Harry Alford

A global pandemic and economic aftershocks have felt like a series of events strung together, happening all at once. For the businesses that have survived, they’ve done so by utilizing banking relationships, cutting costs, going virtual and being distributed. The economy might have accelerated technology, it has also surfaced the pre-existing conditions of unequal distribution […]

Entrepreneurship should be permissionless. If someone has a sustainable business that’s creating jobs and solving problems, there should be opportunities for the owner to grow their business. Why wouldn’t the best business models be funded, divorced of geography or demographics? That’s a question that the traditional venture capital (VC) model doesn’t have an answer to […]

David Shade, a Purple Heart recipient, has built one of the leading dog training services in Pennsylvania, and is taking that expertise to launch a virtual dog training solution, PupCamp. In a growing, competitive landscape, he’s launched a beta and continues to demonstrate considerable traction in the market. I recently caught up with David to […]

People before numbers — this statement might seem counterintuitive to some, but that’s how managers should address weekly standups, meetings, or check-ins with salespeople in the “sales by design” approach. Instead of drilling down on numbers, you should be asking for stories about their customers. The numbers aren’t necessarily on the backburner or less critical. […]

The third phase, accelerate, isn’t about pitching a one-sided perspective; you’re selling a co-created solution wrapped in a story.  After the discovery and sharing insight phases, you have the complete picture of the opportunity. The right solution will present itself faster when you co-create with your customer. Shared ownership enables you to move more quickly. […]

After moving through the discovery phase, it’s time to compile your information into points of view that can add value to the client or customer. We are now going into the insight phase.  If successful, you’ve gathered incredible insights about your client and their customers in the discovery phase. Before taking those data points and […]

Following a design thinking approach can help build a shared understanding and language with your customers. Creating a funnel around purposeful content while making meaningful connections can multiply the power of your network, which will inevitably lead to closing more deals.  Design thinking, or human-centered design, puts your customers’ problems before your solution. Empathizing with […]

Product/Market Fit is being in the right market with a product that can satisfy that market. Finding Product/Market Fit can be a gradual process, especially if there’s no obvious business opportunity yet. Scaling too soon or missing an optimal time to grow can spell death for your startup. Reaching Product/Market Fit can seem back-breaking, but […]

Employees stay for your company’s mission, not the money. The mission is a company’s purpose for being. The mission statement is usually one sentence-to-short paragraph explanation of its culture, values, and ethics. The following are mission statements from leading enterprises (via Investopedia): Microsoft: Empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more. Chipotle: […]

Forming your board requires a bit of a balancing act. The board should push a founder’s strategic thinking but not hinder the CEO’s ability to lead effectively.  A board of directors should prove beneficial in your startup’s initial stages, especially in the long-term. A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members, […]