urgent needs and higher willingness to pay. After identifying several possible segments, you can choose the most ideal one as your initial entry market based on (profit potential, reachability, fit with your expertise). Then, put all your effort into talking with these people and making products, temporarily setting aside other groups.

• Talking to the wrong people: If you haven't done good segmentation, you might spend a lot of time talking to non-target users without realizing it. Common errors include:

  1. Too broad a target: Trying to be a catch-all, resulting in listening to everyone, with chaotic feedback that's hard to act on.
  2. Missing key groups: Your product involves multiple different user roles, but you might have only talked to one type. For example, a social platform making money from ads needs to talk to both users and advertisers; similarly, software sold to businesses might have different users and purchasing decision-makers, and you need to cover both.
  3. Ignoring secondary users: Sometimes we focus too much on "big customers" or "heavy users," ignoring the voices of long-tail or grassroots users. The needs of each type of user can affect product success, so consider all aspects, but prioritize. You can first focus on one core group, but don't forget to validate the ideas of other related groups, especially when they play different roles in the usage and purchasing process.

In summary, this chapter reminds entrepreneurs: finding the right "who" is more fundamental than figuring out "what they want." Only by targeting a clear user group can you effectively execute the interview and validation methods discussed in previous chapters. If you find the feedback in your conversations all over the place, you might need to stop and redefine your target customers.

Chapter 8: Running the Process​

Chapter theme: Emphasizes that interviews are not just about conversation skills, but also preparation before and organization after, as well as the importance of team collaboration. Even if you follow all the previous advice, if you don't manage the process well, the results might still be poor.

• Avoiding learning bottlenecks: The author warns that if only the founder goes to talk to users and then just verbally relays the information, the information becomes distorted and delayed, and the entire team becomes bottlenecked by one person's brain capacity. Typical negative examples include: "Development colleagues just write code without participating in interviews, with product decisions based entirely on the founder saying 'users need this,'" or interview records scattered and unread. To avoid this information blockage, you need to do "three things: preparation, review, and recording."

• 8.1 Prepping: Before starting a round of interviews, work with your team to clarify learning goals. That is, the aforementioned "three questions"; here it's emphasized again that the team must reach consensus: everyone agrees on what three things need to be validated most urgently. At the same time, envision what commitments you hope to get from users (such as willingness to try or refer others), so you know what to aim for. Also, research the interviewee's background: for instance, browse their company website, LinkedIn profile, etc. Avoid asking questions during the interview that could be answered with a web search, as that would make you appear unprofessional. Finally, adjust your mindset: anticipate the worst answers, so you can calmly accept sharp feedback when faced with it. Rule of thumb: If before meeting you don't know what you want to learn, then it's not worth going. The purpose of preparation is to ensure each conversation has a clear purpose, rather than just chatting for the sake of chatting.

• 8.2 Reviewing: After each interview, quickly share notes and insights with your team. Ideally, immediately call a small review meeting to go through the 3 big questions you asked and the answers you got, letting everyone understand the user feedback. Discuss as a team which findings were unexpected, which assumptions were confirmed/disproven, and how to adjust upcoming plans. This kind of review both solidifies information and helps the team reach consensus on future direction. If you can't meet immediately, at least organize and share the records with relevant members; don't keep information locked in personal notebooks.

• 8.3 Who should show up: The author advocates that important decision-makers in the team should participate in some interviews. Especially co-founders, regardless of whether they're responsible for technology or business, should ideally hear users discuss problems firsthand. Because the impact of firsthand information cannot be matched by secondhand reports. Hearing users describe pain points in their own words gives engineers a deeper understanding and acceptance of product direction. Of course, not everyone needs to attend every time; usually two people as a group is most effective: one leading the conversation, the other taking notes. This avoids a single person being overwhelmed while not creating a crowd that makes users nervous.

• 8.4 How to write it down: Interview records are the basis for subsequent decisions and should be both detailed and efficient. The author suggests:

  • Try to record direct quotes: Especially when users express strong emotions or key viewpoints, write them down as direct quotes. These golden sentences are very powerful when later explaining problems to the team or investors.
  • Capture emotions and key points: Use symbols or emoticons to mark the other person's tone, such as 😃 for excitement, 😕 for confusion, etc. Emotions often reflect the depth of pain points.
  • Use concise shorthand: No need to record verbatim (except for key sentences); you can use abbreviations, bullet points, etc. to record quickly. Recording too much detail on the spot might distract attention.
  • Record audio if necessary: If the other person allows, recording and then organizing afterward ensures nothing is missed. However, recording slightly affects the casual atmosphere and should be used judiciously.

• 8.5 Where to write it down: It's suggested to use electronic, shareable methods for recording. For example, directly record in note-taking software or online documents, making it easy to share with the team afterward. If handwriting is faster, you should immediately type the content into the computer after the meeting and add details. The key is that records shouldn't lie dormant unexamined. If you don't plan to review them, recording no matter how much is meaningless. Therefore, choose a storage method that both you and your team will look at, and establish a review habit.

• 8.6 The process: At the end, the author provides a concise process checklist, connecting all the key points of the book:

  • Before a batch of interviews: Define clear user segments; have the team jointly decide on 3 main learning objectives; if commitment validation is needed, think about the desired form of commitment; find out where target users are and who can introduce them; do necessary desk research.
  • During the interview: Use the "five-element" framework in the opening to set the right communication tone; keep the conversation relaxed and natural; ask questions following Mom Test principles (don't ask for opinions, ask for facts); redirect compliments, follow up on assumptions with factual inquiries, dig into motivations behind ideas; listen carefully and take notes; if the situation is appropriate, bravely propose next steps or request commitments.
  • After a batch of interviews: Organize notes and key quotes; evaluate results with the team (new insights, corrected assumptions); archive important findings (for future product design reference); update your action plan based on the information obtained; then identify new 3 questions and enter the next cycle.

  The author finally reminds: All of this is to make your business run faster, not slower. Don't over-prepare for interviews, nor endlessly interview without action. Generally speaking, spend a week or two intensively talking to customers, then go build something based on feedback (like a prototype) to give customers something they can commit to/use, and iterate repeatedly. Rule of thumb: Don't get stuck in theoretical discussions; when it's time to act, act, because ultimately products and business performance validate everything.

Above are the detailed summaries of each chapter. From questioning techniques, to analyzing feedback, to advancing relationships, finding customers, focusing on users, and executing the entire interview process, the book coherently teaches readers how to conduct effective customer development conversations.

Summary of Methodologies and Practical Principles​

Synthesizing the entire book, to successfully apply "The Mom Test" philosophy, you need to master a series of methods and principles. Below, from six aspects—questioning techniques, identifying feedback, communication strategies, advancing commitments, obtaining customers, and team processes—we organize the specific methodologies, practical suggestions, and important principles from the book.

Golden Rules of Questioning (Three Mom Test Principles)​

• Focus on the user, not on yourself: Talk about the user's current life situation and problems, don't immediately present your product idea. Let the user be the teacher and you the student, avoiding self-promotion.
• Focus on the past, not hypothetical futures: Ask users about behaviors and experiences that actually happened in the past, don't ask "would you in the future...". Past facts are objective, while promises about the future are often distorted.
• Listen more, talk less: The principle of 80% listening + 20% questioning. Control your desire to speak, don't interrupt or defend, leave more time for the other person to output information. Your role is more like a reporter, not a salesperson.

Techniques for Avoiding Ineffective Feedback​

• Don't let compliments go to your head: Be wary of praise like "good" or "like." Politely respond and immediately guide back to practical issues, for example: "Thanks for the support! But what I'd like to understand more is your experience last time with...?" Compliments don't equal demand.
• Anchor vague talk: When you hear vague statements like "always/never/maybe/will in the future," immediately ask for specific examples: "When was the last time? What was the specific situation then?" Use details to bring empty talk back to real scenarios. As long as the other person starts telling concrete stories, you've moved from assumptions to facts.
• Dig into the motivations behind user ideas: When users suggest product improvements, don't immediately agree to implement them; first ask "Why do you want this? What benefit would this bring you?" to understand the real needs behind it. If you discover this is a core pain point, it's worth considering; otherwise, record the idea but defer action.
• Eliminate the mentality of seeking approval: Constantly remind yourself: I want facts, not agreement. Avoid asking "Do you think my idea is good?" type questions seeking affirmation. Focus your attention on the user's problems, don't try to gain confidence from users.

Effective Communication and Interview Strategies​

• Keep conversations casual and natural: Try to chat in relaxed environments rather than formal meeting rooms. Even in formal meetings, use a conversational tone. Avoid questionnaire-style questioning or making the other person feel interrogated. Casual doesn't mean purposeless, but letting the other person comfortably share.
• Control time, short and focused: 5-15 minutes is enough for early exploratory conversations. After confirming a problem exists and is important, then invest more time in detailed discussion. Better to have multiple short talks than one long one, as each conversation yields insights and quickly validates assumptions.
• Conceal your solution bias: In initial conversations, try not to reveal your specific solution concept. This prevents the other person from politely praising along with your solution or proposing a bunch of ideas targeted at your solution. This allows you to objectively understand their original problems and behaviors.
• Master the opening framework: When inviting and starting, use the "vision-framing-weakness-pedestal-ask" five elements to set correct expectations. State the problem you want to solve, explain you currently have nothing to sell and are just learning, humbly ask for the other person's experience, and request some time. This improves response rates and conversation quality.
• Cleverly ask sensitive questions: For questions you fear bad answers to most (like "Would you really pay for this?"), don't avoid them; design your approach in advance and gather the courage to ask. Bad news = valuable information; don't avoid asking just because you fear rejection.

Advancing Commitments and Validating Needs​

• Look for commitment signals: When evaluating conversation outcomes, focus on whether the other person is willing to pay some price to show interest: willing to spend more time talking/testing (time commitment), willing to refer you to others (reputation commitment), willing to pay deposits or sign intentions (monetary commitment), etc. These commitments are signs they truly value your product; pure verbal praise doesn't count.
• Always seek the next step: Before the end of each interaction, make a specific request that advances the relationship (such as scheduling the next demo, introducing potential users, joining a waitlist, etc.). Give the other person a chance to state their position. If they agree, you've made progress; if they refuse, there's no loss and you get a clear signal.
• Measure the credibility of words: The more the other person gives up/invests, the more credible their words. If someone says "I will absolutely buy" but is unwilling to pay a small deposit or sign, then discount that statement. Conversely, if someone doesn't praise you but directly says "I can buy right now," they're serious.
• Identify early enthusiastic users: Pay special attention to those interviewees who seem emotionally excited, eager to solve a problem. They might say "This problem is giving me such a headache, I'm willing to pay to solve it right now!" Such people are characterized by being deeply immersed in the problem, aware of the pain points, having a budget, and having tried alternative solutions. They are the "angel users" worth prioritizing your service for, even if they propose many demanding requirements; listen to them carefully. They're likely to become your first paying customers, helping you refine your product.

Strategies for Obtaining User Conversations​

• Don't fear rejection in cold starts: When just beginning, don't be afraid to send cold emails or make cold calls. Even with a 99% rejection rate, you only need that 1% of responses to get started. Prepare mentally, treat it as practice. Once you have a few seed users, open up further through them or other methods.
• Stake out user gathering places: Actively appear in environments where target users gather, such as industry conferences, forums, group activities, etc. Integrate into their communities, listen to their discussions, seek opportunities to enter conversations from there.
• Learn to find excuses and get close: For stranger potential users, first chat about topics of interest to them. For example, shared appreciation of a setting, asking professional questions, etc., lowering defenses before gradually moving to issues you care about. Avoid self-promotion right from the start.
• Organize events, let users come to you: If conditions allow, host an event or gathering in a niche field. Attract target users to participate; during the event, you naturally gain opportunities to communicate with them, while also establishing your image in the circle. One-to-many format is highly efficient.
• Provide value to attract attention: Through writing professional blogs, sharing tips and resources, small salons, etc., first provide useful information to target user groups. When you're viewed as someone knowledgeable and willing to share, potential customers are more willing to discuss their problems with you. Often in this process, the other party initiates consultation with you, naturally leading into "The Mom Test" style questioning.
• Utilize relationship networks for introductions: Maximize use of your connections. Tell friends, mentors, investors, etc. that you're looking for certain types of users, asking them for introductions. Conversation partners introduced this way will take the meeting more seriously due to the mutual acquaintance. When sending introduction requests, clearly explain your vision and reasons for wanting to meet, making it easier for the intermediary to convey and facilitate.

Interview Process and Team Collaboration​

• Clarify learning objectives: Before conducting a round of interviews, have the team together determine the 3 assumptions/questions you most want to validate at this stage. Design questions around these goals, so each conversation is targeted and effectiveness can be evaluated later. If questions can be answered first through online research, don't waste interview opportunities asking them.
• Team participation: Core members should take turns participating in some interviews, listening to users firsthand. Especially technology or product leaders, this helps avoid information barriers, synchronizing everyone's understanding of user needs. During interviews, it's best to work in pairs (one asking, one recording), ensuring both complete records and smooth communication.
• Timely recording and sharing: Take good notes during interviews, highlighting golden quotes and key points. Immediately organize and share with relevant team members afterward. You can call quick sharing sessions or list key points and quotes in Slack/documents. Process information without overnight or weekly delays, ensuring team decisions are based on the latest user feedback.
• Regular reviews and adjustments: After several interviews, sit down with the team to analyze common conclusions: What are the users' universal pain points? Which of our original assumptions were disproven? Does the product direction need adjustment? Update product plans and questions to validate next accordingly. Then enter the next Build-Measure-Learn cycle.
• Don't rely excessively on interviews: Although the book emphasizes the importance of conversations, it also reminds not to endlessly interview without taking action. At the appropriate time, stop talking and start developing prototypes or features to further test (for example, see if users will actually use it, will pay for it). Interviews are tools, not goals; ultimately you need to deliver products that solve problems. If a conversation doesn't yield much (e.g., repetitive information or deviation from core issues), consider reducing such interviews or changing direction.

These key points condense the principles and techniques repeatedly mentioned in "The Mom Test." Following these methodologies, entrepreneurs can systematically develop customers: ask the right questions, hear the real answers, quickly validate and iterate. Avoid typical traps (such as only listening to good words, having too mixed a user group, not sharing information, etc.), thereby more efficiently refining products and finding Product-Market Fit.

Practical Application Cases​

To better understand the principles above, here are several real-world application cases from the book and reality, illustrating how "The Mom Test" method works in practice.

• Case 1: Validating a Recipe App Idea with Mom – Tom planned to develop a premium recipe app. Following the book's methodology, instead of directly asking his mom "What do you think of my idea?", he had her talk about her daily iPad usage habits. She mentioned mainly using her iPad for news and games, with no mention of cooking-related needs. Tom further asked, "When was the last time you used your iPad for something recipe-related?" She couldn't recall because she simply doesn't use her iPad for recipes, preferring her physical cookbooks. Through this conversation, Tom discovered that target users (everyday home cooks) might not have the pain point he assumed, and the likelihood of them willing to pay $40 for a recipe app was probably low. This case shows how "The Mom Test" helped him adjust direction early, avoiding market misinterpretation due to his mom's polite encouragement.

• Case 2: Inspiration for a Dropbox-Style Solution – The author mentions an entrepreneurial team's experience interviewing finance professionals. Initially, these finance workers complained about spending significant time synchronizing Excel spreadsheets via email, seemingly seeking more efficient communication tools. They even explicitly requested "better messaging tools" to save time. However, the startup team didn't stop at surface requirements and instead asked: "Why do you spend so much time sending spreadsheet emails back and forth?" The answer: "Because we need to ensure everyone sees the latest version." This insight was a revelation: the fundamental problem wasn't communication efficiency but file version synchronization. Consequently, they pivoted from building a chat tool to creating cloud sharing functionality (similar to Dropbox), successfully addressing the customer's true pain point. This case demonstrates the insight gained by asking "why do you do this," and the importance of not being misled by surface requirements, but instead digging deeper into motivations.

• Case 3: Identifying Early Evangelists – A startup developed collaboration software for designers. During interviews, they encountered two types of feedback:

  • Most designers said: "Sounds good, let us know when you launch." But when asked if they'd be willing to try it or schedule a demo, they typically responded with "We'll see then."
  • A few designers excitedly said: "This is exactly what I urgently need! Our team constantly has collaboration problems. If you have this, I'm willing to pay for it right now!" They readily signed up for trials and even offered to bring colleagues to test.

  The team recognized the second group as their target seed users. They prioritized meeting the needs of these "enthusiasts," inviting them to deeply participate in product refinement. Sure enough, this group later became paying customers and advocates. The first group proved to be merely offering polite support, with many never converting. This real-world example shows how requesting small commitments (like signing up for a trial) can effectively distinguish those with genuine needs. Those who only verbally support but take no action can be deprioritized for the time being.

• Case 4: Buffer's Landing Page Test – In this famous case, social media scheduling tool Buffer was still in the concept stage when founder Joel created a simple webpage describing the product with a "pricing" button. Clicking this button revealed a message: "Product not yet available, leave your email for updates." Within days, they collected numerous emails (demonstrating interest). Joel then proactively emailed these potential users to deeply understand their social media pain points. This was essentially a variation of "The Mom Test" strategy: using an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) to filter out users with genuine needs, then conducting qualitative interviews with them. Through these conversations, the Buffer team identified the features users needed most and acceptable price ranges, then rapidly developed the product. Buffer ultimately achieved great success. This case demonstrates: finding users and validating needs through creative methods, combining interviews and data, can greatly increase the probability of addressing real pain points.

• Case 5: Quickly Gathering Feedback at an HR Meetup – An entrepreneur wanted to develop HR software but found traditional cold starts difficult. Following the book's suggestions, he organized a small meetup for HR professionals. He invited about a dozen HR managers he had contacted through friends and LinkedIn, providing free venue and refreshments. During the meetup, everyone freely discussed challenges in their work. As the host, he naturally joined the discussions and posed several questions he was interested in (such as "What do you all think is the biggest difficulty in talent recruitment?"). As a result, he collected valuable firsthand feedback, and several HR managers expressed interest in further discussions about his product concept afterward. This event allowed him to quickly build connections and gain deep insights, much more efficiently than scheduling cold interviews one by one. Lesson learned: By providing a valuable platform, you can establish connections with multiple target users simultaneously and understand their genuine needs.

These cases demonstrate that whether testing ideas with family and friends, pivoting early product positioning, identifying initial seed customers, or creating opportunities to reach users, "The Mom Test" principles are genuinely effective. The key is flexible application: designing appropriate outreach methods for your specific field, while always maintaining the core focus of asking the right questions and hearing genuine feedback. When you truly make an effort to understand your users rather than rushing to validate your own ideas, you can often avoid major pitfalls and discover the path to success.

About Author Rob Fitzpatrick​

Rob Fitzpatrick is a seasoned entrepreneur and author whose background and experience provided the practical wisdom for writing "The Mom Test":

• Entrepreneurial Experience: Rob has over 10 years of entrepreneurial experience, having founded and participated in multiple startups, including both bootstrapped projects and venture-backed companies. He was part of Y Combinator's Summer 2007 batch, has successfully raised funds for startups in the US and UK, and has built products serving international brands like Sony and MTV. These experiences gave him profound insights into the importance and difficulties of communicating with customers during the entrepreneurial process, and taught him many valuable lessons.

• Transition to Customer Development Expert: Rob started as a programmer, but in his first startup, he was forced to take the lead in customer interactions. He discovered that marketing or user research books on the market were mostly theoretical and didn't teach him specifically how to talk to customers to obtain genuine insights. To fill this gap, he compiled practical interview techniques based on personal experience, eventually organizing them into "The Mom Test." The book can be considered the crystallization of his experiences after "stumbling" on the entrepreneurial path, making it particularly relevant to the real needs of startup teams.

• Work and Influence: Since its publication in 2013, "The Mom Test" has received excellent reviews and is considered one of the most valuable entrepreneurial guides "per ounce." It's concise and practical, avoiding abstract theory and offering only actionable methods, earning praise from numerous entrepreneurs. The book is now used as course material in entrepreneurship programs at institutions like Harvard Business School and University College London (UCL), and has been listed as required reading by several European startup accelerators (such as Seedcamp and Microsoft Ventures Accelerator). Several well-known entrepreneurs and investors have publicly recommended it.

• Other Works: Besides "The Mom Test," Rob Fitzpatrick has authored other practical entrepreneurship books, such as "The Workshop Survival Guide" and "Write Useful Books," the latter sharing his experience in non-fiction writing and publishing. These books continue his practical-first style, covering areas like entrepreneurial education and content creation. Additionally, he regularly writes blog posts and participates in podcasts and startup training, sharing insights on entrepreneurial methodologies.

• Professional Role: Rob is now a startup mentor and speaker, frequently invited to share Customer Development experiences at entrepreneurial events worldwide. He has also created online courses teaching the practical application of "The Mom Test" principles. As a serial entrepreneur, Rob remains active in the startup ecosystem, using his knowledge to help more teams avoid detours.

In summary, Rob Fitzpatrick has contributed valuable methodologies to the entrepreneurial community from the perspective of a technical entrepreneur who has lived through the experience. "The Mom Test" is authentic and useful precisely because the author himself encountered pitfalls, derived patterns, and passed them on to others in plain language. Rob's background gives him a deep understanding of startup teams' pain points, and his guidance has both theoretical foundations and practical verification—a rare combination. This explains why his work has broadly influenced entrepreneurial education and practice, becoming essential reading for many entrepreneurs seeking product-market fit (PMF).

Feedback on Features and Usability​

Many users find Bench’s interface intuitive and user-friendly, with clear information layout. As a cloud-based service, users appreciate being able to access their books anytime, anywhere to stay on top of their company’s financial status. However, several functional limitations are frequently mentioned. For example, Bench lacks mobile support: users are unable to upload receipts and other financial documents via mobile devices, which is considered a major shortcoming. Additionally, Bench only supports cash-based accounting and does not provide accrual-based accounting, which frustrates businesses with more complex accounting needs. While Bench connects to bank accounts for automatic transaction imports, some users complain that the automation is insufficient—they still need to manually upload transaction documentation and categorize each entry. On the reporting side, Bench offers only a limited selection of reports. Users noted the absence of key financial reports (such as payroll summaries or vendor expense breakdowns), receiving only profit and loss statements and year-end summaries, with mixed categories making it hard to verify accuracy. These issues suggest that although Bench provides a decent basic experience, there is significant room for improvement in advanced functionality and usability details.

Data Accuracy, Delays, and Errors​

In terms of data accuracy, some users express concern over the reliability of the books provided by Bench. Clients report receiving books with numerous misclassifications and errors. For instance, one user submitted all required documents, but two months later, the books were still incomplete, and the completed portions contained hundreds of classification errors. This user received inaccurate monthly reports for two consecutive months, risking significant overpayment of taxes. Another user stated they had “lost confidence” in Bench’s bookkeeping over the past three years due to repeated misclassifications, requiring constant self-checking and adjustments. Overall, delayed deliveries and frequent errors are recurring pain points. Although Bench promises to complete historical bookkeeping within a specific timeframe (e.g., 10–15 days), users report serious delays: in one case, a two-week promise turned into nearly two months with no update. These delays also impact tax filing—some users complain that Bench only informed them shortly before the tax deadline that bookkeeping couldn’t be completed on time, forcing them to apply for extensions. During tax season, heavy workloads slow down communication—one G2 user noted that Bench’s response times worsen during tax season. Beyond bookkeeping errors, Bench’s professional support has also faltered. For example, some users reported multiple technical inaccuracies regarding PPP loan forgiveness, indicating a lack of claimed expertise. The shortcomings in data and professionalism have reduced customer trust in Bench, with some users saying they must invest extra effort verifying Bench’s outputs.

Customer Service and Communication​

Bench’s customer support and communication have declined significantly in recent years and are among the most frequently criticized aspects. Many users complain about poor communication, including frequent changes in bookkeeping team members, insufficient handovers, and new staff being unfamiliar with client accounts. When issues arise, users often struggle to reach customer support or their assigned bookkeeper. Multiple clients reported that their messages went unanswered for weeks. Some even booked support calls that were missed without notice. Moreover, several users said they were bounced between different support staff who provided conflicting responses, leaving problems unresolved. One user stated that Bench had become “almost impossible to contact”, making them feel like their annual fees were wasted. Another reported a worse experience: over three weeks, they spoke with nine different people and still couldn’t resolve a basic issue, experiencing multiple missed calls and broken appointments. When this user expressed dissatisfaction strongly, Bench’s manager not only failed to apologize but criticized the user’s tone instead. Overall, many long-time customers observed that Bench’s service quality and responsiveness have deteriorated significantly in the past two years, shifting from early-stage attentiveness to current indifference. This decline in service experience is eroding customer loyalty.

Pricing and Value for Money​

Pricing and value are also major concerns for users. Bench’s basic plan starts at around $299 per month, placing it at the high end of similar bookkeeping services. Many users feel that Bench offers poor value for money, citing high fees for subpar service. Some compare Bench to competitors charging a third of the price with better service. A notable example involved a small business earning only $15,000 a year being charged$7,500 for tax filing through Bench—this was deemed unacceptable. The user said they had “paid a premium for poor service.” On social media, others described Bench as “not worth it”, noting that even a low price is wasted if the work isn’t done right. Complaints about billing practices also surfaced: some users continued to be charged after cancelling the service, encountering double billing. Others were asked to continue paying installment contracts after Bench shut down operations, even though services had stopped—this led users to feel deceived. Some even used terms like “scam” to describe their experience. Beyond pricing, users are annoyed by frequent upselling and price hikes. They reported that Bench often raised subscription fees or pushed add-on services aggressively, which was off-putting. Overall, the disconnect between high fees and lackluster service quality has caused users to question Bench’s value proposition.

Third-Party Integration and Automation​

Bench claims to combine software automation with human bookkeeping. On the integration front, it can connect to users’ bank accounts to automatically import transactions. This works for most major banks, but users note poor support for smaller banks—certain accounts cannot be linked successfully. Even when linked, data syncing is unreliable. Users complain that bank connections frequently drop, requiring repeated password entries—an inconvenience. As for automation, many users find Bench’s promises overblown. Ideally, the system should auto-categorize transactions after linking accounts, but in practice, manual intervention is still needed. One customer quipped: “All accounts are connected, but I still have to upload every receipt and manually classify each transaction; QuickBooks would be just as much work.” This suggests that Bench’s algorithms aren’t intelligent enough to deliver the promised efficiency gains. In terms of third-party service integration, Bench previously outsourced tax services to Taxfyle, and some long-term users found that setup worked well. However, since switching to an in-house tax team, the quality has dropped. A 6-year user said the new team was slow and error-prone, causing severe tax delays. Moreover, Bench does not support direct integration with other accounting platforms (since it competes with software like QuickBooks), making data migration difficult for users wanting to switch. The limitations of cash-based accounting further constrain functionality. As previously mentioned, the lack of accrual support makes Bench unsuitable for businesses with complex financial reporting needs. In summary, Bench’s automation and integration features fall short: while bank connection helps with basic automation, users still need to do a lot manually. The lack of integration with payroll or inventory systems and limited reporting capabilities remain significant pain points.

Desired New Features and Improvements​

Based on the above feedback, Bench users share several expectations for future improvements:

• Support for accrual-based accounting: Bench currently only offers cash-based bookkeeping. Users with professional accounting needs hope it expands to include accrual-based methods to handle more complex financial scenarios.
• More detailed reports and analytics: Users want more customized reports such as payroll summaries, vendor expense analysis, and project profitability breakdowns—not just standard profit and loss or balance sheets. These are crucial for business decision-making.
• Enhanced mobile application: Modern users want to handle financial tasks on the go. Bench’s mobile offering is insufficient, especially in receipt uploads and report viewing. Users strongly desire a comprehensive mobile app.
• Consistent team service: Clients are frustrated by frequent bookkeeper changes. They hope Bench will assign dedicated account managers or improve internal handover processes so new staff are fully briefed on each client, reducing repetitive communication.
• Faster delivery timelines: Users urge Bench to shorten processing cycles for bookkeeping and tax prep. This may require more staff or better workflows to ensure monthly closeouts and annual tax filings are completed on time.
• Smarter automation: Users want smarter software that can auto-identify common transaction types and maintain stable bank connections without frequent re-authentication.
• Transparency and stable operations: Bench’s sudden shutdown in late 2024 damaged user trust. Going forward, users want to be notified in advance of major changes and be provided with data export options and refund mechanisms in case of service disruption.
• Reduced sales pressure: Users are frustrated by excessive upselling. They want Bench to focus on improving core bookkeeping quality rather than pushing extra services. Once the basics are flawless, users will naturally be more open to upgrades.

Key Negative Reviews from Various Platforms​

User reviews from multiple platforms further validate these issues:

• Review platforms (Trustpilot/BBB): In 2024–2025, Bench received many 1-star reviews on Trustpilot and BBB. Complaints focused on poor communication and delays. One user missed the tax deadline due to Bench and was “unable to reach anyone” for resolution. A 6-year customer was furious with the internal tax team, reporting a $5,000+ error in a tax draft after three weeks with no response. Many reviews used strong terms like “deception” and “scam”, especially regarding the shutdown and acquisition—users who paid for a full year lost access when Bench closed.
• Reddit forums: On platforms like r/Bookkeeping, professionals have called Bench a “terrible company,” saying service quality has declined sharply over three years. One accountant said Bench’s staff disappeared for three weeks, halting tax filing. On r/smallbusiness, users warn others to avoid Bench at all costs due to high prices and unreliable delivery.
• Twitter (X): Entrepreneurs have tweeted about their disappointment with Bench. One user called it the “worst service I’ve ever experienced,” citing a six-month delay in year-end books.
• App store reviews: While Bench’s mobile app is not yet widely adopted, existing reviews mention unstable bank connections and frequent re-authentication issues—matching integration problems noted elsewhere. Across platforms, users consistently cite delays, miscommunication, and recurring errors, with a sharp decline in service quality in recent years.

Conclusion: Key Pain Points and Product Improvement Directions​

Synthesizing user feedback, Bench.co’s core pain points lie in the following areas, along with suggested improvements:

• Service timeliness and reliability: Bench repeatedly fails to meet delivery timelines for bookkeeping and tax filings. In severe cases, this results in missed legal deadlines and penalties. Improvement: Optimize workflows, add progress tracking tools, set clear SLAs, and notify users promptly of delays with solutions.

• Poor communication and support: Users are frustrated by unresponsive customer service, inconsistent responses, and lack of familiarity from support staff. Improvement: Assign dedicated account managers, enforce 24-hour response times, improve internal knowledge-sharing, and train staff in empathetic communication.

• Data accuracy and professionalism: Clients question the reliability of Bench’s books due to frequent misclassifications and tax-related errors. Improvement: Implement strict review processes, enhance automatic categorization using machine learning, and limit advice on sensitive tax topics to avoid misguidance.

• Pricing does not match value: Many users feel overcharged given the subpar service quality. Improvement: Offer more flexible pricing tiers, especially for startups, and include added-value services like quarterly reviews or annual consultations for higher plans.

• Limited product functionality: Bench doesn’t meet certain user needs such as accrual-based accounting, mobile usage, or robust automation. Improvement: Expand to include accrual-based options, accelerate mobile app development, improve API integrations, and support third-party tools.

• Trust and transparency: The abrupt 2024 shutdown shook user confidence. Improvement: Provide timely notice of major changes, guarantee data export, and include refund clauses in service contracts to protect prepaid users.

In conclusion, Bench.co must improve both its product and service dimensions. By transforming pain points into actionable upgrades—from system stability and richer functionality to customer support and pricing models—Bench can rebuild user trust. In today’s competitive digital bookkeeping market, user experience is key. Only by addressing these issues can Bench regain its position and maintain customer loyalty in the long term.

In the relentless chase to optimize sales pipelines, AI Sales Development Representatives (AI SDRs) have become one of the buzziest tools of 2025. They promise to automate prospecting, personalize outreach at scale, and drop qualified meetings onto your calendar—without the traditional headcount.

But are they actually delivering?

After talking to dozens of sales leaders and digging through hundreds of reviews across G2, Reddit, and Slack communities, I found a more complex story behind the hype.

The 11x Problem: High Expectations, Mixed Results​

11x.ai has become the poster child of this category, claiming to make SDRs “11 times more productive.” It’s a bold promise—and one that sets the bar high.

“I expected the AI to research each prospect like a junior rep would,” one sales director told me. “But all I got were Mad Libs with company names filled in.”

This wasn’t an outlier. Across forums and customer chats, a common theme emerged: the emails feel automated, templated, and often too generic to land.

And when leads reply? The AI often stumbles. As one Reddit user put it:

“It can blast emails all day, but the moment someone says something unexpected, it short-circuits.”

This leaves a strange handoff experience—where prospects believe they’re chatting with a human, only to feel the switch when an actual rep steps in mid-convo.

What’s Actually Working​

Despite the frustrations, there are places where AI SDRs shine:

• Outreach volume: Teams consistently report a massive jump in top-of-funnel activity. One European team told me they now “run outreach 24/7” across time zones thanks to their AI reps.
• Prospecting help: Tools like 11x.ai do a decent job sourcing leads. “The contact lists it finds are better than expected,” said one German user.
• Personality insights: Humantic AI impressed several teams with surprisingly accurate personality profiles. “It’s like having a cheat code for the first call,” said a G2 reviewer.
• Real-time coaching: Cresta takes a different approach—coaching human SDRs in real-time rather than replacing them. It’s especially useful for onboarding new reps or improving call quality without hiring a full-time trainer.

Beyond Performance: Hidden Pain Points​

Go past the functionality issues, and deeper structural problems start to surface:

• Locked-in contracts: Most platforms require $35,000–$60,000/year commitments with minimal ways to try before buying. “We’re stuck with a tool that doesn’t work for us,” said one buyer.
• Technical hiccups: From bugs to laggy dashboards, users—especially in Europe—report reliability issues that break workflows.
• Customization limits: If your audience is niche or your messaging complex, AI often struggles. “We tuned it for weeks,” said a B2B SaaS exec. “The emails still felt generic.”
• Data security worries: With sensitive customer data flowing through these systems, several larger companies voiced concerns over how their information might be used—or reused.

The Strategic Dilemma: Build, Buy, or Augment?​

Given the trade-offs, sales leaders are approaching AI SDRs in one of three ways:

• The All-In Crowd: Typically fast-moving, high-volume orgs that prioritize scale. They’re willing to accept AI’s rough edges.
• The Augmenters: Teams using AI to support (not replace) reps. They use tools like Regie.ai for drafting emails, Humantic for call prep, and keep humans in control of conversations.
• The DIY Builders: Tech-savvy orgs building custom workflows on top of GPTs and internal data. It’s more work, but gives them control and avoids vendor lock-in.

What Needs to Improve​

To move from “interesting” to indispensable, AI SDR vendors need to make real progress on a few fronts:

1. Handle conversations, not just intros – The biggest gap is follow-through. If AI can’t respond naturally, the illusion breaks.
2. Go beyond templates – True personalization should reference real business context, not just job titles and company names.
3. Make pricing more flexible – Teams want to experiment before committing six figures.
4. Fix the UX – Better onboarding, faster load times, and fewer bugs will go a long way.
5. Allow deeper customization – Give companies tools to teach the AI their value props, messaging frameworks, and product nuance.

Where This Is Headed​

The market seems to be splitting into two directions:

• Vertical AI SDRs: Industry-specific tools trained on healthcare, finance, or manufacturing language, workflows, and regulations.
• Lightweight assistants: More affordable tools that support reps with writing, prospecting, and call prep—without pretending to replace them.

The companies that lean into augmentation, not automation, may end up building more sustainable businesses.

The Bottom Line​

AI SDRs are a classic example of the enterprise AI hype cycle. The pitch—an infinitely scalable digital sales team—is irresistible. But the reality is still catching up.

For most teams, the smart move today is targeted augmentation: Let AI do what it’s good at—prospecting, drafting, supporting—while keeping humans in the loop for objections, relationship-building, and closing.

Because in sales, as in life, the human touch still matters. Maybe now more than ever.

Have you used AI SDRs? What’s been your experience—worth the hype or too soon to tell?

The Competitive Edge of Exceptional Design​

In today's crowded tech landscape, product excellence isn't just about functionality—it's increasingly about design that delights. McKinsey research confirms this intuition: companies fully integrating design into their strategy achieve 32% higher revenue growth and 56% higher total returns to shareholders than industry peers.

But what exactly makes companies like Apple, Airbnb, and Stripe design leaders? And more importantly, how can early-stage startups embed these practices from day one?

I've analyzed several design-forward tech companies to extract actionable insights for founders and product teams. What emerges isn't just aesthetic preferences but entire organizational systems that prioritize user experience at every level.

Case Studies: Inside the Design Excellence of Tech Giants​

Apple: The Original Design-First Tech Company​

Apple's design philosophy centers on simplicity and removing the non-essential, a principle articulated by former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive: "Simplicity isn't just a visual style... It involves digging through the depth of complexity... to get rid of the parts that are not essential."

What sets Apple apart organizationally is their functional structure. Rather than organizing by product (iPhone team, Mac team), Apple organizes by expertise domain—design, engineering, marketing—allowing specialists to collaborate directly across products. This structure gives designers tremendous influence, ensuring user experience quality trumps short-term metrics.

A telling example is the development of iPhone's Portrait Mode. When engineers initially made the background-blur effect only viewable after taking a photo, the UI design team pushed back, insisting on a live preview despite technical challenges. Engineers found a way to implement it because at Apple, "difficulty was not an acceptable excuse for failing to deliver... a superior user experience."

This culture of collaborative debate between design and engineering ensures products are both technically advanced and human-centered.

Airbnb: From Struggling Startup to Design Powerhouse​

Airbnb's design journey offers perhaps the most instructive lesson for startups. Founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia (a designer by training) put design thinking at the core when pivoting their struggling company in 2009.

Their breakthrough was thoroughly human-centered: they flew to New York to meet users and personally photograph listings—a non-scalable but empathetic approach that "doubled weekly revenue" by replacing poor-quality host images with professional ones. This experience taught them that code alone couldn't solve every problem.

Airbnb institutionalized user empathy in fascinating ways. Every employee, regardless of role, takes an Airbnb trip during onboarding and shares insights with the entire company. This "become the patient" philosophy ensures everyone experiences the product firsthand.

The company also balances data with creative intuition. While data-informed, they "don't let data push them around." Product teams often start with bold design hypotheses, build them, and then measure performance. This approach led to improvements like changing the "star" icon for favorite listings to a heart—a subtle visual tweak that increased engagement by over 30%.

Stripe: Making Developer Tools Beautiful​

Stripe proves that enterprise and developer-focused products can also be design leaders. In a sector where clunky, utilitarian interfaces were the norm, Stripe's clean, thoughtfully designed APIs and dashboards became a competitive advantage.

Ludwig Pettersson, Stripe's first designer, joined when the company was just a tiny engineering team: "What we got right was investing a lot of energy into design very early, and when we launched, everyone got to experience why it's worth investing in design."

This early investment created internal trust in design that persisted as the company grew. At Stripe, designers work alongside engineers from concept through code, rather than just providing upfront mockups. This continuous collaboration throughout development ensures even complex financial tools remain user-friendly.

A differentiating factor is Stripe's treatment of API design as UX design. Their documentation and developer experience are famously clear and intuitive, turning what could be dry technical information into a genuine product advantage.

Notion: Minimalism with Purpose​

Notion has gained devotion for its minimalistic yet flexible interface—a blank canvas users can shape into documents, wikis, or project boards.

What's fascinating about Notion's approach is their elimination of strict role boundaries. Co-founder Ivan Zhao explains that at Notion, discussions focus on "trade-offs between experience design, user issues, and technical issues" rather than departments defending their turf. Everyone on the team thinks about user experience, technical feasibility, and product usefulness simultaneously.

This cross-functional collaboration is baked into hiring—Zhao seeks "designers who can code, programmers who can think about products" because these hybrid skills "break boundaries and come up with new solutions faster and more creatively."

Notion also demonstrates how user communities can drive design evolution. The team observed how early users adapted their flexible tools in unexpected ways. Rather than adding rigid features for each use case, they doubled down on framework features users could bend to their needs.

Slack: Enterprise Software That Feels Fun​

Slack conquered workplace communication by injecting personality and delight into enterprise software. They paid attention to details that traditional business tools ignored: friendly colors, satisfying animations, even witty loading messages.

Behind this playful exterior lies rigorous process. Slack employs practices like pair design (two designers working together on projects) and continuous dogfooding (the entire company uses Slack intensively for all communication). This ensures the team experiences any UX friction firsthand.

Notably, every Slack employee—including engineers—does rotations in customer support, which "helps empathize with customers" and keeps the user perspective front and center.

Linear: Speed as a Feature​

Linear.app has redefined project management tools with its focus on speed and thoughtful design. Linear's minimalist interface hides powerful functionality behind keyboard shortcuts and fluid animations that make task management feel effortless rather than bureaucratic. Their design philosophy centers on creating software that's "fast, clear, and fun to use" — challenging the notion that professional tools must be clunky or complicated.

Linear's team embraces a design-led engineering culture where performance itself is treated as a feature. By obsessing over millisecond response times and smooth transitions, they've created an experience that users describe as "magical" compared to traditional project management software. This attention to how the product feels, not just what it does, exemplifies how modern enterprise tools can combine utility with genuine user delight.

The Design Principles That Drive Success​

Across these diverse companies, several common threads emerge:

1. Design is integrated, not isolated: Design isn't a separate department that "makes things pretty" after engineers build them. It's a core function that influences product decisions from the beginning.

2. User empathy is institutionalized: These companies create formal practices ensuring everyone—not just designers—deeply understands user needs and experiences.

3. Cross-functional collaboration is the norm: Engineers, designers, and product managers work together throughout development, not in rigid handoff processes.

4. Leadership prioritizes design: From the CEO down, there's genuine belief that design excellence drives growth and user satisfaction, not just aesthetics.

5. Systems support consistency: As these companies grow, they develop design systems and languages that maintain coherence across products and platforms.

How Startups Can Build Design Into Their DNA​

If you're founding or scaling a startup, here are actionable strategies to embed design excellence from day one:

1. Make Design a Founding Priority​

Don't wait until you have product-market fit to think about UX. If none of the founders have design expertise, bring in a designer as one of your first hires or advisors.

An early design win or two—for example, simplifying a convoluted process into a one-click experience—can rally your entire team around the importance of design.

2. Hire T-Shaped Design Talent First​

Early-stage startups need designers who can wear multiple hats—someone comfortable with both pixel-perfect UI mockups and product strategy.

Look for generalists who can own end-to-end design, with qualities like curiosity, empathy, and humility. These traits enable designers to ask the right questions, challenge assumptions diplomatically, and iterate based on feedback.

Consider candidates with fluency in adjacent areas (like front-end coding) as this facilitates tighter collaboration with engineering.

3. Make User-Centric Design Everyone's Job​

Foster empathy for users across your entire team. Have everyone interact with customers regularly or participate in support. Conduct user research sessions and invite the whole team to observe.

Create a "customer journey board" in your office or Slack channel where any team member can post user pain points, and celebrate when non-designers make suggestions that improve UX.

4. Embed Designers in Development Teams​

Integrate designers into the same agile teams as developers and PMs. This cross-functional unit should jointly own features from brainstorming to release.

When designers participate in daily stand-ups and planning, they catch UX issues early. Likewise, engineers can provide feasibility feedback or creative coding solutions to achieve desired interactions.

5. Start a Design System Early (But Keep It Simple)​

As soon as you have multiple screens or team members, begin building a design system—even a lightweight one. This provides a single source of truth for UI components and prevents your interface from becoming a patchwork.

Start with a shared component library that both designers and developers reference. This accelerates development and ensures brand and interface consistency as you scale.

6. Balance Data and Design Intuition​

Use qualitative insights and design instincts to develop innovative solutions, then verify with data—not the other way around.

Encourage bold design improvements based on user understanding, even without upfront proof. Simultaneously, establish measurement systems to learn from actual usage patterns.

7. Cultivate Cross-Disciplinary Skills​

Support designers in gaining technical knowledge and engineers in learning design basics. This makes collaboration easier and enables more team members to contribute meaningfully to UX improvements.

Provide learning resources or rotate team members into different roles briefly. During performance reviews, recognize those who contribute outside their primary expertise.

8. Lead by Example​

As a founder or executive, actively engage with design. Attend design reviews, ask user-focused questions, and back your design team when difficult trade-offs arise.

Codify your support in company values and don't hesitate to discuss your design philosophy publicly. A design-led culture starts at the top—if leadership enforces high UX standards, the team will follow.

The ROI of Design Excellence​

Investing in design isn't just about aesthetics—it's a business imperative. Well-designed products reduce customer acquisition costs (through positive word-of-mouth), increase retention (through superior experiences), and command premium pricing (through perceived quality).

For startups particularly, design can be the differentiator that helps you stand out in crowded markets. When users have countless options, the product that feels intuitive, elegant, and delightful has a distinct advantage.

By learning from design leaders like Apple, Airbnb, Stripe, Notion, and Slack—and implementing these strategies from day one—your startup can build products that users don't just use, but love.

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What design-forward tech products do you admire? Are there specific approaches from these companies you've applied in your own work? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments.

The human body is remarkably adaptive. With consistent, intelligent training, almost anyone can dramatically improve their cardiovascular system's ability to process oxygen—their VO₂ max. This metric, which measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can utilize during intense exercise, is perhaps the single most important indicator of aerobic fitness and endurance potential.

But here's what's fascinating: the scientific literature reveals that improving VO₂ max isn't just about athletic performance. It's about longevity itself. Each modest increase in your VO₂ max corresponds to a significant reduction in mortality risk. One training center noted that raising your VO₂ max by 10 ml/kg/min could effectively "turn back the clock" on cardiovascular aging by up to a decade.

The Transformation Potential​

Before we dive into the how, let's address a common misconception. Many believe VO₂ max is largely fixed—that genetics determine your ceiling and training can only nudge you up 5-15%. This pessimistic view has been challenged by real-world data. One case study documented a recreational athlete who nearly doubled his VO₂ max (a 96% improvement) over 24 months of structured training.

While this represents an extreme case, it underscores a crucial point: your trainability varies widely. Some people are "high responders" who might improve by 40-50% or more with proper training, while others might see more modest gains. But everyone—yes, everyone—can improve significantly from their baseline.

And the best news? The lower your starting point, the greater your potential percentage improvement. Beginners have the most room to grow.

The Science-Backed Training Blueprint​

So how do you tap into this adaptation potential? Through a carefully structured approach that combines four key elements:

1. Progressive Training Methods​

Running/Walking: Begin with walk-jog intervals (e.g., 4 minutes walking, 1 minute jogging) and gradually increase the jogging portions. Once you can jog continuously for 20-30 minutes, focus on extending one weekly run (your "long run") by about 5 minutes each week. After 4-6 weeks of base building, introduce one weekly interval session.

Cycling: A perfect low-impact alternative that engages large leg muscles without the pounding of running. Start with short, easy rides and gradually extend duration. As with running, incorporate intervals once you have built basic endurance. The "4x4 minute Norwegian interval" protocol has shown remarkable effectiveness: 4 minutes of high-intensity cycling followed by 3 minutes of easy pedaling, repeated 4 times.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): The time-efficient VO₂ max booster. Studies consistently show that HIIT yields significant VO₂ max gains in relatively short timeframes—often outperforming traditional steady-state training. For beginners, start with moderate intervals (like 1 minute hard effort, 2 minutes recovery) and progress to more challenging protocols as your fitness improves.

Strength Training: While primarily anaerobic, strength training plays a supporting role. It strengthens muscles and connective tissues, improving exercise economy. Focus on compound movements like squats, lunges, and deadlifts, aiming for 2-3 sessions weekly.

2. Nutrition for Oxygen Utilization​

Your training stimulus needs nutritional support to maximize adaptation:

Carbohydrates: The primary fuel for moderate-to-high intensity exercise. Low carb means early fatigue, preventing you from pushing your cardiovascular system hard enough to stimulate adaptation. For active individuals, aim for 5-7g per kilogram of body weight daily.

Protein: Critical for muscle repair and the growth of mitochondria (your cells' oxygen-processing factories). Research shows that protein supplementation during endurance training can lead to greater VO₂ max improvements. Target 1.2-1.6g per kilogram daily.

Iron: A key micronutrient for VO₂ max, as it's essential for hemoglobin production and oxygen transport. Iron deficiency will significantly impair your progress, especially for women.

Hydration: Even mild dehydration reduces blood volume and oxygen delivery, directly limiting VO₂ max. A 2% reduction in body weight from fluid loss can measurably decrease performance.

3. Recovery: The Adaptation Window​

The stimulus for improvement comes during training, but the actual fitness gains occur during recovery:

Sleep: Perhaps the most powerful recovery tool. During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone, repairs muscle fibers, and builds new mitochondria. Studies show that better sleep quality correlates with higher VO₂ max values and lower heart rates at given outputs.

Active Recovery: Light activity on rest days (like easy walking) promotes blood flow and nutrient delivery without adding stress. Research shows that active recovery between workouts helps clear lactate faster than complete rest.

Rest Days: Schedule at least one full rest day weekly, and consider an "easy week" every 3-5 weeks where you reduce volume by 30-50% to allow complete recovery.

4. Tracking Progress​

Regular measurement keeps you motivated and helps optimize your training:

Field Tests: The Cooper 12-Minute Run Test is a practical option—simply run as far as possible in 12 minutes and use a formula to estimate your VO₂ max.

Wearable Tech: Modern fitness watches provide ongoing VO₂ max estimates based on heart rate and pace data. While not laboratory-precise, they track trends effectively.

Performance Metrics: Track how your times improve for standard distances or how your heart rate decreases at given paces—both indirect indicators of improving VO₂ max.

Avoiding Missteps: Common Myths and Surprising Insights​

While structured training can radically enhance your VO₂ max, not all popular fitness practices deliver meaningful aerobic improvements. Let's separate fact from fiction and highlight some unexpected discoveries.

1. Fitness Trends That Don't Move the Needle

• Yoga and Pilates: While invaluable for flexibility, core strength, and mental wellness, these practices rarely stimulate the intense cardiovascular demands needed to significantly raise VO₂ max.
• Light Walking: Casual walking offers numerous health benefits but falls short of creating the cardiovascular intensity required to trigger substantial aerobic adaptations. Unless briskly paced or uphill, walking alone won't notably boost your VO₂ max.

2. Common Training Mistakes

• Overemphasis on Steady-State Cardio: Continuously doing long, slow-distance runs without incorporating intervals quickly hits a plateau. VO₂ max thrives on intensity variation—intermittent, high-intensity bursts followed by recovery.
• Skipping Rest Days: Pushing relentlessly without proper recovery ironically stalls aerobic improvements. Your cardiovascular system adapts during rest; neglecting recovery impedes progress.
• Ignoring Strength Training: Pure cardio without strength training leads to weaker muscle support and less efficient oxygen utilization, limiting your overall aerobic potential.

The Progressive Timeline​

What might this journey look like? Here's a realistic timeline for someone starting from a sedentary baseline:

Weeks 1-4: Focus on consistency. Aim for 3 cardio sessions weekly (walk-jog intervals or easy cycling) plus 1-2 basic strength workouts. Expect rapid neural improvements and increased comfort with exercise.

Weeks 5-8: Increase duration of one weekly session (your long run/ride). Introduce one weekly interval session (e.g., 8 × 1 minute hard with 2-minute recoveries). You might see a 5-10% VO₂ max improvement in this phase.

Weeks 9-16: Further extend your long session and make intervals progressively challenging (either longer intervals or shorter recoveries). Add a fourth weekly cardio session if possible. Your VO₂ max might improve another 5-15% during this period.

Months 4-12: Transition to more structured periodization—cycling between phases that emphasize volume, intensity, and recovery. With consistent training, many beginners can see a 20-30% total VO₂ max improvement within a year.

The Physiological Transformation​

As you progress through this journey, remarkable changes occur at the cellular and systemic levels:

1. Your heart literally grows larger and stronger, increasing stroke volume (blood pumped per beat)
2. Capillary networks expand throughout your muscles, delivering more oxygen
3. Mitochondrial density increases by 20-30%, enhancing oxygen utilization
4. Blood volume expands, improving oxygen transport
5. Muscles become more efficient at extracting oxygen from blood

These adaptations combine to create an entirely new cardiovascular system—one that can deliver and process significantly more oxygen during exercise and daily life.

Beyond Performance: The Longevity Factor​

The benefits extend far beyond athletic achievement. Higher VO₂ max correlates strongly with reduced all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease risk. Regular interval training has been shown to reverse some aspects of heart aging. In essence, you're not just building fitness—you're buying time.

The Takeaway​

Your body's ability to adapt is far greater than you might think. The science is clear: with structured progressive training, proper nutrition, adequate recovery, and consistent tracking, almost anyone can dramatically improve their VO₂ max—transforming from sedentary to remarkably fit.

The journey requires patience and discipline, but the physiological transformation is nothing short of remarkable. Your heart grows stronger, your muscles more efficient, and your entire body more resilient. And in the process, you may add years of quality life.

So whether you're looking to climb stairs without getting winded, compete in endurance sports, or simply invest in your long-term health, improving your VO₂ max represents one of the most valuable fitness goals you can pursue.

The oxygen-processing engine you build through this process will serve you for decades to come.

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What's your current fitness baseline? Have you measured your VO₂ max or experimented with interval training? Share your experiences in the comments below.

The fintech world loves a good rivalry, and few are as instructive as the battle between Brex and Ramp. Their competition for the corporate card and spend management market reveals deeper truths about product-market fit, strategic focus, and adapting to changing market conditions.

Brex launched in 2018, offering high-limit corporate cards for startups with no personal guarantee required. They achieved hypergrowth—reaching $100 million in ARR within just 18 months. Meanwhile, Ramp entered in 2020, positioning around cost savings and integrated expense management rather than flashy rewards. Despite Brex's head start, Ramp managed to overtake it in key metrics within a few years.

Three Key Turning Points That Reshaped the Rivalry​

1. The Fundamental Value Proposition: Flashy Rewards vs. Cost Efficiency​

Brex initially targeted venture-backed startups with high-limit corporate cards that didn't require personal guarantees. This solved a real problem: young companies flush with VC funding but limited credit history couldn't get the financial tools they needed. Brex monetized via interchange fees while offering rewards to drive adoption.

Ramp entered with a fundamentally different approach: instead of competing on rewards, it focused on helping companies save money. Its straightforward 1.5% cash back on all spending bundled with free expense management software appealed to finance teams looking to control costs and streamline processes.

"Ramp reframed the product-market fit for corporate cards. While Brex's model celebrated spending (and getting rewards), Ramp's model celebrated efficiency and financial discipline."

By integrating spend controls and real-time tracking from day one, Ramp created significant stickiness compared to Brex's initial rewards-driven model.

2. Brex's Pivotal 2022 Decision: Abandoning SMBs​

In mid-2022, Brex made a strategic decision that dramatically altered the competitive landscape: it stopped serving "traditional" small businesses to refocus on VC-backed startups and larger companies.

While Brex narrowed its funnel, Ramp deliberately widened theirs. Ramp aggressively courted the very SMBs that Brex abandoned, and within months, saw its revenue run-rate double by "going after businesses at all stages of maturity."

This strategic divergence gave Ramp a larger addressable market and a reputation as the more inclusive solution. It also endeared Ramp to many in the startup community who felt Brex had abandoned its roots.

3. Market Timing: When Macro Conditions Flipped the Script​

Brex thrived during the bull market of 2018-2021, when heavily-funded startups focused more on growth than cost control. But when the tide shifted in 2022—interest rates rose, venture funding slowed dramatically, and tech companies prioritized efficiency—Ramp's message of frugality suddenly resonated much more strongly.

"When the 'era of zero interest rates' ended, fintech narratives moved away from vanity metrics like total spend volume toward net revenue and sustainable economics. Ramp was already positioned for this new reality."

Critical Product Strategies That Made the Difference​

Fundamentally Different Business Models​

Brex expanded to become an all-in-one financial platform, launching Brex Cash (a business bank account) and Brex Empower (a spend management SaaS platform). By 2023, about one-third of Brex's revenue came from interest on customer deposits, only ~6% from SaaS subscriptions, with the rest from card interchange.

Ramp pursued a more focused, product-led growth strategy. From the beginning, Ramp used its free corporate card + software bundle as a wedge into organizations. Crucially, Ramp doesn't charge for baseline software tools, making spend management and bill pay free while monetizing primarily through interchange and premium SaaS packages for larger customers.

Ramp's Bill Pay Masterstroke​

Ramp's launch of Bill Pay in October 2021 proved especially prescient. By late 2023, Ramp had "flippened" Brex by hitting $30 billion in annualized TPV (total payments volume) across cards and bill pay, growing 209% year-over-year. This product execution—Ramp's rapid development cycle versus Brex's broader but slower build—significantly influenced their growth trajectories.

Operational Efficiency as Strategy​

Ramp maintained lean operations throughout its growth, emphasizing automation and efficiency over headcount. Brex, in contrast, aggressively scaled headcount during its hypergrowth era (2018-2021), and by 2023 admitted that growth had "masked areas needing improvement" operationally. In 2024, Brex announced a "Brex 3.0" internal overhaul—flattening management layers, cutting costs, and refocusing the team.

"While Brex was reorganizing in 2023-2024, Ramp was accelerating, having already instilled cost discipline."

The Results: A Dramatic Reversal in Momentum​

Metric	Brex	Ramp
Revenue Timeline	• 2019: ~$100M ARR (18 months post-launch) • 2021: ~$192M • 2022: ~$215M (+12%) • 2023: ~$319M (boosted by SVB deposits, +48%) • 2024: ~$370.2M • 2025 (target): ~$500M	• 2022: ~$100M ARR (within 2 years post-launch) • Aug 2023: ~$327M ARR • End of 2024: ~$648M ARR • Jan 2025: ~$700M ARR
Transaction Volume	• 2021: ~$12B annualized TPV • 2023: ~$20B TPV (surpassed by Ramp)	• Late 2023: ~$30B annualized TPV (209% YoY growth) • Early 2025: ~$55B annualized payments
Customer Base	• Over 20,000 at peak (2020–2022) • Focus shifted to larger, fewer enterprise clients (est. ~10,000–15,000 in 2025)	• Over 30,000 customers (early 2025), from startups to mid-market firms
Funding & Valuation	• Total raised: ~$1.5B • Peak (Jan 2022): $12.3B valuation • Secondary market valuation (2024): ~$5-6B (estimated)	• Total raised: ~$1.1B • Peak (Jan 2025): ~$13B valuation (secondary share sale) • Previous down-round (Aug 2023): $5.8B
Headcount	• ~1,500 (late 2023), then layoffs (~20%) • ~1,100 (early 2024), stabilized afterward	• ~1,100 employees (end 2024) • Doubled headcount in 2024 (from ~500 to 1,100)

Lessons for Founders and Operators​

The Brex-Ramp rivalry offers several valuable lessons:

1. Market timing is critical. Ramp's value proposition of efficiency perfectly matched the post-2022 focus on profitability. Companies must be attentive to market trends and adjust strategy accordingly.

2. Product-led growth can outpace sales-led growth. Ramp's free software that delivered immediate value created a viral adoption pattern that efficiently scaled customer acquisition.

3. Strategic consistency may outperform dramatic pivots. Brex's abrupt decision to cut off a segment of its customer base created disruption, while Ramp maintained a consistent approach of serving businesses of all sizes while focusing on its core value proposition of cost savings.

4. Operational efficiency is a competitive advantage. Ramp's lean operation and emphasis on automation allowed it to invest more in product development when competitors were cutting back.

5. Market narrative shapes competitive dynamics. Ramp positioned itself as the champion of financial discipline exactly when the market shifted to value that trait, while Brex had to work against its established image.

The Battle Continues​

Despite Ramp's recent advantages, this story is still unfolding. Brex remains a formidable player with a larger enterprise client base and a more diversified revenue mix. Its "Brex 3.0" initiative aims to streamline operations and focus on high-value customers and software products.

Ramp, meanwhile, is pushing further into enterprise software and experimenting with AI to maintain its innovative edge. External factors—economic cycles, interest rates, and competitive moves by others—will continue to influence this rivalry.

What's clear is that Ramp's ability to execute a clear, cost-focused vision with product-led growth allowed it to gain ground on, and eventually surpass, Brex in growth trajectory. Their different journeys offer a case study in how focus, agility, and alignment with customer needs can reshape competitive dynamics in a fast-moving market.

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This analysis is based on publicly available information from various sources including Tearsheet, Sacra Fintech Research, Fintech Futures, Banking Dive, Fintech Labs, and The Generalist.

This course lasts for 30 days, with about 10 minutes each day, aiming to help internet entrepreneurs integrate Buddhist wisdom into work decision-making, team management, innovation, and daily life. The course uses a modern interpretation method, combining Buddhist concepts with contemporary business and technology environments, practice-oriented, including daily short text explanations, case sharing, and exercise guidance.

Day 1: Buddhist Wisdom and Entrepreneurial Mindset​

Introduction: Introducing why Buddhism is beneficial for entrepreneurs. The wisdom of the Buddha can help cultivate a calm and focused mindset, improve decision quality, and enhance stress resistance. Studies have found that entrepreneurs who believe in Buddhism score higher in innovation tendencies and have an average stress resistance 4% higher than non-Buddhists. Many successful people in Silicon Valley are also keen on meditation to calm their minds, such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who are practitioners of meditation. This course will guide you to apply Buddhist concepts to your entrepreneurial journey, thereby enhancing inner cultivation and leadership.

Case Sharing: A startup CEO fell into anxiety during the company's rapid growth, and through daily meditation, regained inner peace and led the team through challenges with clearer thinking.

Practice Exercise: Starting today, give yourself 5 minutes to practice mindful breathing. Find a quiet place to sit, keep your back straight, gently close your eyes, and focus your attention on your breathing. Feel the breath in and out without deliberately controlling it. When your thoughts wander, gently bring your attention back to your breath. This exercise helps cultivate concentration and lays the foundation for subsequent courses.

Day 2: Impermanence—The Power of Embracing Change​

Key Concept: "All conditioned things are impermanent" is one of the Three Marks of Existence in Buddhism, meaning everything is constantly changing. Understanding impermanence allows entrepreneurs to respond more flexibly to market fluctuations and technological iterations, without being attached to temporary gains and losses. As researchers have pointed out, the Buddhist teaching on the impermanence of life can help entrepreneurs face the ever-changing market environment and encourage companies to actively explore new businesses and innovation trends.

Application in Entrepreneurship: In the entrepreneurial process, product iterations, user preferences, and competitive landscapes are all changing. Excellent entrepreneurs accept change and adjust strategies in time. For example, a company that once focused on hardware found changes in user demand and quickly transformed into software services, successfully turning the crisis into safety.

Exercise: Impermanence Observation—Pay attention to changes in life and work today. It could be observing the weather and emotional changes throughout the day or fluctuations in business indicators. Sit quietly for 5 minutes in the evening, reflect on the changes observed today, and ask yourself: "Did I accept these changes? What attachments made me feel stressed?" Practice facing change with an open mind and cultivate adaptability.

Day 3: Non-Self—Team Collaboration and Self-Transcendence​

Key Concept: "All phenomena are non-self" means that nothing in the world has an independent and unchanging self, and all individuals are interdependent. This reminds us to let go of excessive self-centeredness and recognize the importance of the team and others. For entrepreneurs, "non-self" does not deny self-worth but emphasizes letting go of narrow personal obsessions and viewing the career from a broader perspective.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship often requires teamwork and user support. Understanding non-self can make entrepreneurs more humble, willing to listen to team opinions, and acknowledge that personal success is inseparable from collective efforts. This interdependence awareness helps create an open team culture. For example, a product manager abandoned the idea of "I must lead everything" during decision-making and encouraged team brainstorming, resulting in more creative solutions.

Exercise: Empathy and Interdependence—Today, in team communication, deliberately practice letting go of the "self-centered" mindset. Listen to each colleague's opinion and try to think from their perspective. Write down one thing in your career that you rely on others to accomplish, feel the support given by others, and cultivate gratitude and humility.

Day 4: Facing Pain—The Joys and Sorrows on the Entrepreneurial Path​

Key Concept: The first of the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism is the "Truth of Suffering," pointing out that life inevitably involves suffering (dissatisfaction). The entrepreneurial journey is also full of ups and downs: there are exciting victories and the bitterness of setbacks and failures. Recognizing "suffering" is not negative but helps us face reality and cultivate psychological resilience. Accepting the existence of difficulties allows us to calmly find a way out.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Many entrepreneurs easily become frustrated or even give up when encountering failures, while Buddhism teaches us to view both favorable and unfavorable circumstances with equanimity. A serial entrepreneur reviewed his first three failures and found that it was those setbacks that made him more resilient and cautious, leading to success in his fourth venture. He regarded failure as a necessary training, thus no longer fearing it.

Exercise: Awareness of Suffering—List one major problem in your entrepreneurship or work that causes you anxiety. Calmly acknowledge: "Yes, this matter makes me feel pain and stress." Observe the physical and emotional reactions caused by this bitterness, such as chest tightness and low mood. Then take a few deep breaths, telling yourself this pain is also impermanent, and try to relax your body and mind through breathing. This exercise aims to practice acceptance and facing difficulties, laying a peaceful mindset for solving problems next.

Day 5: Exploring the Cause of Suffering—Letting Go of Attachment and Greed​

Key Concept: The second of the Four Noble Truths is the "Truth of the Cause of Suffering," revealing that the cause of suffering lies in greed and attachment. Our strong attachment to fame, success, and control often leads to tension and imbalance. Entrepreneurs' ambitions are not inherently wrong, but if they turn into obsessions (such as clinging to a particular idea or excessively pursuing short-term benefits), they may lead to decision-making mistakes and team conflicts.

Application in Entrepreneurship: A typical case is an entrepreneur who was overly attached to the original business model and insisted on going his own way despite market feedback, ultimately missing the opportunity to transform and leading to project failure. On the contrary, excellent entrepreneurs know how to identify their obsessions: when they find that persisting in a decision is driven by face or emotion rather than rational judgment, they dare to adjust the direction. This reflects the Buddhist wisdom of "letting go."

Exercise: Attachment Examination—Spend 10 minutes today reflecting on whether there are areas of excessive attachment in your work. For example, a preference for a particular product feature, an obsession with competitors, or unrealistic expectations for a success timeline. Write down one attachment and think about the worst consequences if you let it go. Try to imagine the sense of relief after letting go of the attachment. This exercise helps you practice letting go, creating space for more flexible decision-making.

Day 6: Cessation and Liberation—Experiencing the Possibility of Tranquility​

Key Concept: The third of the Four Noble Truths is the "Truth of Cessation," which is the possibility of eliminating suffering. Buddhism tells us that when we let go of attachment and cease greed, hatred, and delusion, the mind can reach a state of tranquility and freedom (nirvana). For entrepreneurs, although it is impossible to get rid of all troubles at once, we can find moments of inner peace in busy work to recharge the mind. This tranquil mindset helps respond to challenges more rationally and creatively.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Some well-known entrepreneurs meditate daily to regularly return to peace. For example, Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, regards meditation as the key to his success, believing that sitting quietly twice a day makes his mind clearer and decisions wiser. He even said that meditation is "one of the most important reasons for his success." This shows that even in the fiercely competitive business world, inner liberation and peace can be cultivated and will feed back into the career.

Exercise: Tranquil Meditation—Try a letting go exercise. Sit down and close your eyes for 3-5 minutes, imagining putting aside the pressure and attachments in your mind. During these few minutes, do not plan work tasks or dwell on problems, telling yourself: "At this moment, I allow myself to think of nothing, only focusing on the current breath." If thoughts arise, watch them pass without judgment, then return your attention to the breath and the present moment. At the end, feel the moment of inner tranquility. Record this experience to remind yourself that suffering is not insurmountable, and tranquility lies in the moment of letting go.

Day 7: The Right Path—Establishing a Framework for Cultivation​

Key Concept: The Fourth Noble Truth, the "Truth of the Path," points out the specific path to liberation from suffering, namely the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path includes right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration, covering wisdom, morality, and meditation. For entrepreneurs, this provides a comprehensive framework for self-improvement: having the right concepts and values (wisdom), adhering to moral principles (ethics), and cultivating concentration and mental strength (meditation).

Application in Entrepreneurship: Imagine the Eightfold Path as a nine-square guide for entrepreneurs (understanding "livelihood" as right livelihood, choosing a righteous career). Successful entrepreneurship relies not only on business skills but also on the character and mindset cultivation of the entrepreneur. For example, some startup company cultures emphasize values and mission (equivalent to right view and right intention) while requiring employees to communicate honestly and do no evil (right speech, right action) and encourage healthy lifestyles and continuous learning (right livelihood, right effort). These align with the thoughts of the Eightfold Path.

Exercise: Self-Check List—Briefly evaluate your performance on each item of the Eightfold Path. For example: right view (do I have a long-term correct view or am I often swayed by short-term temptations?), right speech (do I communicate honestly?), etc. Identify the one that needs the most improvement and write down how you plan to make a positive change tomorrow. This list will serve as a guide for future practice, gradually perfecting your "entrepreneurial mindset."

Day 8: Right View—Insight into Reality and Long-Termism​

Key Concept: Right view is the first item of the Eightfold Path, referring to correctly understanding the world and life, including recognizing the Four Noble Truths and the law of cause and effect. For entrepreneurs, right view means looking at problems objectively and long-term, rather than being confused by appearances and short-term interests. Acknowledge impermanence and causality, understanding that today's cause breeds tomorrow's effect. Having right view can help entrepreneurs see the big picture in decision-making, not being disturbed by momentary market noise. Studies show that entrepreneurs with a Buddhist perspective often have a broader opportunity vision and insight. Through mindful awareness, they can see trends and connections that others cannot, making wiser decisions.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Long-termism is the embodiment of right view in business. For example, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos always emphasizes a long-term perspective, not changing strategy due to short-term stock price fluctuations. This persistence stems from a deep understanding of causality: today's efforts to improve customer experience will eventually bring future loyalty and revenue. Conversely, if only pursuing immediate interests and ignoring long-term value, it often results in losing more than gaining. Right view reminds us to continuously focus on the essence of things and long-term impact.

Exercise: Causal Thinking—Select a decision point in your current work and analyze it using the law of cause and effect: list the potential long-term consequences of each of the two options ("cause" and "effect"). For example, should you cut product quality to save costs? Consider the short-term benefits and the potential long-term adverse effects (such as a decline in user trust). By writing down the analysis, train yourself to develop a habit of causal association thinking. Also practice causal observation in daily small matters, such as treating the team well (cause) will lead to increased team cohesion (effect), to strengthen right view.

Day 9: Right Intention—Guiding Entrepreneurial Mission with Good Thoughts​

Key Concept: Right intention, also translated as right resolve or right thought, refers to cultivating correct motives and thoughts, including thoughts of renunciation, non-ill will, and harmlessness. For entrepreneurs, right intention means being driven by positive, altruistic intentions in business, rather than by greed or malicious competition. A pure heart leads to pure thoughts, and the entrepreneurial path can be long and steady.

Application in Entrepreneurship: A company with a sense of mission is often shaped by the founder's original intention. For example, a social entrepreneur founded a company to solve employment problems in impoverished communities, and this altruistic motivation allowed the company to still receive support from employees and society when facing difficulties. Conversely, if the starting point of entrepreneurship is just to make a profit, it is likely to go astray when faced with temptation or difficulty, making decisions that harm long-term interests. Right intention encourages entrepreneurs to always have good thoughts: not only thinking "how can I win," but also "how can I create value for users and society."

Exercise: Writing the Original Intention—Take out a notebook and write down the core motivation for your entrepreneurship (or work). Ask yourself: "What is the original intention of my career? Besides profit, what improvement do I hope to bring to the world?" If the answer leans towards personal fame and fortune, try to think if there is a greater meaning that can be integrated. Refine this statement into a paragraph, post it in front of your desk, or read it aloud every morning to remind yourself to guide daily decisions with the original intention of right intention.

Day 10: Right Speech—Sincerity and Kindness in Communication​

Key Concept: Right speech emphasizes maintaining truthfulness, kindness, and constructiveness in language, avoiding false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle chatter (deception, slander, harsh words, and useless talk). For leaders, language has great power, and the goodness or evil of speech directly affects team morale and company culture. Practicing right speech can build trust and reduce internal friction.

Application in Entrepreneurship: In the fast-paced internet industry, communication is often straightforward. But even under high pressure, excellent managers still pay attention to the positive and sincere wording. For example, a technical team leader avoids using aggressive language to criticize mistakes during code reviews and instead honestly points out problems and gives constructive suggestions, making the team more willing to accept opinions and improve work. Conversely, if a founder often speaks carelessly and does not keep promises, they will quickly lose the trust of employees and partners. Right speech requires us to speak truthfully (communicate the truth honestly), keep promises (fulfill commitments), and treat others with kindness (communicate with respect and empathy).

Exercise: Language Awareness—Pay special attention to every word you say today. Before sending important emails or speaking in public, silently check: Is this statement truthful? Necessary? Kind? If not, adjust the wording before expressing it. Practice "thinking four times before speaking," and review the day's communication at night, noting a time when you corrected your impulsive words and the positive effect it brought. Long-term persistence will help you develop good communication habits.

Day 11: Right Action—Integrity and Good Conduct as the Foundation​

Key Concept: Right action requires our behavior to conform to moral standards, not doing things that harm others and society. Buddhist precepts emphasize not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, etc., corresponding to business behavior, which means not engaging in fraud, infringing on others' rights, or violating conscience. Entrepreneurs should adhere to the bottom line in pursuit of growth, taking integrity and good conduct as the foundation of their careers.

Application in Entrepreneurship: If a company takes risks for short-term benefits, such as selling products known to be defective or abusing user data, it may profit temporarily but sow bad consequences, leading to reputational damage or even legal consequences in the future (this is the law of cause and effect in business). On the contrary, far-sighted entrepreneurs would rather give up unethical profit opportunities to maintain long-term reputation. For example, an e-commerce platform discovered that merchants were selling inferior products, and although taking them down temporarily would lose commission income, the founder insisted on cleaning up the platform, maintaining its integrity image, and in the long run, won more user trust. Buddhism teaches "cause and effect never fail," and good deeds will eventually bring blessings, while "crooked paths" of success are difficult to last.

Exercise: Behavioral Reflection—Review recent business decisions and behaviors, are there any that make you uneasy (such as exaggerated advertising, delayed payments, harshness to subordinates, etc.)? Choose one small thing that can be corrected immediately and take action to correct it (for example, apologize to someone you offended with your words or actions, or pay the overdue amount). Feel the inner peace that comes from doing so. In the future, conduct a behavioral reflection once a week to gradually eliminate improper behavioral deviations.

Day 12: Right Livelihood—Choosing a Meaningful Career​

Key Concept: Right livelihood refers to engaging in morally upright and non-harmful professions and industries. In the Buddha's time, typical improper professions included selling weapons, poisons, etc. In modern society, right livelihood means choosing a career that benefits or at least does not harm society, not making a living by harming others. For entrepreneurs, the intention and business model of the entrepreneurial project should also withstand moral scrutiny.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Many entrepreneurs reflect on their original intentions after achieving success, considering: "Is the product/service I created benefiting people or causing addiction and harm?" For example, some game developers realized their products were causing addiction among teenagers and eventually left the industry to work in educational technology. This is the pursuit of right livelihood. Ideally, entrepreneurship should start with a meaningful and valuable direction, such as improving the environment, enhancing education, or facilitating life. Even if it is not possible to change the industry's nature immediately, positive values can be injected into the company's mission to minimize negative impacts.

Exercise: Mission Focus—Consider your entrepreneurship or the company you are in: what social problem does it solve, or what need does it fill? List the three main impacts of the business on users and society, and whether there are any negative side effects. If there are, consider whether there is a way to mitigate these negative impacts. Write down a summary of the positive value of your career as your professional motto. Spend a little time each day gazing at this sentence to strengthen your belief in engaging in a righteous career and contributing to society.

Day 13: Right Effort—Perseverance and Moderate Effort​

Key Concept: Right effort refers to diligently striving in the right direction, neither too lax nor too tense, continuously cultivating good qualities and eliminating unwholesome qualities. Entrepreneurs usually do not lack enthusiasm for hard work, but they must ensure that efforts are directed towards the right things and know how to maintain the pace, avoiding blind busyness or over-exhausting themselves. Right effort emphasizes effective and balanced effort.

Application in Entrepreneurship: In the early stages of entrepreneurship, working overtime seems to become the norm. However, long-term overwork can lead to decision-making mistakes and health problems, outweighing the benefits. Right effort encourages entrepreneurs to work hard while maintaining awareness: distinguishing between high-priority work (wholesome qualities to be strengthened) and low-value internal friction (unwholesome qualities to be reduced). For example, a founder spends a lot of time on social media following competitors, leading to compressed time for actual product development. This is a manifestation of unwholesome effort. After adjustment, the main energy is focused on product refinement and user feedback, and performance gradually improves. Focusing on core goals and persevering is the embodiment of right effort in entrepreneurship.

Exercise: Effort Journal—Create a task list for today, marking the two most important tasks. Promise yourself to prioritize completing these two things, avoiding unrelated distractions during this time (such as turning off chat notifications for a period). Also, reasonably arrange rest time, not forcing yourself to work continuously beyond physical and mental limits. Record the completion status at night, reflecting on which time period was the most efficient and which time was spent in inefficient busyness. Through this journal, cultivate a rhythmic and efficient work habit, using energy where it matters most.

Day 14: Right Mindfulness—The Power of Present Focus​

Key Concept: Right mindfulness is maintaining awareness at any moment, focusing on the present body, mind, and environment without distraction or loss. For modern entrepreneurs, mindfulness is especially valuable—it can prevent us from being pulled by information overload and multitasking, enhancing focus and clarity. Mindfulness practice originates from Buddhist meditation and is now widely applied in workplaces and medical fields, regarded as an effective method for stress reduction and efficiency improvement. A small amount of mindfulness practice each day can help you regain your center amidst a busy schedule.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Companies like Google even offer mindfulness courses for employees. "Search Inside Yourself" is a popular mindfulness course at Google, often requiring a six-month wait for a spot. Participants report that mindfulness practice changed their way of dealing with stress, making them more able to remain calm in chaos and more empathetic to colleagues. This proves that in a high-pressure entrepreneurial environment, taking time to cultivate mindfulness is not a waste but can improve work quality and team collaboration.

Exercise: Three Daily Pauses—Schedule three 1-minute "pauses" in today's agenda. You can set reminders on your phone, for example, once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Whenever the reminder rings, immediately pause your current work, sit up straight, close your eyes or softly gaze ahead, and take 10 deep, slow breaths. Think of nothing, just feel the breath and body relax. This short minute allows the brain to rest from high-intensity operation, restoring focus. When you return to work, notice if your attention feels more concentrated.

Day 15: Right Concentration—Deep Focus and Flow​

Key Concept: Right concentration refers to cultivating deep focus through meditation, concentrating on a single object with a calm mind, and entering a state of high clarity and stability known as flow. This ability is crucial in entrepreneurship—writing code, designing products, analyzing data, etc., all require long periods of intense focus. Modern people are generally troubled by distractions, and meditation training can reshape brain focus. Apple founder Steve Jobs once stated that his meditation practice enhanced his focus and believed that employees could also benefit from meditation.

Application in Entrepreneurship: When you enter a "flow" state, efficiency is often high and creativity is abundant. Meditation training helps you enter the flow more quickly. Many top programmers and designers have fixed "deep work" periods, rejecting all distractions and fully concentrating on projects, a habit that aligns with the idea of right concentration. Through regular focus training, entrepreneurs can handle key tasks with a calm mind even in noisy environments.

Exercise: Focus Meditation—Conduct a 5-minute focus meditation training today. Choose an object, it can be your breath or the flame of a lit candle in front of you. Focus all your attention on the chosen object. For example, if using breath as the object, concentrate on feeling the subtle sensation of air entering and exiting the nostrils; if using the candle flame, gaze at the shape and changes of the flame. If thoughts wander during the process, gently and firmly bring your attention back. At the end of 5 minutes, record how many times you got distracted. Do not be discouraged; this is the process of training focus muscles. By persisting in this practice daily, you will find that your concentration time in work gradually extends.

Day 16: Zen Wisdom—Focusing on the Present, Beginner's Mind​

Introduction to Buddhist Schools: Zen is an important school of Buddhism, emphasizing direct insight through meditation (zazen) and intuitive realization. Zen thought pursues simplicity, the present, and intuition, known as "a special transmission outside the scriptures, not relying on words," focusing on personal experience. Modern discussions on mindfulness and multitasking management largely trace their origins to Zen.

Integration with Entrepreneurship: Zen advocates the "beginner's mind," an open, curious, and non-judgmental attitude towards everything. This is very beneficial for entrepreneurial innovation—maintaining humility and a willingness to learn, not limited by preconceived notions, allows for the discovery of new opportunities. Additionally, Zen's present moment concept (living in each present moment) can alleviate entrepreneurs' anxiety about future outcomes, allowing full engagement in current tasks. Apple's minimalist product design and aesthetic taste are said to be deeply influenced by Jobs' Zen practice, leading him to often use "focus" and "simplicity" as core product concepts.

Practice: Everyday Zen—Try treating an ordinary task today as a Zen practice. For example, choose a routine task: making tea/coffee, having lunch, or tidying your desk. While doing this task, focus entirely on the process itself. Take making tea as an example: feel every detail of pouring water and the aroma of tea, without rushing or thinking about the upcoming meeting or last night's email. Simply savor the moment purely. Afterward, reflect on how an originally mundane task can contain a power that brings peace to the mind. This is the beginning of integrating Zen's focus on the present into life.

Day 17: Pure Land School Concept—The Power of Vision and Faith​

Introduction to Buddhist Schools: The Pure Land School has a profound influence in East Asian Buddhism, with core teachings of reciting the Buddha's name (repeatedly chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha) and practicing good deeds to aspire for rebirth in the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. The Pure Land School emphasizes the three resources of faith, vow, and practice: faith in the Pure Land, the aspiration for rebirth, and actual practice such as reciting the Buddha's name. Simply put, it involves steadfastly holding onto a beautiful vision in the heart and aligning with it through repeated thoughts and actions.

Integration with Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurs also need a firm belief in their vision. The Pure Land School's inspiration lies in: when we have a clear and positive vision in our hearts and continuously reinforce it through thoughts in daily life, this vision guides our behavior. For example, an educational technology entrepreneur set the vision of "allowing every child to have equal access to quality education." He reiterated this mission every morning meeting, leading the team to recite the company's mission statement. This repetition, similar to "reciting the Buddha's name," deeply ingrains the vision in people's hearts, keeping the team motivated even in difficult times. Additionally, the Pure Land method emphasizes other-power (relying on Amitabha Buddha's vow power), which in entrepreneurship is reflected in effectively utilizing external support and resources rather than fighting alone.

Practice: Vision Visualization—Sit quietly for 5 minutes, close your eyes, and visualize the blueprint of the career you hope to achieve. Try to "see" the scene of this vision coming true in your mind, such as the smiles of users benefiting from your product and the team celebrating a milestone victory. Then silently recite your vision statement (such as "making ___ better ___") in your mind, repeating it multiple times, feeling the inner determination and excitement. This practice is similar to the Pure Land School's visualization and recitation, enhancing your belief and enthusiasm for your goal.

Day 18: Vajrayana Techniques—Harnessing Inner Energy and Visualization​

Introduction to Buddhist Schools: Vajrayana (Tibetan Buddhism/Tantric Buddhism) is known for its unique practice methods, such as mantra recitation (chanting mantras), deity visualization, and mandala practice, emphasizing rapid transformation of the mind through "skillful means." Vajrayana thought believes that worldly desires and emotions are not entirely harmful, and if used and transformed skillfully, they can become a driving force for enlightenment. This idea of "using poison to attack poison" and "turning afflictions into enlightenment" is quite unique.

Integration with Entrepreneurship: On the entrepreneurial journey, various negative emotions and strong desires are encountered, such as the desire for success, jealousy of competitors, and fear of failure. Vajrayana inspires us not to simply suppress them but to transform and utilize them. For example, turning jealousy of competitors into motivation to learn from their strengths and spur self-improvement; elevating the desire for success into enthusiasm for the mission of the business. Vajrayana's visualization method is also helpful for entrepreneurs—using positive psychological suggestions and imagination to enhance confidence and creativity. Many athletes and entrepreneurs engage in positive visualization before major actions, which is a method of concentrating inner energy.

Practice: Mental Mantra—Design a positive phrase that suits your current needs as your "mental mantra." For example, if you are feeling low in morale, use the phrase "I have the strength and wisdom to overcome challenges." If feeling restless, use "calm and focused." Throughout the day, whenever you feel the corresponding negative emotion arising, repeatedly recite your mental mantra in your mind dozens of times, accompanied by deep breathing, visualizing yourself surrounded by positive energy. This is similar to Vajrayana mantra recitation, which can quickly transform emotions and enhance positive energy.

Day 19: The Middle Way—Balancing Work and Life​

Key Concept: The Middle Way is one of the core teachings imparted by the Buddha after enlightenment, advocating a balanced and moderate approach, avoiding extremes. In practice, the Buddha discovered that both asceticism and indulgence were undesirable extremes, necessitating a middle path. For entrepreneurs, the Middle Way means balancing work and life, ambition and health, ideals and reality, avoiding a state of imbalance.

Application in Entrepreneurship: In the early stages of entrepreneurship, two common misconceptions arise: one is excessive involvement, working overtime every day, leading to severe damage to health and family relationships; the other is a lack of discipline, losing momentum once passion fades. The Middle Way requires maintaining diligence while knowing how to rest appropriately. For example, the founder of Zappos, an online shoe retailer, experienced continuous all-night work during entrepreneurship, and after his health signaled a red light, he began to reflect and adjusted to a rhythm of combining work and rest, resulting in more energy and more stable decision-making. The principle of excess leads to deficiency is evident everywhere in entrepreneurship: making product features too numerous and complex results in poor user experience; excessive market investment leads to tight cash flow. Following the Middle Way concept allows us to constantly calibrate, avoiding straying too far from the direction.

Exercise: Balance Self-Check—Draw a simple "life-work balance wheel": list five dimensions of work, health, family, learning, and leisure, and draw five scales (0-10 points) on paper to indicate your satisfaction with the energy invested in each dimension (10 being very balanced and satisfactory, 0 being extremely neglected). Honestly score each dimension, then observe whether your "wheel" is complete. If a certain aspect is significantly low, think about how to make adjustments. For example, if the health score is low, plan regular exercise each week; if the family score is low, increase quality time spent with family. Try to implement one adjustment measure this week, moving towards a more balanced Middle Way state.

Day 20: Compassionate Leadership—Leading the Team with Altruism​

Key Concept: Compassion is a core spirit of Mahayana Buddhism, manifested in leadership as a management style rich in empathy and a desire to help others. Compassion is not weakness but a willingness to care for others' well-being and alleviate their suffering, putting it into action. Jeff Weiner, former CEO of LinkedIn, emphasized that "managing the team with compassion is not only a better way to build a team but also a better way to build a company." He defined empathy plus action as true compassion and strongly advocated it in company practice.

Application in Entrepreneurship: In the competitive business world, some may think compassionate leadership is unrealistic, but more and more examples prove that a compassionate corporate culture can lead to higher employee loyalty and cohesion, as well as long-term success. For example, the CEO of a startup insists on considering employees' personal difficulties in personnel decisions (such as flexible work arrangements to support employees with children), resulting in employees voluntarily working harder to repay the company, and the turnover rate is far below the industry average. Compassionate leadership does not mean turning a blind eye to mistakes but allowing the team to feel understood and respected beyond strict management. Such an atmosphere can inspire greater responsibility and creativity in everyone.

Exercise: Empathy Practice—Choose a team member, perhaps a colleague who has been in a poor state or underperforming recently. Spend 10 minutes communicating with them, but this time the focus is not on work tasks but on caring about their state, asking if there is anything they need help with. Practice listening with an "observer's perspective," fully concentrating while the other person speaks, not rushing to evaluate or give advice, just trying to understand their feelings. Afterward, reflect on your inner state: do you understand them better? Does this empathy also make you feel softer and more peaceful inside? In the future, take time each week to engage in such caring communication to cultivate compassionate leadership.

Day 21: Wise Choices—Emptiness Thinking and Decision-Making​

Key Concept: The "prajna wisdom" in Buddhism arises from insight into the true nature of all phenomena (especially dependent origination and emptiness), providing insight. Simply put, it means seeing the deep causal connections and essence of things, not being confused by appearances and fixed notions. This wisdom can help us break fixed thinking patterns and make clear decisions. For entrepreneurs, wise decision-making means both rational analysis and the ability to step outside the box, intuitively gaining insight, avoiding biases caused by emotions and obsessions.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Emptiness thinking can be applied to business decisions. Emptiness does not mean nothing exists but seeing things as conditionally co-arising and temporarily existing. For example, when facing a business crisis, a wise leader does not think, "This failure proves we are worthless" (a fixed view) but understands that failure results from a combination of factors and can be reversed by changing conditions. This understanding avoids extreme emotions like despair or arrogance, making decisions more objective and pragmatic. Additionally, wisdom is reflected in the ability to see the big picture from small signs—inferring trends from small indications, quickly grasping opportunities through intuition. Many excellent entrepreneurs combine data analysis and intuitive insight in major decisions, complementing each other.

Exercise: Decision Observation—Choose a current decision you are facing (ranging from expanding into a new market to deciding which plan to use for tomorrow's presentation). Use wise observation to handle it: first, list the elements and conditions visible in this decision (such as market data, team capabilities, resource status, etc.), calmly analyzing their causal relationships. Then sit quietly for 3 minutes, letting the mind empty, no longer dwelling on the details listed, observing if new ideas or intuitions arise. Finally, combine rational analysis and inner intuition to make a decision or write down your inclination. This process trains you to balance analysis and intuition, gradually cultivating a more comprehensive decision-making ability.

Day 22: Patience and Long-Termism—Cultivating Accumulation and Thin Release​

Key Concept: One of the Six Perfections (Paramitas) in Buddhism is patience (ksanti), which means endurance and tolerance. Cultivation requires long-term, unremitting effort, and entrepreneurship is no different. Patience is not passive waiting but calmly persisting in the right direction without haste or impatience. Buddhism's view of time is deep, speaking of cause and effect possibly spanning lifetimes, inspiring us to view success and failure with a long-term perspective.

Application in Entrepreneurship: Many successes in business history result from years of silent cultivation, not achieved overnight. For example, a startup company spent several years deeply cultivating a niche market, with flat revenue, but the founding team always believed the direction was correct, patiently refining the product, and finally, in the fifth year, experienced explosive growth, far ahead of competitors. This long-termism aligns with the Buddhist concept of "sowing such causes, reaping such effects": as long as the direction and method are correct, persisting in sowing good causes will eventually yield good results. Conversely, impatience and rashness often lead to haste making waste. Patience is also reflected in the ability to stabilize the situation when facing investor pressure or external doubts, not being swayed from the original intention.

Exercise: Future Vision Letter—Write a letter to your future self, imagining what you will be grateful for 5 years from now because of your current persistence. In the letter, write down a few goals you hope to achieve 5 years later and the actions you are willing to continue for those goals. Then solemnly keep this letter or set a reminder email to send it to yourself 5 years later. This ritualistic exercise can enhance your long-term commitment. In daily life, whenever encountering short-term setbacks, remind yourself of the existence of this letter, telling yourself: "The long view is needed, I am laying the foundation for future success."

Day 23: Coping with Success and Failure—Inner Equanimity​

Key Concept: Buddhist practice seeks equanimity and letting go, maintaining unshakable inner peace in both favorable and unfavorable circumstances. The ancients said, "Unperturbed by honor or disgrace, leisurely watching flowers bloom and fall before the courtyard," referring to this state. The entrepreneurial journey has both highs and lows, and cultivating equanimity (also known as equanimity or equanimity) allows you not to be arrogant in success or discouraged by failure.

Application in Entrepreneurship: There is a saying in Silicon Valley: "Treat success and failure the same"—view success and failure as similar experiences. Many serial entrepreneurs understand this, not relaxing or becoming arrogant due to a successful round of financing, nor viewing a failure as the end, but treating each success and failure as a lesson in the process. This mindset allows them to quickly rise from failure and rationally view success to continue moving forward. For example, after a product launch received rave reviews, a startup founder reminded the team not to be overwhelmed by praise and immediately began planning the next phase of improvement; when another product was poorly received, he calmly analyzed the reasons, adjusted the strategy, and made a comeback. Buddhism's "eight winds" (gain, loss, defamation, praise, praise, ridicule, suffering, joy) teach us: fame and setbacks are just scenery on the journey of life, not to be overly indulged or resisted.

Exercise: Wind Observation and Self-Reflection—Review the most memorable success and failure experiences of the past year. Write down the emotions and mindset changes these two events brought at the time. For example, was there complacency or neglect of others during success? Was there self-doubt or stagnation during failure? Then, try retelling these two events from an "observer's" perspective, as if they happened to someone else, and see if they still trigger strong emotional fluctuations. If they are not as strong, it indicates progress towards equanimity. Finally, silently recite a phrase: "Success and failure are impermanent experiences, I can only maintain my original intention and continue to improve." Use this phrase as a motto when facing ups and downs in the future.

Day 24: Mindfulness Stress Reduction—Settling the Mind and Body Amidst Busyness​

Key Concept: Entrepreneurship is highly stressful, but Buddhism offers many stress reduction methods, among which mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR, etc.) has been proven effective by Western medicine. Through mindfulness practice, we learn to respond to stressors with awareness rather than reflexively, handling affairs with a more composed mindset. A Google employee who attended a mindfulness course said, "I completely changed the way I handle stress. I think before reacting and am more able to empathize with others. I like this new self!" It is evident that mindfulness can make people more emotionally stable and respond more wisely.

Application in Entrepreneurship: When facing high-pressure situations such as investment negotiations, product emergencies, and user complaints, mindfulness can become your "psychological shock absorber." By using mindfulness techniques, you can catch a moment of pause before the brain is overwhelmed by emotions, allowing reason to regain control. For example, a customer service manager used to be infected by the emotions of angry customers and respond impatiently, but after practicing mindful breathing, he learned to take a few deep breaths, become aware of his anger, and then calmly respond to the customer, resulting in better communication and reduced personal stress.

Exercise: Breathing Space—This is a classic 3-minute mindfulness stress reduction exercise that can be used anytime. First minute: stop and notice your current physical and mental state, paying attention to any thoughts and emotions (good or bad, just be aware of them). Second minute: focus all your attention on your breath, feeling each inhalation and exhalation, allowing the breath to be natural and steady. Third minute: expand awareness from the breath to the whole body, relaxing tense areas, then open your eyes and continue with your current work. These 3 minutes are like opening a small space amidst busyness, allowing stress to be released. Try to practice several times today, especially when you feel stress rising, giving yourself this "breathing space" in time.

Day 25: Focus and Digital Life—Training to Avoid Distraction​

Key Concept: Internet entrepreneurs are often surrounded by various digital information: emails, messages, social media... These fragmented pieces of information constantly invade attention, severely affecting deep work ability. Buddhism speaks of abandoning attachment, which in a modern context can also be understood as moderate restraint of information and stimulation. To maintain focus, we need to wisely manage digital life, making tools work for us rather than being enslaved by them.

Application in Entrepreneurship: More and more creative workers are starting to practice "digital meditation"—for example, setting a few hours each day without looking at phones and turning off notifications, simulating a clean environment for meditation to focus on work. A startup company found that engineer performance declined, and analysis revealed frequent chat software notifications as the cause of interference. They then designated 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. as "quiet coding time," during which non-urgent messages were not sent, resulting in a 30% increase in code output. This proves that focus is a resource that can be protected. The Buddhist methods of calm and insight can also be borrowed: using "calm" (stopping distractions, creating more tranquility) and "insight" (observing distracting thoughts without being led away) to address information overload.

Exercise: Digital Precepts—Set a small digital life precept for yourself today. For example: "No checking work messages after 9 p.m. tonight," or "Phone on silent and in the drawer during focused work periods." During the day, you can also try the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focus + 5 minutes of rest), completely avoiding all unrelated information during the focus period. Observe your psychological reactions while executing the precept: do you feel anxious and want to check your phone? This observation itself is a form of mindfulness practice. Record your experience. If effective, consider maintaining this precept long-term to build a digital protective wall for your focus.

Day 26: Cultivating Creativity—Maintaining Curiosity and an Empty Cup Mindset​

Key Concept: Buddhism often speaks of the "empty cup mindset," meaning to keep one's mind like an empty cup to continuously accommodate new water. This aligns with the open thinking needed for innovation. When we do not cling to preconceived notions and are willing to acknowledge our ignorance, there is space for learning and creation. Zen's "beginner's mind" emphasizes seeing the world with fresh eyes, treating every moment as the first encounter. This mindset can greatly stimulate creativity because you are not constrained by the preconceived notion of "this is impossible" or "we've always done it this way."

Application in Entrepreneurship: Many historical technological and business breakthroughs often come from unconventional thinking. Cultivating this thinking requires deliberate practice to actively step out of the comfort zone. For example, Yahoo founder Jerry Yang diversified employee backgrounds in the early days of entrepreneurship to ensure different viewpoints within the team, avoiding thinking limitations, which is the practice of an empty cup mindset at the team level. Another example is Google's famous "20% time" policy, encouraging engineers to spend part of their time exploring new ideas outside of their main job. The success of this policy (producing innovative products like Gmail) also stems from giving people space to maintain a beginner's mind and curiosity.

Exercise: Brainstorming Zen—For a current problem facing the company, try an unconventional brainstorming session: write down as many bizarre and seemingly crazy solutions as possible in 5 minutes, regardless of how unrealistic they may seem. Then, change perspective and spend another 5 minutes thinking: "If I were a newcomer to the industry, how would I solve it?" Write down the answers. Finally, compare these non-traditional ideas with conventional solutions to see if any novel and feasible ideas are sparked. This exercise aims to break habitual thinking and welcome all possibilities with an empty cup mindset.

Day 27: Gratitude and Humility—Harvesting Positive Energy​

Key Concept: Buddhist practice often emphasizes a heart of gratitude and the virtue of humility. Gratitude can cultivate compassion and contentment, while humility keeps us clear-headed, not blinded by arrogance. For entrepreneurs, gratitude helps build a positive team culture and cooperative relationships; humility allows continuous learning and improvement. In the busy pursuit of goals, stopping to be grateful for those who have helped you and the resources you have can bring inner joy and peace.

Application in Entrepreneurship: An entrepreneurial CEO insists on writing gratitude notes to the team every week, thanking members for their hard work and customers for their feedback and suggestions. These sincere words greatly boost team morale and bring the company closer to its users. In terms of humility, after successfully raising funds, he proactively invited industry veterans to guide the team, acknowledging the need for continuous learning. This style earned more trust from investors and employees, who believed he would not become complacent due to temporary success. Gratitude allows you to discover the support and opportunities around you, while humility helps you avoid blind spots and cultivate good relationships. This positive energy will ultimately feed back into the business.

Exercise: Three Gratitudes a Day—Before going to bed today, write down three things you are grateful for in your diary, no matter how small (e.g., "Thankful for the technical partner who voluntarily worked overtime to fix a bug today," "Receiving a cup of coffee from a colleague in the afternoon lifted my spirits"). Feel the warmth each thing brings. Then, recall if there was a moment today when you felt proud or unwilling to listen to opinions, write down that moment, and think: "If I were more humble, what would be different?" Deliberately practice humility in similar situations tomorrow. Long-term adherence to gratitude journaling and humility reflection will lead to improvements in interpersonal relationships and mindset.

Day 28: Practical Case—Google's Mindfulness Course Inspiration​

Case Background: As a top global internet company, Google's internally incubated "Search Inside Yourself" mindfulness course has attracted widespread attention. Created by meditation practitioner Chade-Meng Tan, the course integrates meditation and emotional intelligence training. According to reports, tens of thousands of Google employees participate each year, and the company regards it as a core way to cultivate emotional intelligence and focus. Many participants report that the course significantly reduces stress and enhances empathy and focus. Google's practice proves that Buddhist wisdom (in the form of mindfulness) is not esoteric in high-tech enterprises but a practical tool for enhancing personal and team performance.

Case Analysis: Why did the mindfulness course succeed at Google? Firstly, it addresses modern workplace pain points: scattered attention and high stress. Through attention training, self-awareness, and nurturing goodwill in three stages, it helps employees train their minds in fast-paced work, making them more stable and efficient. Secondly, Google presents the essence of Buddhism in scientific language and secular ways, "not directly mentioning Buddhism, but the core concepts are all there." This inspires us that when promoting concepts like mindfulness in corporate culture, we can package them in language that employees easily accept. Finally, the support and example of Google's top management are crucial—many leaders practice meditation themselves, creating an atmosphere where the company supports employee self-improvement.

Takeaway for Entrepreneurs: Even if your team is small, you can refer to Google's experience and introduce some mindfulness practices as part of daily team activities. For example, a 1-minute collective silence before weekly meetings, or inviting professional mindfulness instructors to conduct a few workshops for the team. Practice shows that these investments can lead to more focused work states and healthier psychology for employees, thereby enhancing the combat effectiveness and creativity of the entrepreneurial team.

Exercise: Plan Design—Based on the characteristics of your team, design a "small mindfulness activity." It could be a daily morning 5-minute meditation check-in or a weekly Friday afternoon group mindfulness practice (such as doing a brief breathing exercise together or sharing gratitude stories from the week). Write down your plan and try to implement it to see how the team responds. Even if only two or three people participate at first, it doesn't matter; you will be setting an example by sowing the seeds of mindfulness in the team.

Day 29: Practical Case—The Management Approach of Buddhist Entrepreneurs​

Case Background: In the Asian business world, many well-known entrepreneurs are deeply influenced by Buddhism. Take Kazuo Inamori, one of Japan's "Four Saints of Management," as an example. The founder of Kyocera and KDDI integrated a strong Buddhist spirit into his management philosophy. He advocated the creed of "Reverence for Heaven and Love for People" (respecting the conscience of heaven and earth, caring for others), requiring employees to follow the principle of "what is right as a human being" to judge matters, which aligns with Buddhist precepts and compassion. According to colleagues, Kazuo Inamori would meditate quietly every morning, reflecting on whether his thoughts and actions were proper and praying for the progress of the company and employees together. This habit of reflection and prayer embodies Buddhist practice. He led Kyocera to adhere to altruism and integrity in business, earning global reputation amidst fierce competition.

Case Analysis: Kazuo Inamori's example shows the great power of Buddhist wisdom in business management:

• Altruism and Win-Win: He emphasized that business should consider others, placing employee happiness and customer satisfaction first, and profits would naturally follow (similar to the concept of cause and effect). Facts prove that Kyocera's employees are highly loyal, and customer relationships are solid, precisely due to the long-term benefits of this altruistic culture.
• Self-Discipline and Reflection: Daily meditation and reflection keep managers humble and cautious, not blinded by greed. During the economic bubble, he rejected many speculative expansion opportunities, maintaining the company's stability because meditation allowed him to see through momentary greed and choose rational restraint.
• Sense of Mission: Inamori was invited to save the bankrupt Japan Airlines (JAL) in his later years. He took on the responsibility with a bodhisattva-like vow, promoting the idea within the company that "providing safe flight services to the world is a noble mission," revitalizing employee morale and ultimately reviving JAL. This reflects treating business as a field for benefiting sentient beings and caring for employees and customers as sentient beings.

Takeaway for Entrepreneurs: Regardless of company size, entrepreneurs can learn from this: infuse altruism and integrity principles when formulating company values; cultivate the habit of self-reflection, frequently examining whether your motives and decisions deviate from the right path; when facing difficulties, motivate the team's morale and fighting spirit with a mindset of serving the public. The so-called "Buddhist entrepreneur" is not passive and withdrawn but has faith and determination, responding to all changes with equanimity. Such leaders are often more capable of maintaining direction in crises and not forgetting their original intention in favorable circumstances.

Exercise: Daily Reflection—Borrowing from Kazuo Inamori's method, start trying daily reflection today. Sit quietly for 5 minutes before bed, reviewing your words, actions, and decisions throughout the day: did you violate integrity or altruism? Did you harbor arrogance or greed? For identified issues, sincerely repent in your heart and vow to improve tomorrow. You can silently recite: "May I be wiser and more compassionate tomorrow, benefiting others." This reflection and prayer will help you continuously correct your course, maintaining the correct moral compass in the business sea.

Day 30: Review and Outlook—Continuing the Practice of Buddhist Wisdom​

Course Summary: After 30 days of learning and practice, you have initially integrated the core concepts of Buddhism into various aspects of entrepreneurial life. From cognitive aspects like impermanence, non-self, and the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, to the unique wisdom of different schools, and to practical management practices like mindfulness, compassion, and long-termism, you have crafted a set of inner skills for yourself. This set of mental methods will allow you to maintain a sense of calm and clarity when facing the ever-changing business world. Reviewing the subtle changes over the past month, you may have already experienced the subtle transformations that 10 minutes of daily practice have brought to your thinking and behavior—more focused, more peaceful, and more capable of thinking from a long-term perspective.

Future Planning: The practice of Buddhist wisdom is a lifelong subject, and these 30 days are just a starting point. Next, you can:

• Continue Daily Practice: Integrate certain practices that have been most helpful to you (such as morning meditation, diary reflection, gratitude recording, etc.) into your daily routine and persist long-term.
• Deepen Learning: Read some Buddhist books or modern spiritual growth books suitable for entrepreneurs, such as Master Hsing Yun's "The True Meaning of Buddhism" or business consultant-authored books on mindful leadership, to draw nourishment from them.
• Seek Community: Join mindfulness meditation, small Zen retreats, or Buddhist salons to meet like-minded fellow travelers and encourage each other. You can also regularly share insights in this area with team members and progress together.
• Wisdom Application: When facing major decisions or difficulties in the future, consider which wisdom learned in these 30 days can guide you. For example, when decision-making is confusing, recall right view and causality; when competition is fierce, remember compassion and integrity; when growth is stagnant, use the concept of impermanence to find opportunities. Apply Buddhist wisdom to business practice.

Graduation Exercise: Formulate a Personal Practice Plan—Spend some time writing a "Buddhist Wisdom Practice Plan" for yourself, listing plans for the next 1 month, 3 months, and 1 year. For example: meditate for 10 minutes daily; practice empathetic listening before conflicts; do a retreat once a quarter, etc. Post the plan in a prominent place and regularly check your execution. You can also revisit the content of this 30-day course periodically to review and compare your growth trajectory.

Finally, let us share a Buddhist verse with everyone: "Purify your mind, this is the teaching of all Buddhas." Entrepreneurship is like practice; only by continuously purifying your mind, enhancing wisdom and compassion, can you lead your career towards a virtuous cycle and a bright future, achieving stability and long-term success. May you, in your future entrepreneurial journey, be courageous and diligent, always holding wisdom and compassion, achieving your career while also gaining inner freedom and peace. 🙏

In the brutal battlefield of business competition, small startups face enormous challenges, especially when competing against resource-rich large companies. However, some historical conflicts, particularly cases where seemingly weaker forces confronted powerful opponents, provide us with valuable strategic insights. A typical example is China's resistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War, where tactics and strategies can be borrowed by modern startups.

Advantage? Disadvantage? A Story​

In 1941, Japan found itself in an unprecedented predicament, even more challenging than Chiang Kai-shek's retreat to Chongqing. Although Chiang Kai-shek suffered a series of major setbacks in 1937—North China fell, the Battle of Shanghai was lost, Nanjing fell, and a horrific massacre occurred—these blows indeed left him mentally devastated.

However, the Japanese army, as a modernized force, was severely constrained by logistical supplies. Before each large-scale battle, a long preparation period was required. Tens of thousands of tons of military supplies had to be transported from arsenals in Northeast China or Japan, moved by rail to the station closest to the battlefield, and then transferred to the front lines by pack animals.

The Japanese army was one of the least mechanized among the countries participating in World War II. Their mobility heavily relied on mules and horses, and even though they purchased some trucks from the United States, they quickly broke down on China's rugged roads. Historical photos show that, unlike the ubiquitous trucks in American and German military photos, Japanese photos mostly feature donkeys and mules. According to Japanese memoirs, the road conditions were so poor that the bumpiness could even shake off car lights.

These logistical constraints limited the Japanese army's operational range to areas within a three-day "mule journey" from the railway lines. Once beyond this range, supplies couldn't keep up, and the troops would be in extremely dangerous situations. This explains why all 22 major battles during the Sino-Japanese War occurred within 200 kilometers of China's railway lines. The Japanese occasionally ventured beyond this range but quickly retreated. Railways were like lifelines for the Japanese army, with the 200-kilometer surrounding area forming their "comfort zone" and actual control area.

By 1939, the war had reached a relatively stable three-way standoff, with each side waiting for a key turning point:

The Japanese controlled major cities and railway lines but were unable to expand inland due to logistical constraints; the Nationalist government forces were entrenched in towns, defending against the Japanese while also wary of Communist expansion; the Eighth Route Army engaged in guerrilla warfare in rural areas, using this period to accumulate strength and grow.

Particularly the Eighth Route Army, they identified the Japanese weakness of "being unable to fight far from the railway" and adopted a strategy of encircling cities from the countryside. By developing guerrilla warfare in the vast rural areas outside Japanese control, they gradually established their bases. Although poorly equipped at the time, this force continuously improved its combat capabilities through actual combat, laying the foundation for large-scale operations later.

The effectiveness of this strategy was later confirmed: by 1945, this guerrilla force had developed the combat capabilities of a modern army, and by 1948, it could conduct large-scale encirclement and annihilation battles. This combat capability was even demonstrated in the later Battle of Chosin Reservoir, where they nearly surrounded the U.S. 1st Cavalry Division. If not for a large airlift bridge built by the Japanese that allowed the U.S. forces to retreat, the outcome might have been very different.

Inspiration for Startups​

Leveraging Geography and Flexibility​

During the Sino-Japanese War, Chinese guerrillas used terrain and their flexibility to counter the Japanese army's scale and technological advantages. This tactic translates to business competition as startups needing to leverage their flexibility and ability to quickly adapt to changes. Compared to large enterprises, small companies can experiment and adjust strategies more quickly, which is crucial for survival in a competitive market.

Capturing and Holding Niche Markets​

Just as guerrillas gradually expanded their influence in towns, startups should focus on niche markets, establishing a strong market position by offering innovative and highly specialized products or services. Once they have a foothold in these niche markets, they can gradually expand into broader markets.

Long-term Endurance and Strategic Vision​

Yan'an's strategy was one of continuous infiltration and patient waiting until the situation became favorable. For startups, this means having visionary strategic planning and enduring patience to gradually build competitive advantages. Success is often not achieved overnight but requires time and sustained effort.

Utilizing Information Asymmetry​

Guerrillas used geographical and intelligence advantages to make it difficult for the technologically and numerically superior Japanese army to leverage its advantages. Startups can use their deep understanding of the market and quick response to consumer needs to develop truly innovative solutions, something large companies might struggle to do due to their size.

Continuous Building and Improvement​

The evolution from militia to modern army tactics reminds us that startups also need continuous technological innovation and business model optimization. From quickly capturing the market to building a mature business operation model, each stage requires continuous learning and adaptation.

Conclusion​

These historical lessons show that even with limited resources, through strategic planning and innovation, identifying and capturing advantageous markets, and continuously improving the company and products, startups can indeed find a place in competition with large companies. As history's wars have shown us, sometimes the small and agile can achieve victory in confrontation.

1. Do the Right Things, and Do Things Right​

Concept Meaning: Choose the Right Direction and Execute Effectively​

"Do the right things, and do things right" reflects the dialectical unity of strategic choice and execution efficiency. First, "do the right things" means identifying the correct direction and goals, choosing strategies that have long-term value, and avoiding actions known to be wrong or meaningless. As Duan Yongping emphasizes, if the direction is wrong, it should be corrected promptly, even at a cost, because the cost of correction is minimal at this point. Secondly, "do things right" means executing well once the right direction is determined. This includes focusing on product and service quality, optimizing operational details, and continuously correcting deviations to ensure things develop according to the expected goals. Duan Yongping mentions that many people know persistence is important, but more important is persisting in the right things; if the direction itself is wrong, no amount of persistence and effort will be fruitful. Therefore, this concept requires entrepreneurs to both find the right path and walk it steadily.

• Do the Right Things: Focus on strategic correctness. When choosing a business, prioritize long-term value and focus on what users truly need, rather than short-term gains. Duan Yongping's experience is to prioritize businesses that withstand the test of time, making decisions that remain correct five or ten years later. When something is judged as "wrong," avoid or stop it decisively, "don't do things you know are wrong." This ability to make choices ensures that the company does not waste resources on the wrong path.

• Do Things Right: Emphasize execution effectiveness. Once the correct direction is chosen, focus on doing the process and details well, including team execution, product quality, and user experience. Duan Yongping advises entrepreneurs to tolerate trial and error but not tolerate directional errors, correcting deviations in practice promptly. He believes that "doing the right things will save a lot of trouble"—with the right direction and meticulous execution, many problems will not arise.

Practical Cases: Application from BBK to OPPO and Vivo​

Duan Yongping has fully applied the concept of "do the right things, and do things right" in founding and investing in companies.

Strategic Opportunity: In the early stages of his career, Duan Yongping was adept at capturing the right opportunities. For example, when he took over the Japanese-Chinese Electronics Factory in the late 1980s, he keenly observed market demand: at the time, Nintendo's Famicom was popular but expensive. He judged that the public needed a high-quality and affordable game console, which was the "right thing," and led the team to develop the "Little Tyrant" game console, which matched Nintendo's performance but was cheaper. He then innovatively added a keyboard to the game console, turning it into a learning machine, and heavily invited Jackie Chan to endorse it. Once launched, the Little Tyrant learning machine became a nationwide hit, proving that he chose the right track and executed it well. This case demonstrates his accurate choice of the right thing (products that meet consumer educational and entertainment needs) in business decisions and successful execution through excellent product quality and marketing.

Timely Transformation: During BBK's development, Duan Yongping also demonstrated the ability to adjust strategies according to the situation. In the late 1990s, BBK ventured into the VCD business. In 1998, Duan Yongping realized that the VCD market was fiercely competitive and risky (such as the later DVD patent fee crisis), so he did not stubbornly hold on but supported the company in timely transitioning to new fields. Around 2002, the domestic DVD industry faced a patent fee impact, causing many brands to disappear instantly. At this time, former BBK executive Chen Mingyong seized the opportunity in mobile communications equipment and fully developed OPPO phones; Shen Wei also transitioned from BBK's existing cordless phone business to start developing mobile phones. This strategic shift exemplifies "doing the right things"—foreseeing the bleak prospects of the DVD business and decisively investing in the then-emerging mobile phone field. Facts have proven this decision to be very correct: OPPO and later Vivo quickly grew into leading domestic smartphone brands.

Meticulous Execution: After determining the direction, Duan Yongping and his team paid great attention to the quality of execution. For example, OPPO and Vivo's rise in the fiercely competitive mobile phone market largely relied on successful channel and marketing execution. Duan Yongping built one of the nation's strongest offline dealer networks early on, and the extensive dealer resources accumulated during the BBK era paved the way for OPPO and Vivo. These brands focused on third- and fourth-tier city markets, adopting down-to-earth marketing strategies (such as celebrity endorsements and music phone concepts) to effectively reach consumers and achieve product sales. This solid market and channel cultivation reflects the execution power of "doing things right," helping OPPO and Vivo quickly establish themselves during the transition from feature phones to smartphones.

Error Correction Culture: Duan Yongping also advocates a culture of admitting and correcting mistakes within the company. He believes that even if the initial judgment is wrong, as long as the direction is corrected in time, the loss is controllable. For example, at the product level, if a product is not recognized by the market, BBK companies will quickly stop losses and adjust strategies instead of insisting on unrealistic promotions. This pragmatic error-correction style avoids greater losses from wrong decisions, keeping the company on the right track.

Overall, Duan Yongping has practiced "do the right things, and do things right" by choosing the right strategic path (such as targeting industries like educational electronics, audio-visual playback, and mobile communications that align with trends) and executing to the extreme (such as product quality control, channel cultivation, and flexible error correction). This concept reminds entrepreneurs that success comes from both correct direction and execution—choosing the right track, identifying user pain points, and diligently delivering products and services.

2. No "Great" Ambition​

Focus on the Present: Why Advocate "Not Seeking Quick Success"​

"No great ambition" literally means having no grand aspirations. Duan Yongping advocates this view not as a lack of progress but as emphasizing pragmatic focus on current specific goals rather than aiming too high and trying to achieve everything at once. He admits that he has "no great ambition" since childhood and never thought of doing something earth-shattering. In his view, entrepreneurs should invest passion in doing well what is in front of them rather than imagining unattainable grand ideals: "You should do what you love step by step." This reflects a pragmatic and cautious attitude: focusing on achievable goals and accumulating success step by step rather than rushing for quick results.

Duan Yongping believes that excessive pursuit of "great goals" can easily lead to seeking quick success, adopting aggressive or even risky strategies to achieve grand visions, and possibly ignoring business rules and long-term stability. For example, some entrepreneurs, full of "great ambition," want to quickly build a business empire, focusing only on immediate benefits in every decision, resulting in decades of going in circles without long-term planning, no sense of right and wrong, only driven by interests. In contrast, "no great ambition" does not mean having no goals but not being confused by flashy visions, maintaining calm and rationality, and focusing on specific things that can be done well now. Duan Yongping advises young people to look further ahead, not always thinking about overnight success or achieving everything at once, but accumulating long-term competitiveness, "seeing further will definitely be different."

Additionally, "no great ambition" also implies not blindly expanding. Duan Yongping remained restrained when his career was going well, not being overwhelmed by victory to set bigger and further ambitious goals. For example, he once said he "did not want to make the company bigger or think about going public." For Duan Yongping, it is good enough for a company to reach a certain level; there is no need to scale for the sake of scale. He values the health and longevity of the company more than reaching the so-called peak in the short term. This mindset aligns with the philosophy of value investors like Buffett: great companies are often built through long-term accumulation and management, not by boasting. Duan Yongping sees stability as a virtue, believing that as long as the direction is right and the pace is steady, the company will naturally develop and grow.

Steady Growth: Cases of the Concept Supporting Enterprise Development​

The steady philosophy of "no great ambition" has been reflected multiple times in Duan Yongping's entrepreneurial journey, bringing healthy growth to the enterprise.

Avoid Aggressive Expansion, Steady Progress: In the mid-to-late 1990s in China's business world, many entrepreneurs created wealth myths with courage, but many also "watched him build high buildings, watched him collapse"—rising quickly and falling rapidly. Duan Yongping is a clear stream among them. In leading BBK's rise, he paid great attention to grasping the pace and controlling risks. For example, BBK lost twice in the 1996 and 1997 CCTV King of Ads bidding to competitor Aidu, which won the title by spending huge advertising fees aggressively. Aidu was famous for a while but soon fell due to a broken capital chain in less than two years. In contrast, Duan Yongping did not go all-in to follow the trend of burning money due to losing advertising opportunities but maintained steady operations. As a result, BBK accumulated in branding and won the CCTV King of Ads in 1999 and 2000, making "BBK" a household name with the theme song advertisement sung by Jet Li, entering a prosperous period. This stark contrast shows that "no great ambition" does not mean no pursuit but not rushing for a moment: Duan Yongping would rather miss one or two opportunities than ensure the company's financial stability and not take risks the company cannot bear. The steady strategy ultimately allowed BBK to laugh last and achieve more lasting success.

Appropriate Achievement and Retreat, Avoiding Greedy Advancement: Another famous move of Duan Yongping's "no great ambition" is choosing to retire at the peak of his career. Around 2001, BBK was thriving, and many expected him to continue leading the company to grow bigger or even go public. However, Duan Yongping began splitting BBK into three independent companies according to business segments as early as 1999, with each having its own leader. He only retained about 10% of the shares in each company and no longer managed each business in detail. This split was extremely rare at the time but reflected his "not seeking to control everything" mentality. By 2000, at the age of 39, Duan Yongping officially announced his retirement and moved to the United States. In outsiders' eyes, it was hard to understand why he did not pursue victory but retreated in a high tide; for Duan Yongping, this was a true reflection of "no great ambition, nothing to pursue." He kept his promise to his wife, retiring after pushing BBK to new heights, pursuing family life and personal interests instead of staying in the business world for more fame and fortune. This decision not only reflected his life values but also ensured the company's stability: he selected successors for the three major businesses and gave them equity incentives, keeping each part of the business vibrant after independent operations. This restrained exit avoided the risk of unlimited expansion by one person that could lead to management loss of control, allowing BBK companies to focus more on their respective fields. Later, OPPO and Vivo continued to grow under new leadership, proving Duan Yongping's choice was wise and farsighted.

Focus on Core Strengths, Reject Blind Diversification: No great ambition also means not being tempted by non-core "big opportunities" and focusing on one's strengths and passions. After BBK's success, Duan Yongping did not rashly enter unfamiliar industries or engage in excessive diversification attempts but focused his attention and investments on consumer electronics and the internet, where he had cognitive advantages. For example, his later investments in companies like NetEase were based on understanding and recognizing these industries, not because he had money to invest in hot but unfamiliar industries. This doing what one can strategic restraint prevented many potential failures due to spreading too thin, ensuring that assets and energy were used in the most confident areas. This focus on the present and acting within one's means is a valuable quality that many overly ambitious entrepreneurs lack.

In summary, "no great ambition" does not mean having no goals but a pragmatic and steady mindset. It helped Duan Yongping avoid risks due to excessive expansion or pursuing false fame, enabling the company to solidify its foundation and grow healthily step by step. For entrepreneurs and internet practitioners, the lesson of this concept is: do not be overwhelmed by distant exaggerated dreams, but focus on achievable goals and take each step steadily. As Duan Yongping said, not seeking quick success, doing what should be done now, can lead to greater achievements in the long run.

3. Be a Person of Integrity​

The Value of Integrity in Business Environment​

"Be a person of integrity" emphasizes upholding integrity and moral bottom lines in business activities. Duan Yongping regards integrity as one of the core competitive advantages of a company, pointing out that it is a common trait of all great companies and a missing element in troubled companies. In his view, integrity is an invisible force that can bring long-term trust capital: whether it is customers, employees, or partners, long-term cooperation is based on trust, and trust comes from the integrity of the company and its leaders.

Integrity in business first manifests as being responsible to consumers and trustworthy to partners. Duan Yongping emphasizes that companies cannot take "making money" as the sole purpose, let alone resort to unscrupulous means for profit. He says: "Cheating and deceiving are absolutely not to be done," and if a company has no sense of right and wrong and only focuses on immediate benefits to deceive customers or partners, it often ends up suffering the consequences, even collapsing without knowing why. On the contrary, a company operating with integrity may give up some unjust profits in the short term but gains reputation, which is the greatest intangible asset in the long run. Honest operations can bring consumer word-of-mouth, brand reputation, and trust from regulatory agencies and partners, all of which will eventually translate into tangible competitive advantages over time.

Duan Yongping also believes that integrity is a long-term wisdom. He often quotes Buffett's philosophy to illustrate the importance of integrity: reputation takes years to build but can be destroyed in an instant. Truly smart entrepreneurs do not use "small tricks" to gain short-term benefits because constant scheming leads to unease and is not worth it. On the contrary, maintaining integrity allows one to have a clear conscience, focusing on the business itself rather than guarding against internal and external suspicion. In a business team, the leader's integrity can also establish a "sense of right and wrong" in the corporate culture. When employees see that the company's decisions align with ethics and laws, they are more willing to commit loyally; when partners agree with the company's integrity principles, cooperative relationships become more stable. This trust network brought by integrity is not easily bought with money but can significantly reduce transaction costs and improve operational efficiency. It can be said that the reputation accumulated by integrity is like compound interest, growing continuously over time and becoming the foundation for the company's sustainable development.

Duan Yongping's Integrity Practice: Investment Philosophy and Business Decisions​

Duan Yongping leads by example in investment and business decisions, integrating integrity into his philosophy and actions:

• Adhere to Honest Investment, Choose Trustworthy Targets: As a renowned value investor in China, Duan Yongping tends to invest in companies with excellent business models and integrity cultures. He has explicitly stated that he mainly invests in Apple in the US stock market, holds Moutai in the A-share market, and prefers Tencent in the Hong Kong stock market. These companies are all leaders in their respective fields and have long practiced responsible principles for users and shareholders. Duan Yongping emphasizes that a company's corporate culture and business model are key to determining its investment value. Apple has won global user trust with its ultimate products and honest brand image; Tencent has always focused on product compliance and user experience, being relatively restrained in business; Moutai has established a century-old brand with quality and integrity. The commonality of these companies is as Duan Yongping summarizes: "Integrity and honesty—this is the commonality of all great companies and the biggest funnel for problematic companies." Duan Yongping's choice of them is, to some extent, a choice of honest operation and steady development companies. One of his investment tenets is "not doing business I don't understand, and not investing in unethical companies," and he will only hold long-term if he is convinced that the company's management is trustworthy.

• Long-term Cooperation and Trust Building: Duan Yongping's business network and investment cases also reflect the trust he has earned through integrity. Known as the "Chinese Buffett" in the industry, he has maintained a low profile for many years but has an excellent reputation, with many successful entrepreneurs later regarding him as a mentor. Behind this is Duan Yongping's consistent integrity. For example, his relationship with Pinduoduo founder Huang Zheng stems from integrity and appreciation. Early in Huang Zheng's entrepreneurship, Duan Yongping appreciated his character and ideas, and when Huang Zheng founded Pinduoduo, Duan Yongping readily agreed to invest. What is even more commendable is that when Pinduoduo's prospects were unclear, and Huang Zheng himself admitted, "I don't know if I can make money," only that user growth was fast and agricultural product circulation improved significantly, Duan Yongping said he was willing to treat this investment as a public good: "Growing so fast means I'm doing a good thing. If it makes money, I'll donate the profits as a public good." His investment in Pinduoduo was more out of trust in Huang Zheng's character and the significance of his career rather than a profit-driven behavior. This openness and goodwill eventually reaped huge rewards—Pinduoduo successfully went public later, and Duan Yongping also fulfilled his promise to donate part of the proceeds. This example reflects his extension of integrity to investment philosophy: putting aside the mindset of making quick money and first considering the essence and long-term value of things.

• Integrity in Dealing with People, Establishing a Win-win Culture: Within the company, Duan Yongping reflects integrity and fairness through institutional design. In the later stages of BBK's development, he did not monopolize the credit but allowed the company's core executives (such as Chen Mingyong, Shen Wei, etc.) to hold shares and independently develop businesses like OPPO and Vivo. This trust in partners and the benefit-sharing mechanism reflects his honest dealing with people and growing together philosophy. Because he gave subordinates full trust and benefit returns, these partners also operated the brand with maximum loyalty and effort, ultimately achieving mutual benefit—Duan Yongping himself also continued to benefit from holding shares. It can be said that he established a virtuous cooperation ecosystem with integrity: everyone believes Duan Yongping will not infringe on their interests, so they are willing to follow long-term; in turn, his delegation and trust stimulate the management team's enthusiasm. This integrity-based culture became an important reason for the success of each company after the BBK empire split.

• "Right Business, Right People": Duan Yongping's investment insights are often summarized as "finding the right business and following the right people." Here, "right people" refers to people of integrity. When choosing investment targets, he attaches great importance to the character and integrity of entrepreneurs. For example, he respects Apple's Steve Jobs and Tim Cook's team for insisting on user experience first, appreciates Tencent's Pony Ma for balancing products and social responsibility, and admires Buffett's decades-long honesty and trustworthiness to shareholders. Duan Yongping has mentioned in interviews many times that he does not participate in short-selling and other speculative behaviors because that is equivalent to betting on others' failures, which does not align with his values. He prefers to invest funds in companies he truly believes in and is willing to support long-term, growing together with them. This investment approach itself is also a manifestation of integrity: not making money against one's conscience, only earning money one believes in.

In summary, Duan Yongping regards "being a person of integrity" as the foundation of his career. He adheres to integrity in business decisions, believing that integrity is the most practical strategy: only with integrity as the guiding principle can a company navigate steadily in the long river. For entrepreneurs and internet practitioners, the lesson of this concept is profound: in the short term, not speaking of integrity may gain temporary benefits, but in the long run, the trust created by integrity will translate into immeasurable value, becoming part of the company's sustainable competitiveness. "Integrity" is not only a moral requirement but also a wise choice in the business world—it allows entrepreneurs to be worthy of their future and ultimately brings greater returns to the business.

Conclusion: Duan Yongping's three core concepts—"do the right things, and do things right," "no great ambition," and "be a person of integrity"—may seem simple, but they have been repeatedly tested in his entrepreneurial and investment career, providing guidance for the long-term success of enterprises. For entrepreneurs and internet practitioners, these concepts inspire us: direction determines success (find the right direction and stick to it), haste makes waste (focus without distractions and accumulate), integrity builds the foundation (win the world with integrity). As Duan Yongping himself said, these principles of following common sense and long-termism may not be novel, but they are often the key to going far and steady. By adhering to "right" things and "right" paths, one can remain invincible in the ever-changing business waves.

For Web3 project entrepreneurs, social media operations should aim for high returns on low investment (ROI), focusing on content quality and dissemination efficiency. Independent founders can leverage content strategy optimization, growth hacking techniques, algorithmic mechanics, community management, and risk mitigation across platforms such as Twitter, Xiaohongshu, TikTok, WeChat Moments, YouTube, Discord, and Telegram. This report provides an in-depth analysis of these approaches, along with specific case studies, data insights, and actionable recommendations.

1. Content Strategy​

1. Web3 Content Types:​

The Web3 sector has a certain technical threshold, with an audience ranging from industry investors to general users. Content should therefore be both educational and engaging. The following high-impact content types are effective:

• Educational Tutorials: Explain complex on-chain concepts or provide step-by-step guides to lower the learning curve for users. For example, short video tutorials like “Learn to Use a Crypto Wallet in 60 Seconds” are highly popular in crypto communities. Educational content can use infographics, long Twitter threads, and deep-dive explanations to enhance clarity.
• Industry News: Share real-time trends and project developments, such as market movements, regulatory updates, and new partnerships. Posting industry news helps establish a founder’s professional credibility and attracts investors who follow market dynamics. Instead of always creating original content, founders can retweet and comment on authoritative news, adding their insights to provide value.
• Entertaining Content: The Web3 community thrives on meme culture and humor. Posting memes and jokes can foster community engagement and relatability. For example, sharing market fluctuation memes, interactive polls, or fun quizzes can significantly boost engagement.
• Project Updates & Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Regularly updating users on development progress and milestones fosters transparency. Sharing startup insights and team stories in a lifestyle narrative style (especially on WeChat Moments or Xiaohongshu) increases authenticity and builds trust. Users enjoy seeing the human side of projects.

2. Platform-Specific Content Best Practices:​

Each social media platform has a distinct style and content format that requires tailored adjustments:

• Twitter (X): Primarily text-based, ideal for quick updates and discussion topics. Web3 founders frequently use Twitter threads to elaborate on ideas, as threads convey more information and tend to perform well in Twitter’s algorithm. For example, the NFT project Curious Addys’ team posted a thread explaining their smart contract refund mechanism, which received over 1,000 likes—far exceeding single-tweet responses. Twitter Spaces (audio live sessions) are also effective for real-time interactions with followers.
• Xiaohongshu: A platform based on image-text posts where users favor experience-sharing and practical guides. Web3 content here should be strategically packaged, emphasizing blockchain applications, NFT collectibles, and real-life experiences rather than direct promotions. Using high-quality original images or clear infographics increases click-through rates.
• TikTok (Douyin): A short-video platform best suited for entertaining yet educational content. The optimal format is 15-60 second videos that use simple language to explain Web3 concepts or showcase product highlights. The first 3 seconds should capture attention using suspense, twists, or trending music to prevent users from scrolling away. Scene-based short dramas or animated explainer videos help simplify complex concepts.
• WeChat Moments: A private domain mainly consisting of existing contacts and potential business connections. Founders should share project progress, industry perspectives, and personal insights in a way that reflects both professionalism and authenticity.
• YouTube: Best for long-form deep dives (e.g., project demonstrations, interviews, webinar recordings). YouTube users are willing to watch detailed analyses, making 5-10 minute videos ideal for discussing Web3 trends or product features. Thumbnails and titles should be optimized for clickability.
• Discord/Telegram: These platforms prioritize text-based real-time interactions and community engagement. They lack algorithmic recommendations, so founders should focus on timely information delivery and interaction facilitation (e.g., setting up announcement channels and using @everyone tags to highlight key updates).

3. Low-Cost High-Quality Content Creation Methods:​

Independent founders often have limited resources, requiring smart strategies to generate high-quality content efficiently:

• Content Repurposing: Convert a single content piece into multiple formats for different platforms. For instance, after hosting an AMA session, extract key points for a blog post, clip highlights into short videos, and create infographics for easy sharing.
• User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage community members to co-create content, reducing workload while increasing user engagement. For example, the Decentraland project launched the #BuildOnDecentraland campaign, inspiring users to showcase their creative work within the platform.
• Using Templates and Tools: Leverage free or affordable tools like Canva (infographics), OBS (video editing), and AI-assisted content refiners to enhance quality without high costs.
• Content Calendar Planning: Plan content themes in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. Align content with industry events, market trends, and audience interests.

2. Growth Hacking Strategies​

1. Cost-Effective Follower Growth Techniques:​

• Community Engagement: Instead of relying solely on posting, actively participate in industry discussions. Engaging in meaningful discussions under influencer tweets can drive exposure and attract profile visits.
• Giveaways & Contests: Hosting retweet giveaways (e.g., “Follow & retweet for a chance to win an NFT”) is an effective way to increase engagement.
• Trend-Jacking & Hashtags: Align content with trending topics (e.g., #Bitcoin, #NFT) to increase discoverability.
• Cross-Platform Traffic: Embed Twitter handles in Discord announcements, encourage Telegram users to follow YouTube, and drive WeChat traffic to newsletters.

2. Viral Growth Strategies:​

• Gamified Social Tasks: Platforms like Zealy (formerly Crew3) allow founders to set up daily engagement tasks (e.g., Twitter shares, Xiaohongshu posts) with reward systems.
• Community Partnerships: Collaborating with similar projects or KOLs for mutual promotions can expand reach cost-effectively.
• Influencer Marketing: Partnering with Web3 influencers for endorsements or reviews adds credibility and attracts relevant followers.
• FOMO-Driven Campaigns: Hosting time-sensitive campaigns (e.g., “Limited-time airdrop for the first 100 participants”) encourages urgency and organic sharing.

3. Platform Algorithm Optimization​

Key Factors Affecting Content Exposure:​

1. Engagement Rate: Likes, comments, shares, and saves directly influence content ranking.
2. Watch Time & Completion Rate: YouTube, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu prioritize content that retains viewers.
3. Posting Timing & Frequency: Understanding peak engagement times (e.g., Twitter performs best on weekdays at noon and evenings) maximizes reach.
4. Keyword & Interest Targeting: Proper use of hashtags and keywords improves discoverability.
5. Account Reputation: Consistent, high-quality content builds credibility, leading to better long-term visibility.

4. Community Management​

Discord/Telegram Activation Tactics:​

• Structured Community Setup: Organize channels for announcements, discussions, and support.
• Moderator Roles & Incentives: Assign moderators and offer rewards (NFTs, tokens) to maintain engagement.
• Event Scheduling: Weekly AMAs, contests, and discussion threads keep members engaged.
• Gamification & Rewards: Use leveling systems and bounty tasks to drive activity.

5. Compliance & Risk Avoidance​

• Avoid Financial Promises: Phrases like “guaranteed profit” are flagged on all platforms.
• Prevent Misleading Claims: Ensure content aligns with platform guidelines to prevent bans.
• Platform-Specific Compliance: Be aware of content moderation rules on Twitter, Xiaohongshu, TikTok, etc.
• Security Best Practices: Prevent scams by educating users and implementing security measures in community channels.

Conclusion​

Independent Web3 founders can achieve high-ROI social media success by leveraging strategic content creation, growth hacking, algorithm optimization, and community-driven engagement while maintaining compliance. With the right execution, small-scale projects can achieve global influence with minimal costs.