6 Business Authors Share Their #1 Tip

Insight on strategy, growth, customer engagement, CX and product management

I recently asked six business authors on Substack to share their number one tip within their own niche and field of expertise across Strategy, Growth, Customer Engagement, Customer Experience and Product Management.

Each of these individuals is someone whose writings I am familiar with and have been following for some time. I believe their insights will be complementary to my own subject-matter and will be interesting and value-adding for my subscribers.

In no particular order, I am publishing their answers below:

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Shift your focus to quality signals

“When you think about growth, you probably think about all the shiny analytics, KPIs, and endless metrics you have to track. It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, dashboards, and comparisons, but in doing so, we often miss the point.

This is especially true for startups launching something new. When you have zero historical data, no benchmarks, and nothing to compare against, obsessing over numbers too early can be misleading. Growth isn’t just about tracking metrics — it’s about understanding what actually moves the needle. Before trying to measure and quantify everything, shift your focus to quality signals. Are customers giving feedback? Are they responding positively, asking questions, or showing enthusiasm? Are they actually using your product, or just signing up and disappearing? These qualitative insights often tell you more than raw numbers ever could.

Data is important, but only when you understand the story behind it. Instead of drowning in analytics from day one, focus on what truly matters — understanding your users, refining your product, and making sure you’re building something people actually want. The right insights will lead to the right growth.

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Andreas Just

, Growth

Enterprises did not become successful by copying others

“A lot of times you will see people and companies employ strategy of copying the most successful enterprises in their market to chase growth, but here is the catch - these enterprises did not become successful by copying others. They chose a unique path which was full of risks and uncertainty, which defied the odds and challenged the status quo. If you want to be really successful, you have to be unique and you have to take risks. There is no other way!”

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Strategy Shots

Frictionless CX

“The dream? A customer journey that’s so smooth, it’s unforgettable.”

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Mark Levy

, Decoding Customer Experience

Communicating appreciation to customers

“When you engage with customers online, remember the two most important words you can say are 'Thank you'. Communicating appreciation to customers is one of the quickest ways to build a relationship and to create loyalty. This is especially important when a customer compliments your company, ALWAYS respond to this with 'Thank you'. Don't make the mistake of assuming that only complaints should be addressed. Never take praise from a customer for granted, always acknowledge and appreciate it.”

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Mack Collier

, Backstage Pass

Superpowers elevate product managers

“Product management is not only doing the mechanics of requirements, prioritization, and understanding customers. Product management is a thinking job. Superpowers of product managers is a way to think about being a better product manager:

Empathy - Serve the team ahead of your needs

Discernment - Make wise choices

Strong communication skills - Inspire teamwork on the product

Prioritize by value - Create business value in each decision

Resilience - Face adversity and bounce back

Patience - Manage the long term

Blending skills - Think outside the box

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Amy Mitchell

, Product Management IRL

Customer-centricity drives business outcomes

"The most successful CX leaders are savvy business thinkers with a clear understanding of how customer-centricity drives business outcomes. They think and operate with a general manager mindset. At the end of the day, the customer’s success and business success must be aligned."

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In Pursuit of the Customer

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Remember, together is stronger. Business is a team sport.

That’s all folks. Hope you enjoyed today’s newsletter!

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Jens

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