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When I think about great founders and entrepreneurs, they tend to be obsessed with a problem, not just a solution. Why? It’s simple: when you become a dressing solution, you eventually prefer incorrect things; But if you focus on the problem, you are constantly evaluating where you can have the biggest impact – both for your customers and your business. Great entrepreneurs are constantly asking, “They know what I know today, what is the most important problem to solve and how will I solve it?”
This was especially the rang in January, when Los Angeles, where my company, Realm, was devastated. Realm has always focused on the only goal for homeowners to walk through their biggest domestic decisions. Historically, this dealt with complex renovation and home buildings as the main reconstruction of the kitchen or adding add. However, when fires broke out, they destroyed the whole neighborhood, and home owners suddenly faced incredible challenges – and we had to act quickly to support their needs.
During the Covi-19 pandemic, we saw similar technology companies to the Shift Gears zoom when the world was looking for new ways-overnight and communicate with each other. The pandemic allowed people to see the approach in the new light: what was once just a tool for companies was in the homes of most people, on their phones and use for schools, which helped them stay in touch without requiring someone technical. This shift in the Zoom offers allowed him to be a solution in crisis and at the same time strengthened the brand’s visibility and long -term termination.
Like zoom, he adapted to the urgent need and at the same time to remain faithful to his main strengths, we had to evaluate how the empire could best support homeowners as a result of fires. Our experience has taught us valuable lessons to identify new customer needs, involve our team in the transition and quickly adapt and at the same time ensured long -term sustainability.
Regardless of the problem you are solving, the lessons below may perhaps help your business strategy in the next redirecting of your brand’s focus.
Related: Success is the biggest advantage of adaptable
Identification of emerging needs and matching with the main strengths of your brand
When the fires started in January 7, it forced me to bend to take a step back and ask three questions:
- What are uniquely good? This answer for us remained the same wand domestic soldiers passing through expensive, emotional and long -term domestic projects.
- Where does it do uniquely good? In addition to being our headquarters, Los Angeles has always been our big market.
- Who is unique in help? This is the answer that has changed overnight. The unsatisfactory need was from the owners of houses who had just lost their homes and had their whole life turn upside down.
In difficult times, it is essential to remain a problem – not a solution – focused. Returning to these key questions helps us stay on the right track, but it is also necessary to realize what you are not good. You know your restrictions will help you with Aveide Tooid with the challenges you don’t have to resolve.
We compared our strengths brand with urgent homeowner needs, such as navigation in the insurance process, understanding permission to rebuild and find proven suppliers when fraud can not control natural disasters. By shifting our priorities to support the impact of homeowners, we added not only the most urgent challenges, but also showed our ability to mobilize resources quickly and strengthened our community mission. Similarly, Airbnb also jumped into the event after the fires that displaced thousands of people, expand their Open Homes program to offer free temporary housing for evacuated fires and the first respondents.
How to hire your team and customers during the transition
As soon as we understood the needs of the shifting and our strengths, we had to ensure that our team and customers were aligned. With our team it required three key steps:
- Tone setting: Explain that action is required is not optional. Your team must understand that the company does not take into account something, but that it is happening, and you will find it together. Speed and dexterity are critical, so be in advance about the pace of changes required from all team members.
- Explanation why: Describe your specific reasons why and make sure they always focus on the impact of the customer and create business values in second place. These are often closely interconnected – helping customers a meaningful way usually leads to a value for business.
- It is clear what you don’t do: With an extreme example, such as fires, it was clear that our tactobus team could easily amaze. It was important to clarify what we do No Does. This might look like saying no what were once priorities and moving on what is right in front of you.
By delightful urgency with a clear justification, you support the team’s commitment and smooth design. Customers are equally essential. Customers must be sure that you are suitable for this new focus. Even if you have previously solved the exact challenge, you can emphasize the receiving knowledge and experience that makes your company ready to enter. For example, when I talked to homeowners with an impact on the impact, I stressed how our experience of leading thousands of house owners through other major domestic projects placed us well to help them rebuild their homes.
In the crisis there may be people who have an impact, skeptical and the word that they have used. Therefore, it is important to be transparent about your intentions. Open and honestly communicating about why you care and how success is, bound to theirs, will build confidence and strengthen your commitment.
Related: I live in California fires – here is how every business can prepare for a natural disaster
How to adapt quickly but to keep
Speed is necessary for navigation. One thing we often say in our society is that you have to think of changing and riding growth in days and hours, not weeks and months, so it’s important for your learning time boxing and results. Adaptation will require a crisis to take risks and experience in areas where you had previously had. If you do it without clear understanding what is success and how long it will take you to get there, you can end up with open initiatives that slow Everhy instead set clear time frames – how can you test the idea in 24 hours than two weeks? Accept that some accuracy will be sacrificed at speed.
When the changes are done quickly, it can cause confusion and chaos, so it is necessary to determine clear ownership. Make sure that team members know exactly what they are responsible for and that they feel seized to Overcoma obstacles.
Adaptability is not just about reaction to change – it is an active identification of the right problem to solve and gather around a clear, urgent and focused vision. By staying loyal to your company’s strengths, involve your team and customers with transparency and balance with sustainability, you can turn challenges on the occasion while maintaining your business durable and deeply connected with the ones you serve.
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