BorderlessMind

💔 Don't Fall in Love with Your Ideas, Let Your Customers Shape Them 🚀

As startup founders, it’s easy to get enamored with our ideas. We pour our passion and energy into crafting what we believe to be the next big thing.

But here's the hard truth, your idea is just a hypothesis until it's validated by the people who matter most — your customers.

Invest the time to validate the problem and the solution to accelerate innovation to achieve Profit-Market Fit (PMF).

🔍 Get Out of the Building
The first step is to engage directly with your target audience. Listen to their pain points, challenges, and needs. Your idea should evolve based on these real-world insights, not assumptions. This will get you identify your ideal customer profile (ICP).

💡 Embrace Iteration
Be open to reshaping your idea. What you initially envisioned might not be what your customers truly need. Iteration is key to building a product that solves actual problems.

📊 Focus on Value, Not Features
It's tempting to add bells and whistles to your digital product. But remember, features are only as good as the value they bring to your customers. Prioritize delivering solutions that users love over piling on features. Build software that matters and which customers are willing to pay for.

🛠 Test Early, Test Often
Don't wait until you have a 'perfect' product. Launch early versions, gather feedback, and refine your offering. The sooner you start testing with real users, the quicker you'll get to PMF.

🚀 Adapt and Scale
Once you’ve honed in on what truly resonates with your customers, double down on those aspects. Scale your efforts by building an agile product team, but always keep a pulse on customer feedback to ensure you're still aligned with their needs.

Remember, the best digital products are those that evolve through a deep understanding of customer problems.

Don’t cling to your original idea, let your customers guide you to the right solution. Focus on customer delight.



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👋🏽 I help bold founders, funded startups, and enterprises with Innovation, AI, Agile Product Team Pods and Product-Market Fit. If this is you, pls follow me.

ISHIR’s Innovation Acceleration is a powerful approach to uncover customer pain, learn what users love, delight them and make them raving fans of your product. This helps to get your product right from the start.

🏆 Winning Isn’t for Everyone

Nike’s latest ad, “Winning Isn’t for Everyone,” resonates deeply beyond just the world of sports. Nike’s marketing message is simple yet profound: real success, whether in sports, business, or life, requires enduring short-term pain, avoiding shortcuts, and staying committed to the journey.

Here's a link to the Ad video: https://lnkd.in/gASvvKvj

Nike’s ad has sparked a lot of conversation and for good reason. The message is clear and unapologetic, it reminds us that winning requires more than just talent or desire. It demands grit, relentless effort, and the ability to push through adversity when others would rather quit.

It’s a powerful message for entrepreneurs, athletes, and anyone striving for greatness.

Here are the lessons we can take from the Nike’s ad and apply it to Digital Innovation and Product-Market Fit.

💡Digital Innovation and PMF: No Shortcuts

In the quest for achieving product-market fit (PMF), it’s tempting to look for shortcuts or quick wins. But, just as the Nike ad suggests, winning (building a product that users love) isn’t for everyone. It’s reserved for those willing to do the hard work upfront to test our hypothesis, building a MLP, iterating, and sometimes failing, to get it right.

Innovation isn’t about the glory of the finished product. It’s about the grind of the digital innovation process. It’s about pushing through when the data is inconclusive, when the market response is lukewarm, and when the easy path would be to pivot prematurely or chase trends.

True innovation requires a commitment to solving real problems, even when the solutions are elusive and the path is uncertain. Here is where leveraging the Innovation Accelerator can help in early validation and improving your odds of success.

😭 Taking the Short-Term Pain

Much like athletes who endure grueling training sessions, entrepreneurs and innovators must embrace short-term pain to achieve long-term gain. This could mean enduring the discomfort of slow initial traction, resisting the urge to prematurely scale, or sticking with an idea that hasn’t yet proven itself in the market and the customers.

The journey to MLP is filled with challenges, but it requires a unique process like Innovation Accelerator to forge resilience, deepen market understanding, and ultimately lead to breakthrough innovations.

Those who succeed aren’t the ones who sought the easy route but those who were willing to embrace the grind, learn from each setback, and keep pushing forward.

🙌 Winning Is a Choice

Just as Nike boldly states, “Winning Isn’t for Everyone,” not everyone will succeed or drive meaningful innovation. But for those who are willing to take the road less traveled, to put in the work without shortcuts, and to endure the necessary pain—victory becomes a matter of when, not if.

👉🏼 Are you ready to make the choice?

So, the next time you see that Nike ad, take a moment to ask yourself: Are you truly ready to do what it takes to win?

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👋🏽 I help bold founders, funded startups, and enterprises with Innovation, AI, Agile Product Team Pods and Product-Market Fit. If this is you, pls follow me.

ISHIR’s Innovation Acceleration is a powerful approach to uncover customer pain, learn what users love, delight them and make them raving fans of your product. This helps to get your product right from the start.

Nike

Nail your next remote software developer interview with expert tips!

Discover the must-follow Do's and Don'ts for making a lasting impression in a virtual setting.

https://ow.ly/mC3C50T6iGP



Share your remote interview experiences in the comments below!

Do's and Don'ts for remote interviews for software developers Dressing up for an interview and traveling with a folder with your resume and accolades sound so fancy and unreal now, which was quite aContinue reading

⚓️ Sell the Problem, Not Just the Solution 🤖

It is quite opposite of how we are made to think. It's tempting to lead with the brilliance of your software solution. But selling the problem ensures that your target customers truly understands the value of your solution. By investing in an Innovation Accelerator, you gain clarity around what problem your software solves and also build a innovative solution that users love.

It is a game-changer.

This approach not only drives innovation but also accelerates Product-Market Fit (PMF), reduces your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) while ensures Sustainable Growth.

🔍 Start with the Problem
Innovation Accelerator begins with a deep understanding of the problem you're solving. Before you build features or design user interfaces or cool tech, immerse yourself in your customers' challenges. What are the pain points that disrupt their operations or hinder their growth? Identifying these problems and validating them is the cornerstone of effective product development.

💡 Drive Innovation Through Empathy
When you deeply understand the problem, you innovate in ways that truly matter. Your development efforts become laser-focused on creating solutions that directly address customer pain points. This empathy-driven approach not only leads to a more innovative product but also enhances your chances of achieving PMF faster.

🎯 Aligning Your Solution with Real Needs
Achieving PMF isn’t about having the most features, it’s about having the ones that users want and truly love. When you position your product as a solution to a well-understood problem, you resonate more strongly with your ICP. This alignment reduces friction in the buying process, leading to quicker adoption and a more efficient path to PMF.

💰 Reduce CAC by Solving the Right Problems
By focusing on the problem, you naturally attract customers who are actively seeking solutions. This targeted approach means you spend less on broad-based marketing efforts and can reduce your CAC. When customers see your product as the clear answer to their problem, conversion rates increase, and acquisition costs drop.

Let’s make the problem - not the solution - the center of discussion. Ensure that every feature or update is tied to solving a specific customer pain point. Validate and test this approach, and watch how it propels innovation, accelerates PMF, and lowers your CAC and ensures customer delight.

When you focus on the problem, use a effective approach to innovate with your solution, your product becomes the natural choice.

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👋🏽 I help bold founders, funded startups, and enterprises with Innovation, AI, Agile Product Team Pods and Product-Market Fit. If this is you, pls follow me.

ISHIR’s Innovation Acceleration is a powerful approach to uncover customer pain, learn what users love, delight them and make them raving fans of your product. This helps to get your product right from the start.

🫶🏽 What Freedom Means to Me as an Entrepreneur 😍

On India’s Independence Day, as we celebrate the freedom of a nation, I find myself reflecting on what freedom truly means to me as an entrepreneur.

Freedom is a choice.

Freedom lies in being Bold.

It’s the freedom to decide how I spend my time, what purpose I pursue, where I invest my resources, and who I build relationships with.

But this freedom doesn’t come easy - it is earned through hard work, risk-taking, and a willingness to give up control.

True entrepreneurial freedom lies in empowering others. I’ve learned that to achieve everything I dream of, I must surround myself with incredible people and trust them to do amazing things.

At ISHIR, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by a team of talented, dedicated and dependable individuals who tirelessly work to build something greater than ourselves every day.

They are the backbone of the company, allowing me the freedom to focus on the bigger picture, while they execute our shared vision with passion, precision and boldness.

As we continue to build, innovate, and grow, I’m reminded that freedom is not just about personal choice - it's about creating a bold environment where everyone else also has a choice to do what they love to do, do things they have unique abilities in and where they can thrive.

On Independence Day, I’m grateful for the freedom to lead a company that not only achieves its goals but also fosters a culture where every team member not only has the freedom to contribute meaningfully but also have an opportunity to pursue their own goals, passions and things that are important to them.

Here are some principles I have learned that can help Entrepreneurs achieve true freedom:

👉🏼 Understand Your Teams Unique Abilities and Your Own
💪🏾 Empower Your Team
🫶🏽 Prioritize Purpose Over Profit
👑 Master the Art of Delegation
🤝 Build Strong Relationships
🙌 Create an amazing Culture and Work Environment
📚 Focus on Continuous Learning and Growth
💡 Dedicate Time to Self-Reflect and Adjust Regularly
⚡️ Manage Your and Your Teams Energy
💃🏻 Celebrate Wins Together with the Team

Here’s to the freedom that empowers us all to Dream BIG, to be BOLD, to Build, and to Succeed - together ISHIRites.

🚩 Top Developer Red Flags to Watch Out For When Hiring a Software Development Team 🚩

Your experience with your product developers matters, because on it depends the success or failure of your software initiative.

Whether you have an internal product team or a team leased through a software development provider (local, offshore or nearshore), your software product — and often your entire business relies on them to deliver on your vision or resolving a business problems using a software solution.

Here are the top red flags you should watch out for:

👍🏽They Say ‘Yes’ to Everything:
Beware of developers who agree to do everything you ask for without a question. They might lack critical thinking and sincerity. They should be sharing impact analysis on your constant change in needs and requests.

👉🏼 They Lack Accountability:
Developers who don’t take responsibility for mistakes or miss deadlines can jeopardize your project. Accountability is key. Holding them accountable is critical. Daily scrum stand up meetings may need to be tightened. Scheduling demo day end of each sprint may help you see progress.

💽 They Give ‘No’ Access to Your Product Assets:
Ensure you retain access to your codebase, Jira and dev assets right from the start. Reliable developers ensure you have full control over your product assets.

💁They Use a Black Box Approach:
If they’re not transparent about dev processes or progress, it should be a major concern. Great development teams keep you informed and are engaging as an extension of your business.

🙋🏽They Are Never Available:
If they are not available during the hours of operations and you have asked them to perform on a dedicated basis. They may not be entirely committed to your product development. They may be moonlighting on another project or not being sincere to you.

Watch out for these red flags when working with developers and development providers, especially as they may be working on a remote basis and giving people freedom and empowerment to get the work done whenever and wherever.

If you are struggling with your Software Product Team, let’s talk.

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👋🏽 I help founders, funded startups, and enterprises with Innovation, AI, Agile Product Team Pods and Product-Market Fit (PMF). If this is you, pls follow me.

ISHIR’s Team Acceleration is a powerful approach to build passionate culturally-fit product team pods with subject matter expertise. This helps our bold startup founders to attain speed to market and build a killer digital product.

CodeLaunch Accelerator, produced by Improving, is back on home turf on November 15th for its 11th consecutive annual startup showcase event in DFW, and you can join in the fun as our guest with this free GA ticket (https://ow.ly/ATJJ50Q7tQZ).

CodeLaunch DFW 2023 [https://ow.ly/zzuK50Q7tR7] presented by Cyrannus will be unlike any startup event you’ve ever attended. This unique traveling startup accelerator will lift the trajectory of six startup finalists [https://ow.ly/zzuK50Q7tR7] by connecting them with early-stage and a professional hackathon team to accelerate their technical product and propel them toward seed funding. Guests will enjoy an experience similar to a live-audience and highly interactive “Shark Tank” episode with an attached tradeshow of ecosystem supporters and local startups. CodeLaunch is where the startup community, software developers, and the investor community collide in a space where ventures are launched and deals are made!

Codelaunch.com started in Frisco, TX in 2013 and since 2019 has been accelerated by improving.com. CodeLaunch now travels to cities across North America, injecting rocket fuel into startup ecosystems like ours.

Please RSVP yourself and others (via this https://ow.ly/ATJJ50Q7tQZ) and join us at Gilley's South Side Ballroom in Dallas, TX on November 15th from 4 pm to 9 pm, or just catch the finale’ show at 6pm!

Do you know that by 2025, Gen Z will make up 27% of the global workforce? This generation is known for their digital savviness & adaptability, making them an excellent fit for IT projects.

Read more about the differences between Gen Z and veteran developers to make an informed decision.

What Makes More Sense? Hiring Smart Gen Z Vs Veteran Developers for Your IT Project Are you torn between hiring smart Gen Z or experienced veterans developers for your IT project? Learn about the differences between smart Gen Z & experienced veterans developers in terms of skill, experience, & productivity and make the right choice. Contact our hiring experts & start hiring today!

Do you know that nearly 50% of jobs in the state of Maryland do not require a four-year college degree? This stat affirms the growing trend of skill-based hiring in the IT industry.

Read more about and to understand which approach is best for your business.

Difference Between Skill-Based Hiring & Degree-Based Hiring in IT Recruitment And Which One Should You Go For! Explore the differences between skill based hiring & degree based hiring in IT recruitment & which option is best for your business. Learn about the pros & cons of both approaches & make the right choice for your business.

Managing remote teams can be challenging, but with effective strategies and tools, it can become a highly productive and profitable business model.

Learn more about the best practices for managing remote teams to improve efficiency and productivity in remote working setups.

7 Best Practices in Remote Project Management for Managing Remote Teams Effectively Project management with remote teams can be challenging. Learn how to collaborate effectively & stay on track with remote teams & explore the best practices to effectively manage remote teams & maximize the benefits of this productive work model.

Wondering if is the right choice for your ? 🤔

Launching a startup involves extensive planning, particularly in terms of recruiting employees & cutting down any additional expenses.

Check out our blog and learn more about the benefits of offshore talent for your new business!

Is Hiring Offshore Talent Right for Your Startup? Launching a startup involves extensive planning, particularly in terms of recruiting employees. Let's explore why should your hire offshore talent & benefits of hiring remote teams.

With a vast talent pool, technical expertise, cost-effectiveness, and global industry experience, Indian programmers are the go-to choice for startup success. 💻🚀

Discover the 7 key reasons why Indian programmers are preferred when starting a new business! 🌐🧠

7 Reasons Why Indian Programmers are Preferred to Hire When Starting a New Business Western nations owe their economic growth to their Indian offshore counterparts, who have the competent skills & delivers low-cost solutions. This blog illustrates why hiring Indian programmers can prove to be beneficial for your business.

The demand for IT professionals is growing rapidly. Are you ready to take advantage of this trend?

Check out our list of the 9 most in-demand IT jobs in 2023 and stay ahead of the curve!
#2023

Watchout for These 9 Most in Demand IT Jobs in 2023! - BorderlessMind Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional or an organization planning to invest in top talent, this article will help you to stay ahead of the curve with the latest insights on Most in Demand IT Jobs in 2023 & beyond.

Do you know that by automating your recruitment process, you can reduce the hiring time by 50%, save on hiring costs, and identify exceptional talent for your company.

Learn why in IT can be beneficial to your business!

Why Should IT Companies Include Automation in Their Recruitment Process More than Ever The hiring & selection process has a significant influence on attracting top talent. Let's look at some brilliant ideas to enhance your workflow by leveraging the automation in recruitment process.

Do you know that India is among the top 5 countries for hiring skilled offshore developers? With around 42% of the global market share, it offers exceptional talent at the lowest rates!

Check out our guide on the best countries for hiring offshore IT teams.

Best Countries for Hiring Offshore Development Team: A Complete Guide Explore the world’s best destinations for Hiring Offshore Development Team & choose the best offshore development country to hire developers remotely.

Are you tired of managing time zone differences with your remote teams?

Check out this blog on effectively managing time zone differences and getting the most out of your remote teams.

How to Effectively Manage Time Zone Differences While Working with Remote Teams Working with multiple remote teams across different time zones can be challenging. Here's how to manage them effectively & best practices for managing remotely distributed development teams.

Are you looking to reduce overheads and stress in the long term? Remote Hiring is the way to go!

Read our recent blog and learn how you can hire on-demand resources remotely for a fraction of the cost and save yourself from all the additional efforts associated with traditional hiring.

How On-Demand Remote Hiring Saves Your Long-Term Overheads and Stress Looking for ways to cut costs & reduce stress without jeopardizing your business operations? Discover how to cut costs without compromising on quality with On-demand remote hiring. Connect with our talent experts & start hiring on-demand!

Statista estimates that mobile app revenue will reach around $613 billion by 2025. Are you also planning to build a successful mobile app?

Check out this detailed guide and find out the step-by-step process to make it happen!

What All it Takes to Build a Mobile App: A Detailed Mobile App Development Process Guide Looking to develop a mobile app for your business? Checkout all the key stages involve in mobile app development process, timeline, process & resources required in this guide.

Are you torn between hiring smart Gen Z or experienced veteran developers for your next IT project?

Learn about the differences between Gen Z and veteran developers in terms of skill, experience, and productivity in our recent blog and make the right choice while building your dedicated IT team.

What Makes More Sense? Hiring Smart Gen Z Vs Veteran Developers for Your IT Project Are you torn between hiring smart Gen Z or experienced veterans developers for your IT project? Learn about the differences between smart Gen Z & experienced veterans developers in terms of skill, experience, & productivity and make the right choice. Contact our hiring experts & start hiring today!

Do you know? While is becoming the norm for IT recruitment, only 10% of companies are taking this approach.

Learn more about the difference between and in our recent article.

Difference Between Skill-Based Hiring & Degree-Based Hiring in IT Recruitment And Which One Should You Go For! Explore the differences between skill based hiring & degree based hiring in IT recruitment & which option is best for your business. Learn about the pros & cons of both approaches & make the right choice for your business.

Remote teams are the way to the future, but managing a geographically dispersed team is not easy!

Check out these 7 best practices to manage your remote teams effectively.

7 Best Practices in Remote Project Management for Managing Remote Teams Effectively Project management with remote teams can be challenging. Learn how to collaborate effectively & stay on track with remote teams & explore the best practices to effectively manage remote teams & maximize the benefits of this productive work model.

Startups increasingly turn to offshore talent to grow their businesses within a specified budget.

According to a recent survey, 90% of startups have seen cost savings, with an average of 30% savings by hiring offshore resources!

Learn more about the advantages of offshore talent for your business!

Is Hiring Offshore Talent Right for Your Startup? Launching a startup involves extensive planning, particularly in terms of recruiting employees. Let's explore why should your hire offshore talent & benefits of hiring remote teams.

According to statistics, Indian talent is preferred over others when starting a new business. With their expertise in coding & ability to work within constrained budgets, Indian developers are the go-to choice for many companies.

Learn more about why Indian talent is preferred to hire while starting a new venture!

7 Reasons Why Indian Programmers are Preferred to Hire When Starting a New Business Western nations owe their economic growth to their Indian offshore counterparts, who have the competent skills & delivers low-cost solutions. This blog illustrates why hiring Indian programmers can prove to be beneficial for your business.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT jobs are predicted to grow by 531,200 by 2029.

As the IT world is constantly evolving, it is crucial to be ahead of the curve. Check out these 9 most in-demand IT jobs for 2023 & beyond.
#2023

Watchout for These 9 Most in Demand IT Jobs in 2023! - BorderlessMind Whether you’re a seasoned IT professional or an organization planning to invest in top talent, this article will help you to stay ahead of the curve with the latest insights on Most in Demand IT Jobs in 2023 & beyond.

It's no secret that automation can help IT companies save time and money involved in the recruitment process.

Check out this insightful article and learn why in IT is so essential & how it can benefit your business!

Why Should IT Companies Include Automation in Their Recruitment Process More than Ever The hiring & selection process has a significant influence on attracting top talent. Let's look at some brilliant ideas to enhance your workflow by leveraging the automation in recruitment process.

Are you considering hiring an offshore development team but not sure about the best offshore destination to hire skilled developers in your budget?

Check out this blog to see which countries offer the best benefits and resources for doing so!

Best Countries for Hiring Offshore Development Team: A Complete Guide Explore the world’s best destinations for Hiring Offshore Development Team & choose the best offshore development country to hire developers remotely.

Do you know that remote teams are 35% more productive than those working in-house? But managing teams working in multiple time zones can be a difficult task!

Here's a great read on effectively managing time zone differences while working with remote teams!

How to Effectively Manage Time Zone Differences While Working with Remote Teams Working with multiple remote teams across different time zones can be challenging. Here's how to manage them effectively & best practices for managing remotely distributed development teams.

Planning to build a mobile app but not sure where to start?

Check out this detailed mobile app development guide to learn more about the app development process and get started!

What All it Takes to Build a Mobile App: A Detailed Mobile App Development Process Guide Looking to develop a mobile app for your business? Checkout all the key stages involve in mobile app development process, timeline, process & resources required in this guide.

Skill-based hiring outperforms degree-based hiring in IT recruitment! Studies show that teams with skill-based hiring practices have a 25% higher success rate than those with degree-based hiring.

Learn more about the difference between skill based & degree based hiring and which one you should go for!

Difference Between Skill-Based Hiring & Degree-Based Hiring in IT Recruitment And Which One Should You Go For! Explore the differences between skill based hiring & degree based hiring in IT recruitment & which option is best for your business. Learn about the pros & cons of both approaches & make the right choice for your business.

According to a recent survey, 94% of organizations already have some kind of remote working projects in place. Check out these best practices to manage your remote project management team effectively!

7 Best Practices in Remote Project Management for Managing Remote Teams Effectively Project management with remote teams can be challenging. Learn how to collaborate effectively & stay on track with remote teams & explore the best practices to effectively manage remote teams & maximize the benefits of this productive work model.