Pramod George

Check the previous post!

Hey what's going on everyone. Back on Facebook after a long Haitus. What's new here?

I built and launched 2 SaaS products in 2 months. (Evallo.app and Anntho.com)

- No product managers
- No program managers
- No UI designers
- No developers
- No VC funding
- No spending

You don't need half the people or half the skills you think you need.

Wake up, it's 2024!

Comment "How?" and I'll DM you the details. Must be following.

Here's when SaaS makes sense and doesn't make sense.

SaaS is not always the answer my friend.

Business Leaders, are you struggling to increase engagement in the workplace or with your customers? 👇🏼

Traditional methods of engagement and motivation just aren't cutting it anymore. Your employees and customers are craving something more interactive and dynamic.

Companies like Google Microsoft, Uber, Yahoo, Duolingo, Booking.com, Tesla, and many more have already leveraged The Octalysis Framework to create engaging gamified experiences for their customer and employees.

But what are those techniques?

Here are 20 gamification techniques that you can leverage to draw your users into your experience. This page sells for $199, but for a limited time - for 10 first-comers, I'm offering this document for FREE. All you have to do is, like this post and comment "Send".

I'll DM you a coupon code to download the document for free.

https://lnkd.in/gBQiD2aK, Don't forget - Who you work with is as important as what you work on. This is why I recommend that when choosing new opportunities - choose the people first, the projects second and the company third.
, You don't have to be a storyteller at work to communicate effectively.

You just need to be coherent.

- Explain the "Situation" (Context)
- Explain the "Task" or deliverables to be completed
- Explain the "Actions" that you took (Break down the task)
- Explain the "Results" that you enabled

This is called the S.T.A.R framework.

I use it in interviews, executive meetings, briefings, presentations, and so many more places, except in emails. For emails, I use another formula. (Follow me to learn about that)

Start by being coherent.

Storytelling will follow.

What's your best tip to communicate effectively at work?

Repost this so more people can communicate effectively at work!, Elon’s first tweet: What bosses say when they talk about giving employees more autonomy.

Elon’s second tweet: What they actually meant!

, This is 100kgs of iron. Its value is around ₹8000

If you decide to make horseshoes, it's value would increase to ₹20,000.

If, instead, you decided to make sewing needles, the value would increase to about ₹5.7 Lakhs.

If you decided to produce watch springs, the value would increase to about ₹5 Crores.

Your value is not just what you are made of, but in what ways you can make the best of who you are!

Credit: The Internet

, Here are 3 industry secrets that I've learned from developing software products and services over the last 10 years.

1. PRODUCT MANAGERS ARE BAD AT INNOVATION. 🤫

The real superstars are engineers 😎, who know the technology and solutioning. Viable innovation is possible only when PMs, Designers, and Engineers are empowered/ have skin in the game and work closely together.

2. PRODUCT IS ABOUT PEOPLE.💡

People build things for people, so if you don't understand how people work, you're going to have a difficult time creating products that create impact.

3. MOST COMPANIES AREN’T AGILE AND DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS 😅

Most companies are still working in a waterfall model of development and have no clue how to transform. How to know if you're still in a waterfall SDLC? Do you do all the design and planning upfront and create products for imaginary personas with whom you cannot validate frequent releases? If yes, you're not yet Agile!, People don't trust companies any more. People trust people.

If you still don't understand the power of a personal brand. Check out the follower counts on these Twitter pages! 👇🏼

Apple - 8.2M ↓
Tim Cook - 13.5M ↑

Virgin - 251.2K ↓
Richard Branson - 12.6M ↑

SpaceX - 24.3M ↓
Tesla - 16.7M ↓
Elon Musk - 103.9M ↑

People are attracted to people - not entities.

If you want to build your business, build your personal brand!

Follow if you want more insights about how to design a life that you'll love!

, Starting a business is like planting a tree. You need to

- Find fertile ground (profitable problem niche)
- Plant your seed (Commit to one idea)
- Water your plant (Consistently nurture)
- Prune (Remove unnecessary parts)

And most importantly - have patience while the plant grows. You don’t plant the seed and eat the fruit on the same day.

Follow if you want insights about designing a business that you'll love working on., In order to grow and become an expert you need 4 things

1. More Iteration: Building an app? Keep improving and deploying updates to your app frequently. The more you build, the more you learn about building effectively.

2. Immediate feedback: Without good and immediate feedback you cannot iterate in the right direction.

3. Live outside your comfort zone: If you don't do things you're uncomfortable with, you'll never learn new skills and grow.

4. A stable domain: The quality of the feedback is dependent on the stability of the domain. There are no crypto experts because it's a scam industry in flux all the time. Similarly, there are no hedge fund experts because again the industry is never stable. An index fund will beat a hedge fund manager 99% of the time. LOL.

Early in my career, I validated opportunities based on these criteria. Looking back - it has definitely served me well., You need to play more video games according to science. 👇🏼

It's becoming common for startups to ditch traditional team-building activities. Instead, they play video games because according to these top three studies, it's better for them.

The Brigham Young University study: Found that switching team building activity with a video game made teams 20 more effective at work

The Missouri University of Science and Technology: They looked at successful World of Warcraft players and those players had psychological traits of successful and virtual workplace teams.

The bounce-together surveys: They found that games measurably boost the skills like creativity, communication and literacy.

, Here's your monthly reminder that your ideas don't matter., Nobody cares about your product! Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt famously said: “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!”

Here are a few more reminders.👇🏼

• Customers don't want a car, they want transportation.
• People don't want a television, they want entertainment.
• Patients don't want medicine, they want relief from their symptoms.
• People don't want a haircut, they want to look and feel good about their appearance.
• Homeowners don't want a lawnmower, they want a well-manicured lawn.

So in 2023, change your vocabulary. Stop talking about your product and its features. Talk about...

• The transformation you can enable for your customers.
• The feelings and emotions they will experience
• The money they can make
• The time they can save
• The status they can gain

You get the point.

This one mindset shift will grow your personal brand and business in 2023.

Let me know in the comments if you agree!, How do you prepare for a recession as a CEO?

Here's a simple idea based on first principles thinking.👇🏼

A recession is about reduced spending in the market. Therefore reduce your focus on CAC and optimize for your customer's LTV.

Focus on creating delightful experiences for your customers that will create word-of-mouth referrals. Now, more than ever, it is important to have real humans vouch for your work.

But creating an engaging customer engagement strategy is not easy. Many promise a solution but end up falling short because:

1. There is no one size fits all customer engagement strategy
2. Most teams do not understand what truly motivates humans.

The best way to understand what your strategy must include is to understand the Octalysis framework.

It outlines 8 core drives that motivate and delight humans. These motivations are backed by science so you can confidently apply them to your strategy.

If you're a CEO. Bolster your customer engagement strategy today. Your existing customers are the key to surviving the recession.

For a free consultation about your customer engagement strategy please feel free to send me an email at [email protected], Attention aspiring entrepreneurs! If you want to set yourself up for success, you need to check out these 4 books ASAP.

First up is 'The Psychology of Money' by Morgan Housel. This book will give you a deep understanding of how your relationship with money affects your decision-making and help you make smarter financial choices.

Next, 'The Millionaire Fastlane' by MJ DeMarco will teach you how to create wealth quickly and efficiently, rather than just waiting for it to slowly accumulate over time.

'Key Person of Influence' by Daniel Priestley is a must-read for anyone looking to position themselves as a leader in their industry. It will help you develop the skills and strategies needed to become a go-to expert in your field.

And last but not least, 'The 4-Hour Work Week' by Tim Ferriss will show you how to work smarter, not harder, and achieve the freedom and flexibility to live the life you want.

Trust me, these books are essential for any entrepreneur looking to make their mark. Happy reading!

What would you add to the list?

, 14 things I know now, that I wish I had known 10 years ago.

✅ You don’t have to be an expert to teach online, you only need to be a few steps ahead of the ones you want to teach.
✅ If you had to choose between saving time or saving money, choose to save time. (Always)
✅ The person who does not read has no advantage over the one who cannot read.
✅ Take vacations often. Your money won’t be as much use when you’re older.
✅ Everyone I know is figuring it out. No one is an expert at everything.
✅ Choose great teams, then projects, then companies - in that order.
✅ Youtube is for marketing your business, not a business by itself.
✅ Learn to say ‘NO’ and ask ‘Why’ to your boss more often.
✅ Work is not life, give your family time before it’s too late.
✅ The biggest determinant of success is consistency.
✅ Choose to buy experiences instead of things.
✅ Not taking risks, is the biggest risk of all.
✅ Don’t suffer fools or you’ll become one.
✅ Plans don’t work, habits do.
✅ If health is lost, all is lost.

That's a wrap!

If you enjoyed this,

✅ Follow me for more insights to maximize your creativity, freedom, and impact.
✅ Hit the bell icon when you follow me.
✅ Share this post with your friends., This is how Focus Made Chick-fil-A a 50 Billion Dollar Company.

As a business thinker, I'm always on the lookout for companies that are doing things differently and achieving outsized success. Recently, I came across the incredible success of Chick-fil-A, a company that makes over $50 billion in revenue, more than McDonald's, Starbucks, and Subway combined.

For more than 76 years, this company has never had a year where sales decreased and have done it without taking on a lot of debt.

But what really caught my attention was the way Chick-fil-A has achieved this success: by focusing relentlessly on a core product (chicken sandwiches), and by constantly working to improve that product over time.

I have always maintained that focus is the missing ingredient in most companies. This is why I’m super happy to write about the results of a company that focussed.

This focus has allowed them to achieve leverage, where the same input (effort and resources) leads to more output (sales and profit). For example, they sell one-quarter the number of items of any other franchise and have a net margin of 7.5% compared to Chick-fil-A's 15%.

What's more, Chick-fil-A has done this while operating on a unique franchising model, with a controversial social setting (Being an outspoken Christian organization), high standards for franchisees, and closed on Sundays (working only 6 days). Chick-fil-A awards less than 1% of the 60,000 applications they receive per year and all stores are closed on Sundays, unlike any other franchise.

This is a reminder that the key to success is often not about doing something new, but about doing something better or differently. And in today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of the new and shiny, but it's important to remember that the real magic lies in making incremental improvements to something that already works well.

In short, Chick-fil-A's success serves as a powerful reminder that success comes from a focus on the essential few, and a commitment to improving those things over time. It's a lesson that all of us can take to heart in our own businesses, despite any controversial social setting., When I was a product management professional, I often wondered why we don't have more psychologists on software development teams. 👇🏼

I've said this before: "There may come a day when robots build things for other robots, but till then, business is about people".

Psychologists/ behavioral scientists have a great understanding of user motivations and persuasive design. They could use their expertise to help teams build products that not only satisfy their customers but delight them as well.

Delighted Customers → More Revenue → R&D for Better Solutions → More Delighted Customers → More Revenue → It's a cycle!

But why isn't this more prevalent in the industry?

Because understanding both worlds (behavioral science & business) requires a unique motivation and lots of study.

This is why "The Octalysis Group" exists. To bridge the gap between the knowledge that behavioral scientists have and the application that business teams need.

By applying the concepts of behavioral science and gamification, you can.

1. Increase employee engagement & productivity
2. Improve customer retention & loyalty
3. Enhance user experience, outcomes, and growth
4. Increase sales & revenue
5. Increase brand awareness & visibility
6. Improve actionable data generation for your programs

If you could choose to work with just one team this year, I would recommend taking a serious look at "The Octalysis Group". It is your one-stop shop for building something that will turn your users into fans, your employees into advocates, and your ideas into money!

If you found that interesting, reach out to me at [email protected] for a free consultation on how we can help you achieve your goals.

, On the first day of class, Jerry Uelsmann, a professor at the University of Florida, divided his film and photography students, into two groups.

Everyone on the left side of the classroom, he explained, would be in the “quantity” group. They would be graded solely on the amount of work they produced. On the final day of class, he would tally the number of photos submitted by each student. One hundred photos would rate an A, ninety photos a B, eighty photos a C, and so on.

Meanwhile, everyone on the right side of the room would be in the “quality” group. They would be graded only on the excellence of their work. They would only need to produce one photo during the semester, but to get an A, it had to be a nearly perfect image.

At the end of the term, he was surprised to find that all the best photos were produced by the

“quantity group”. During the semester, these students were busy taking photos, experimenting with composition and lighting, testing out various methods in the darkroom, and learning from their mistakes.

In the process of creating hundreds of photos, they honed their skills. Meanwhile, the quality group sat around speculating about perfection. In the end, they had little to show for their efforts other than unverified theories and one mediocre photo.

It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change: the fastest way to lose weight, the best program to build muscle, the perfect idea for a side hustle. We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action. As Voltaire once wrote, “The best is the enemy of the good.”

From the Book Atomic Habits by James Clear, What is the difference between a first-time entrepreneur and a second-time entrepreneur? 👇🏼

Building a product? Here's how to avoid joining the 99% of failed startups.

Sell first → Validate → Build., One of the best feelings in the world is going to bed knowing you've completed your tasks for the day. Here's how I achieve this feeling daily using this simple index card and the PTB (Priotized Time Boxed) method.

Before we start, you need to understand these 2 laws. These laws are why I do what I do, the way I do them.

1. 𝟴𝟬-𝟮𝟬 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘:
80% of results come from 20% of the efforts.

2. 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗢𝗡'𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗪
A task will swell to take up all the time you allot for it.

Essentially these laws state.
1. Limit tasks to the important to shorten work time.
2. Shorten work time to limit tasks to the important.

So here's how I do it.

1. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟭: Everyday morning I write down all the tasks that I have on my plate.
2. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟮: I use a green and red sketch pen to mark tasks that are important and not important respectively. I determine this by considering which of the tasks helps me get closer to my long-term goals.
3. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟯: I time box each task in 25mins blocks and work on them.
4. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟰: I tick the boxes when I've completed my tasks and go spend time with my family.

Here's why this method works for me.

1. Writing down tasks helps me clearly see what needs to be done.
2. Prioritizing helps me w**d out imposter tasks that don't add value to my career.
3. Using a card allows me to refer to the tasks anytime and not be distracted by notifications, notes, etc.
4. Completing tasks reduces tasks, stress, and apprehension and improves my health.

Got questions? Ask in the comments section., Perfectionism is cancer. W**d it out now before it kills you!, Stop searching for "How to find my niche".

Instead, search for "How to find my purpose".

Purpose > Niche.

Your purpose is difficult to figure out, but once you figure it out, you'll have clarity on everything., The easiest way to stand out in today's world is to be a bold and honest person., Marketing is the best form of sales., Multitasking at work is a lie.

You're not multitasking - you're task-switching.

It leads to sub-optimal outcomes on all tasks.

Stop it now - learn to focus.

Focus = progress
progress = success, Every month I receive at least one message from a new entrepreneur who wants to discuss their idea with me but mentions that I need to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).

I usually don't reply to such emails and here's why!👇🏼

Ideas don't count! Everyone has an idea! It's all about ex*****on.

"But Pramod, what if I have an awesome idea? How do I protect my idea?"

The best way to protect your idea is to be the first to go to market with a working solution.

Again, focus on ex*****on. Focus on being the first to showcase a working model of your idea. That will be your best protection.

Do you agree?, If you don't find your purpose, the world will assign you one., What's your purpose? Why are you here? What will you be remembered for?, The whole world is remote now.

But lesser than 1% of leaders know how to run a remote team effectively.

Remote teams lose lesser workers, have more creative teams, and are focussed on ROI better.

Here's how you can create an effective remote team using the Octalysis Framework.

https://octalysisgroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-remote-work-series-1-the-remote-framework/



, Pro TIP: When starting to research, don't start searching on Google directly.

Take a minute and write down all the questions that you want to be answered.

This will help you

• Stay focused
• Find answers quickly
• Complete your task early

Without this, research will

• Confuse you
• Frustrate you
• Waste your time
• Become ineffective

Follow me George and learn from my hard-earned lessons., I think about death often. It reminds me that

1. I'm replaceable at work but not to my family.
2. Experiences are more valuable than things.
3. Time is my most valuable resource.
4. If health is lost, everything is lost.
5. Failure is better than regret.

Don't forget to live while you're alive!

, Here are 8 core drives that motivate people to take action. How well do you incorporate these in your business?

Core Drive 1: Epic Meaning and Calling
Core Drive 2: Development and Accomplishment
Core Drive 3: Empowerment of Creativity and Feedback
Core Drive 4: Ownership and Possession
Core Drive 5: Social Influence and Relatedness
Core Drive 6: Scarcity and Impatience
Core Drive 7: Unpredictability and Curiosity
Core Drive 8: Loss and Avoidance

It's called "The Octalysis Framework" and it has helped top companies like Google, Microsoft, Uber, Volkswagen AG, the LEGO Group, Porsche AG and many more create amazing experiences for their customers.

If you would like to speak to us about your strategy, please email me at george@octalysisgroup[dot]com. To learn more about our accomplishments, please visit our website theoctalysisgroup.com.

, Here's what Human-Focused Design (Gamification) really means and why you should consider using it. 👇🏼, Friendly reminder to take breaks from work and live a little while you're still around. Remember, memories are more valuable than things!, You might think Starbucks is a coffee shop but it's actually a bank. It's an ingenious combination of behavioral design and gamification.

At Starbucks, you can pay with cash or use their app to buy stuff. So how does the Starbucks app work?

Their app is essentially a digital wallet. You load the app with cash and when you're in Starbucks you can pay with the app to earn rewards like double Stars toward free drinks meals or discounts.

Almost 30% of the company's revenue comes from people who buy through the app.

At the end of 2019, Starbucks users had deposited 1.5 billion dollars in cash to the app.

Almost 10% of their customers forget about the money they have on the app. And since you can't withdraw it, Starbucks can lend it out or invest in the stock market or use it to buy more stores. It's basically an interest-free loan.

Well played Starbucks, well played!

, When I was a product management professional, I often wondered why we don't have more psychologists on software development teams. 👇🏼

I've said this before: "There may come a day when robots build things for other robots, but till then, business is about people".

Psychologists/behavioral scientists have a great understanding of user motivations and persuasive design. They could use their expertise to help teams build products that not only satisfy their customers but delight them as well.

Delighted Customers → More Revenue → R&D for Better Solutions → More Delighted Customers → More Revenue → It's a cycle!

But why isn't this more prevalent in the industry?

Because understanding both worlds (behavioral science & business) requires a unique motivation and lots of study.

This is why "The Octalysis Group" exists. To bridge the gap between the knowledge that behavioral scientists have and the application that business teams need.

By applying the concepts of behavioral science and gamification, you can.

1. Increase employee engagement & productivity
2. Improve customer retention & loyalty
3. Enhance user experience, outcomes and growth
4. Increase sales & revenue
5. Increase brand awareness & visibility
6. Improve actionable data generation for your programs

If you could choose to work with just one team this year, I would recommend taking a serious look at The Octalysis Group. It is your one-stop shop for building something that will turn your users into fans, your employees into advocates, and your ideas into money!

If you find that interesting, reach out to me at [email protected] for a free consultation on how we can help you achieve your goals.

, Most people think that the goal of entrepreneurship is to build a billion-dollar business, but what they don’t realize is that it is often achieved at the cost of their health and relationships.

Have you noticed that all of the richest people in the world are divorced!

However, if you tweak your mindset and think of entrepreneurship as an opportunity to have a more fulfilling career, you will soon discover that a small business is a way to go!

In my latest article, I write about 5 benefits of staying small that may convince you that expansion for the sake of growth is a fool’s errand.

, Starting a business is like planting a tree. You need to

- Find fertile ground (profitable problem niche)
- Plant your seed (Commit to one idea)
- Water your plant (Consistently nurture)
- Prune (Remove unnecessary parts)

And most importantly - have patience while the plant grows. You don’t plant the seed and eat the fruit on the same day., Marketing has ruined online trust. These days...

1. A fresher out of college is an expert on organizational strategy.
2. A course with zero students has 14 testimonials.
3. Everyone has enabled 150X growth for their companies.
4. A one-year-old company has worked with 2000 clients.
5. Social media posts are created by people who are not the owner of the profile.

Whom do we trust? How do we trust? Where do we go from here?

Marketing has ruined online trust.

, Do you want to find your purpose, do exciting work, and get paid for it? I know I do.

There's a term for that. It is called achieving 'self-actualization'.

Every day morning, I write an email to my friends about one actionable tip that has helped me progress on the journey to achieving self-actualization- on this Google Group! 👇🏼

groups.google.com/g/thrivefamily

Stop getting bombarded by useless information constantly on social media. Get off it.

Instead fill your brain with actionable insights that will help you maximize your freedom, creativity, and Impact.

Click here to see previous emails that I've sent.

See you in your inbox tomorrow morning! 🫱🏼‍🫲🏽, Are you struggling to keep your customers engaged and motivated to use your products or services?

Ditch the short-term engagement tactics and focus on creating a user experience that not only delights your customers but also inspires them to keep coming back for more.

The secret? Understanding "Human Motivation" and optimizing for it.

With our proven "Octalysis Framework", you can create a user experience that is not only enjoyable and easy to use but also provides a sense of purpose and meaning for your customers. Imagine your customers feeling a deep sense of accomplishment as they use your solution or a sense of connection to your brand as they use your physical product.

Say goodbye to the frustration of low customer satisfaction and short-term motivation, and hello to a brighter future in quadrant 4.

To learn more and talk to us about your strategy (free consultation), visit our site octalysisgroup.com

, More layoffs are on the way. You could be next. Protect yourself by becoming irreplaceable to your company! Here's how! 👇🏼

youtu.be/cwA8lfF37jc

3 months ago, I predicted the tsunami of layoffs and created this video. It's still not too late to watch this video and change your ways.

Business Leaders, are you struggling to increase engagement in the workplace or with your customers? 👇🏼

Traditional methods of engagement and motivation just aren't cutting it anymore. Your employees and customers are craving something more interactive and dynamic.

Companies like Google Microsoft, Uber, Yahoo, Duolingo, Booking.com, Tesla, and many more have already leveraged The Octalysis Framework to create engaging gamified experiences for their customer and employees.

But what are those techniques?

Here are 20 gamification techniques that you can leverage to draw your users into your experience. This page sells for $199, but for a limited time - for 10 first-comers, I'm offering this document for FREE. All you have to do is, like this post and comment "Send".

I'll DM you a coupon code to download the document for free.

https://lnkd.in/gBQiD2aK, Most people think that the goal of entrepreneurship is to build a billion-dollar business, but what they don’t realize is that it is often achieved at the cost of their health and relationships.

Have you noticed that all of the richest people in the world are divorced!

However, if you tweak your mindset and think of entrepreneurship as an opportunity to have a more fulfilling career, you will soon discover that a small business is a way to go!

In my latest article, I write about 5 benefits of staying small that may convince you that expansion for the sake of growth is a fool’s errand.

, Don't forget - Who you work with is as important as what you work on. This is why I recommend that when choosing new opportunities - choose the people first, the projects second and the company third.
, You don't have to be a storyteller at work to communicate effectively.

You just need to be coherent.

- Explain the "Situation" (Context)
- Explain the "Task" or deliverables to be completed
- Explain the "Actions" that you took (Break down the task)
- Explain the "Results" that you enabled

This is called the S.T.A.R framework.

I use it in interviews, executive meetings, briefings, presentations, and so many more places, except in emails. For emails, I use another formula. (Follow me to learn about that)

Start by being coherent.

Storytelling will follow.

What's your best tip to communicate effectively at work?

Repost this so more people can communicate effectively at work!, Elon’s first tweet: What bosses say when they talk about giving employees more autonomy.

Elon’s second tweet: What they actually meant!

, This is 100kgs of iron. Its value is around ₹8000

If you decide to make horseshoes, it's value would increase to ₹20,000.

If, instead, you decided to make sewing needles, the value would increase to about ₹5.7 Lakhs.

If you decided to produce watch springs, the value would increase to about ₹5 Crores.

Your value is not just what you are made of, but in what ways you can make the best of who you are!

Credit: The Internet

, Here are 3 industry secrets that I've learned from developing software products and services over the last 10 years.

1. PRODUCT MANAGERS ARE BAD AT INNOVATION. 🤫

The real superstars are engineers 😎, who know the technology and solutioning. Viable innovation is possible only when PMs, Designers, and Engineers are empowered/ have skin in the game and work closely together.

2. PRODUCT IS ABOUT PEOPLE.💡

People build things for people, so if you don't understand how people work, you're going to have a difficult time creating products that create impact.

3. MOST COMPANIES AREN’T AGILE AND DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT MEANS 😅

Most companies are still working in a waterfall model of development and have no clue how to transform. How to know if you're still in a waterfall SDLC? Do you do all the design and planning upfront and create products for imaginary personas with whom you cannot validate frequent releases? If yes, you're not yet Agile!, People don't trust companies any more. People trust people.

If you still don't understand the power of a personal brand. Check out the follower counts on these Twitter pages! 👇🏼

Apple - 8.2M ↓
Tim Cook - 13.5M ↑

Virgin - 251.2K ↓
Richard Branson - 12.6M ↑

SpaceX - 24.3M ↓
Tesla - 16.7M ↓
Elon Musk - 103.9M ↑

People are attracted to people - not entities.

If you want to build your business, build your personal brand!

Follow if you want more insights about how to design a life that you'll love!

, Starting a business is like planting a tree. You need to

- Find fertile ground (profitable problem niche)
- Plant your seed (Commit to one idea)
- Water your plant (Consistently nurture)
- Prune (Remove unnecessary parts)

And most importantly - have patience while the plant grows. You don’t plant the seed and eat the fruit on the same day.

Follow if you want insights about designing a business that you'll love working on., In order to grow and become an expert you need 4 things

1. More Iteration: Building an app? Keep improving and deploying updates to your app frequently. The more you build, the more you learn about building effectively.

2. Immediate feedback: Without good and immediate feedback you cannot iterate in the right direction.

3. Live outside your comfort zone: If you don't do things you're uncomfortable with, you'll never learn new skills and grow.

4. A stable domain: The quality of the feedback is dependent on the stability of the domain. There are no crypto experts because it's a scam industry in flux all the time. Similarly, there are no hedge fund experts because again the industry is never stable. An index fund will beat a hedge fund manager 99% of the time. LOL.

Early in my career, I validated opportunities based on these criteria. Looking back - it has definitely served me well., You need to play more video games according to science. 👇🏼

It's becoming common for startups to ditch traditional team-building activities. Instead, they play video games because according to these top three studies, it's better for them.

The Brigham Young University study: Found that switching team building activity with a video game made teams 20 more effective at work

The Missouri University of Science and Technology: They looked at successful World of Warcraft players and those players had psychological traits of successful and virtual workplace teams.

The bounce-together surveys: They found that games measurably boost the skills like creativity, communication and literacy.

, Here's your monthly reminder that your ideas don't matter., Nobody cares about your product! Harvard Business School Professor Theodore Levitt famously said: “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!”

Here are a few more reminders.👇🏼

• Customers don't want a car, they want transportation.
• People don't want a television, they want entertainment.
• Patients don't want medicine, they want relief from their symptoms.
• People don't want a haircut, they want to look and feel good about their appearance.
• Homeowners don't want a lawnmower, they want a well-manicured lawn.

So in 2023, change your vocabulary. Stop talking about your product and its features. Talk about...

• The transformation you can enable for your customers.
• The feelings and emotions they will experience
• The money they can make
• The time they can save
• The status they can gain

You get the point.

This one mindset shift will grow your personal brand and business in 2023.

Let me know in the comments if you agree!, How do you prepare for a recession as a CEO?

Here's a simple idea based on first principles thinking.👇🏼

A recession is about reduced spending in the market. Therefore reduce your focus on CAC and optimize for your customer's LTV.

Focus on creating delightful experiences for your customers that will create word-of-mouth referrals. Now, more than ever, it is important to have real humans vouch for your work.

But creating an engaging customer engagement strategy is not easy. Many promise a solution but end up falling short because:

1. There is no one size fits all customer engagement strategy
2. Most teams do not understand what truly motivates humans.

The best way to understand what your strategy must include is to understand the Octalysis framework.

It outlines 8 core drives that motivate and delight humans. These motivations are backed by science so you can confidently apply them to your strategy.

If you're a CEO. Bolster your customer engagement strategy today. Your existing customers are the key to surviving the recession.

For a free consultation about your customer engagement strategy please feel free to send me an email at [email protected], Attention aspiring entrepreneurs! If you want to set yourself up for success, you need to check out these 4 books ASAP.

First up is 'The Psychology of Money' by Morgan Housel. This book will give you a deep understanding of how your relationship with money affects your decision-making and help you make smarter financial choices.

Next, 'The Millionaire Fastlane' by MJ DeMarco will teach you how to create wealth quickly and efficiently, rather than just waiting for it to slowly accumulate over time.

'Key Person of Influence' by Daniel Priestley is a must-read for anyone looking to position themselves as a leader in their industry. It will help you develop the skills and strategies needed to become a go-to expert in your field.

And last but not least, 'The 4-Hour Work Week' by Tim Ferriss will show you how to work smarter, not harder, and achieve the freedom and flexibility to live the life you want.

Trust me, these books are essential for any entrepreneur looking to make their mark. Happy reading!

What would you add to the list?

, 14 things I know now, that I wish I had known 10 years ago.

✅ You don’t have to be an expert to teach online, you only need to be a few steps ahead of the ones you want to teach.
✅ If you had to choose between saving time or saving money, choose to save time. (Always)
✅ The person who does not read has no advantage over the one who cannot read.
✅ Take vacations often. Your money won’t be as much use when you’re older.
✅ Everyone I know is figuring it out. No one is an expert at everything.
✅ Choose great teams, then projects, then companies - in that order.
✅ Youtube is for marketing your business, not a business by itself.
✅ Learn to say ‘NO’ and ask ‘Why’ to your boss more often.
✅ Work is not life, give your family time before it’s too late.
✅ The biggest determinant of success is consistency.
✅ Choose to buy experiences instead of things.
✅ Not taking risks, is the biggest risk of all.
✅ Don’t suffer fools or you’ll become one.
✅ Plans don’t work, habits do.
✅ If health is lost, all is lost.

That's a wrap!

If you enjoyed this,

✅ Follow me for more insights to maximize your creativity, freedom, and impact.
✅ Hit the bell icon when you follow me.
✅ Share this post with your friends., This is how Focus Made Chick-fil-A a 50 Billion Dollar Company.

As a business thinker, I'm always on the lookout for companies that are doing things differently and achieving outsized success. Recently, I came across the incredible success of Chick-fil-A, a company that makes over $50 billion in revenue, more than McDonald's, Starbucks, and Subway combined.

For more than 76 years, this company has never had a year where sales decreased and have done it without taking on a lot of debt.

But what really caught my attention was the way Chick-fil-A has achieved this success: by focusing relentlessly on a core product (chicken sandwiches), and by constantly working to improve that product over time.

I have always maintained that focus is the missing ingredient in most companies. This is why I’m super happy to write about the results of a company that focussed.

This focus has allowed them to achieve leverage, where the same input (effort and resources) leads to more output (sales and profit). For example, they sell one-quarter the number of items of any other franchise and have a net margin of 7.5% compared to Chick-fil-A's 15%.

What's more, Chick-fil-A has done this while operating on a unique franchising model, with a controversial social setting (Being an outspoken Christian organization), high standards for franchisees, and closed on Sundays (working only 6 days). Chick-fil-A awards less than 1% of the 60,000 applications they receive per year and all stores are closed on Sundays, unlike any other franchise.

This is a reminder that the key to success is often not about doing something new, but about doing something better or differently. And in today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the pursuit of the new and shiny, but it's important to remember that the real magic lies in making incremental improvements to something that already works well.

In short, Chick-fil-A's success serves as a powerful reminder that success comes from a focus on the essential few, and a commitment to improving those things over time. It's a lesson that all of us can take to heart in our own businesses, despite any controversial social setting., When I was a product management professional, I often wondered why we don't have more psychologists on software development teams. 👇🏼

I've said this before: "There may come a day when robots build things for other robots, but till then, business is about people".

Psychologists/ behavioral scientists have a great understanding of user motivations and persuasive design. They could use their expertise to help teams build products that not only satisfy their customers but delight them as well.

Delighted Customers → More Revenue → R&D for Better Solutions → More Delighted Customers → More Revenue → It's a cycle!

But why isn't this more prevalent in the industry?

Because understanding both worlds (behavioral science & business) requires a unique motivation and lots of study.

This is why "The Octalysis Group" exists. To bridge the gap between the knowledge that behavioral scientists have and the application that business teams need.

By applying the concepts of behavioral science and gamification, you can.

1. Increase employee engagement & productivity
2. Improve customer retention & loyalty
3. Enhance user experience, outcomes, and growth
4. Increase sales & revenue
5. Increase brand awareness & visibility
6. Improve actionable data generation for your programs

If you could choose to work with just one team this year, I would recommend taking a serious look at "The Octalysis Group". It is your one-stop shop for building something that will turn your users into fans, your employees into advocates, and your ideas into money!

If you found that interesting, reach out to me at [email protected] for a free consultation on how we can help you achieve your goals.

, On the first day of class, Jerry Uelsmann, a professor at the University of Florida, divided his film and photography students, into two groups.

Everyone on the left side of the classroom, he explained, would be in the “quantity” group. They would be graded solely on the amount of work they produced. On the final day of class, he would tally the number of photos submitted by each student. One hundred photos would rate an A, ninety photos a B, eighty photos a C, and so on.

Meanwhile, everyone on the right side of the room would be in the “quality” group. They would be graded only on the excellence of their work. They would only need to produce one photo during the semester, but to get an A, it had to be a nearly perfect image.

At the end of the term, he was surprised to find that all the best photos were produced by the

“quantity group”. During the semester, these students were busy taking photos, experimenting with composition and lighting, testing out various methods in the darkroom, and learning from their mistakes.

In the process of creating hundreds of photos, they honed their skills. Meanwhile, the quality group sat around speculating about perfection. In the end, they had little to show for their efforts other than unverified theories and one mediocre photo.

It is easy to get bogged down trying to find the optimal plan for change: the fastest way to lose weight, the best program to build muscle, the perfect idea for a side hustle. We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action. As Voltaire once wrote, “The best is the enemy of the good.”

From the Book Atomic Habits by James Clear, What is the difference between a first-time entrepreneur and a second-time entrepreneur? 👇🏼

Building a product? Here's how to avoid joining the 99% of failed startups.

Sell first → Validate → Build., One of the best feelings in the world is going to bed knowing you've completed your tasks for the day. Here's how I achieve this feeling daily using this simple index card and the PTB (Priotized Time Boxed) method.

Before we start, you need to understand these 2 laws. These laws are why I do what I do, the way I do them.

1. 𝟴𝟬-𝟮𝟬 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗘:
80% of results come from 20% of the efforts.

2. 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗢𝗡'𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗪
A task will swell to take up all the time you allot for it.

Essentially these laws state.
1. Limit tasks to the important to shorten work time.
2. Shorten work time to limit tasks to the important.

So here's how I do it.

1. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟭: Everyday morning I write down all the tasks that I have on my plate.
2. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟮: I use a green and red sketch pen to mark tasks that are important and not important respectively. I determine this by considering which of the tasks helps me get closer to my long-term goals.
3. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟯: I time box each task in 25mins blocks and work on them.
4. 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗣 𝟰: I tick the boxes when I've completed my tasks and go spend time with my family.

Here's why this method works for me.

1. Writing down tasks helps me clearly see what needs to be done.
2. Prioritizing helps me w**d out imposter tasks that don't add value to my career.
3. Using a card allows me to refer to the tasks anytime and not be distracted by notifications, notes, etc.
4. Completing tasks reduces tasks, stress, and apprehension and improves my health.

Got questions? Ask in the comments section., Perfectionism is cancer. W**d it out now before it kills you!, Stop searching for "How to find my niche".

Instead, search for "How to find my purpose".

Purpose > Niche.

Your purpose is difficult to figure out, but once you figure it out, you'll have clarity on everything., The easiest way to stand out in today's world is to be a bold and honest person., Marketing is the best form of sales., Multitasking at work is a lie.

You're not multitasking - you're task-switching.

It leads to sub-optimal outcomes on all tasks.

Stop it now - learn to focus.

Focus = progress
progress = success, Every month I receive at least one message from a new entrepreneur who wants to discuss their idea with me but mentions that I need to sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement).

I usually don't reply to such emails and here's why!👇🏼

Ideas don't count! Everyone has an idea! It's all about ex*****on.

"But Pramod, what if I have an awesome idea? How do I protect my idea?"

The best way to protect your idea is to be the first to go to market with a working solution.

Again, focus on ex*****on. Focus on being the first to showcase a working model of your idea. That will be your best protection.

Do you agree?, If you don't find your purpose, the world will assign you one., What's your purpose? Why are you here? What will you be remembered for?, The whole world is remote now.

But lesser than 1% of leaders know how to run a remote team effectively.

Remote teams lose lesser workers, have more creative teams, and are focussed on ROI better.

Here's how you can create an effective remote team using the Octalysis Framework.

https://octalysisgroup.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-remote-work-series-1-the-remote-framework/



, Pro TIP: When starting to research, don't start searching on Google directly.

Take a minute and write down all the questions that you want to be answered.

This will help you

• Stay focused
• Find answers quickly
• Complete your task early

Without this, research will

• Confuse you
• Frustrate you
• Waste your time
• Become ineffective

Follow me George and learn from my hard-earned lessons., I think about death often. It reminds me that

1. I'm replaceable at work but not to my family.
2. Experiences are more valuable than things.
3. Time is my most valuable resource.
4. If health is lost, everything is lost.
5. Failure is better than regret.

Don't forget to live while you're alive!

, Here are 8 core drives that motivate people to take action. How well do you incorporate these in your business?

Core Drive 1: Epic Meaning and Calling
Core Drive 2: Development and Accomplishment
Core Drive 3: Empowerment of Creativity and Feedback
Core Drive 4: Ownership and Possession
Core Drive 5: Social Influence and Relatedness
Core Drive 6: Scarcity and Impatience
Core Drive 7: Unpredictability and Curiosity
Core Drive 8: Loss and Avoidance

It's called "The Octalysis Framework" and it has helped top companies like Google, Microsoft, Uber, Volkswagen AG, the LEGO Group, Porsche AG and many more create amazing experiences for their customers.

If you would like to speak to us about your strategy, please email me at george@octalysisgroup[dot]com. To learn more about our accomplishments, please visit our website theoctalysisgroup.com.

, Here's what Human-Focused Design (Gamification) really means and why you should consider using it. 👇🏼, Friendly reminder to take breaks from work and live a little while you're still around. Remember, memories are more valuable than things!, You might think Starbucks is a coffee shop but it's actually a bank. It's an ingenious combination of behavioral design and gamification.

At Starbucks, you can pay with cash or use their app to buy stuff. So how does the Starbucks app work?

Their app is essentially a digital wallet. You load the app with cash and when you're in Starbucks you can pay with the app to earn rewards like double Stars toward free drinks meals or discounts.

Almost 30% of the company's revenue comes from people who buy through the app.

At the end of 2019, Starbucks users had deposited 1.5 billion dollars in cash to the app.

Almost 10% of their customers forget about the money they have on the app. And since you can't withdraw it, Starbucks can lend it out or invest in the stock market or use it to buy more stores. It's basically an interest-free loan.

Well played Starbucks, well played!

, When I was a product management professional, I often wondered why we don't have more psychologists on software development teams. 👇🏼

I've said this before: "There may come a day when robots build things for other robots, but till then, business is about people".

Psychologists/behavioral scientists have a great understanding of user motivations and persuasive design. They could use their expertise to help teams build products that not only satisfy their customers but delight them as well.

Delighted Customers → More Revenue → R&D for Better Solutions → More Delighted Customers → More Revenue → It's a cycle!

But why isn't this more prevalent in the industry?

Because understanding both worlds (behavioral science & business) requires a unique motivation and lots of study.

This is why "The Octalysis Group" exists. To bridge the gap between the knowledge that behavioral scientists have and the application that business teams need.

By applying the concepts of behavioral science and gamification, you can.

1. Increase employee engagement & productivity
2. Improve customer retention & loyalty
3. Enhance user experience, outcomes and growth
4. Increase sales & revenue
5. Increase brand awareness & visibility
6. Improve actionable data generation for your programs

If you could choose to work with just one team this year, I would recommend taking a serious look at The Octalysis Group. It is your one-stop shop for building something that will turn your users into fans, your employees into advocates, and your ideas into money!

If you find that interesting, reach out to me at [email protected] for a free consultation on how we can help you achieve your goals.

, Starting a business is like planting a tree. You need to

- Find fertile ground (profitable problem niche)
- Plant your seed (Commit to one idea)
- Water your plant (Consistently nurture)
- Prune (Remove unnecessary parts)

And most importantly - have patience while the plant grows. You don’t plant the seed and eat the fruit on the same day., Marketing has ruined online trust. These days...

1. A fresher out of college is an expert on organizational strategy.
2. A course with zero students has 14 testimonials.
3. Everyone has enabled 150X growth for their companies.
4. A one-year-old company has worked with 2000 clients.
5. Social media posts are created by people who are not the owner of the profile.

Whom do we trust? How do we trust? Where do we go from here?

Marketing has ruined online trust.

, Do you want to find your purpose, do exciting work, and get paid for it? I know I do.

There's a term for that. It is called achieving 'self-actualization'.

Every day morning, I write an email to my friends about one actionable tip that has helped me progress on the journey to achieving self-actualization- on this Google Group! 👇🏼

groups.google.com/g/thrivefamily

Stop getting bombarded by useless information constantly on social media. Get off it.

Instead fill your brain with actionable insights that will help you maximize your freedom, creativity, and Impact.

Click here to see previous emails that I've sent.

See you in your inbox tomorrow morning! 🫱🏼‍🫲🏽, Are you struggling to keep your customers engaged and motivated to use your products or services?

Ditch the short-term engagement tactics and focus on creating a user experience that not only delights your customers but also inspires them to keep coming back for more.

The secret? Understanding "Human Motivation" and optimizing for it.

With our proven "Octalysis Framework", you can create a user experience that is not only enjoyable and easy to use but also provides a sense of purpose and meaning for your customers. Imagine your customers feeling a deep sense of accomplishment as they use your solution or a sense of connection to your brand as they use your physical product.

Say goodbye to the frustration of low customer satisfaction and short-term motivation, and hello to a brighter future in quadrant 4.

To learn more and talk to us about your strategy (free consultation), visit our site octalysisgroup.com

, More layoffs are on the way. You could be next. Protect yourself by becoming irreplaceable to your company! Here's how! 👇🏼

youtu.be/cwA8lfF37jc

3 months ago, I predicted the tsunami of layoffs and created this video. It's still not too late to watch this video and change your ways.