
How to People
A weekly guide for CEOs and COOs who want to do better by their teams and customers.
Latest Issues:
When Did Business Become Broadway?
It's Wednesday, February 12th, and today we're talking about why we're all trapped in Business Theatre.
Forward this to your favorite friend so they can sign up here.
Quick heads up: I currently have capacity to take on one new client. If history is any indicator, this will likely be the last I ...
Feb 12, 2025
What the hell does "because it works" even mean?
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It's Wednesday, February 5th, and today we're talking about why "because it works" is the battle cry of bad business.
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A few months ago, I tried to cancel my online gym membership. After clicking through seventeen billion screens, declini...
Feb 05, 2025
The nicest thing you can do is be mean
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It's Wednesday, January 29th, and today we're talking about why being "mean" might be your kindest business move.
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I'm sitting at Logan Airport gate B19, watching what can only be described as adult regression in action.
Despite the clearl...
Jan 29, 2025
Stop talking to your brother
It's Wednesday, January 22nd, and today we're talking about why "talk to your customers" is both the best and worst advice ever given, and how it can radically change your business.
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Two years ago, I was sitting in the audience for a small "...
Jan 22, 2025
A quick note about your pricing
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It's Wednesday, January 15th, and today we're talking about why a few common pricing practices are failing everyone.
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Last week I clicked through to a website, immediately spotted what I was looking for, and then hit the pricing page.
The...
Jan 15, 2025
The expensive lie of 'underpromise, overdeliver'
I clearly remember the last time I fell in love on sight.
Beautiful, polished, full of promise and excitement: logic be damnedāI was absolutely infatuated. It took seven days to make it happen.
As quickly as it started, it fizzled. This was no prince. This was a glitchy frog. A glitchy frog who w...
Jan 08, 2025
How you and I can make things better
A few days ago, I told you of three recent experiences I had with mediocre companies cosplaying as good ones.
The way I evaluate and scrutinize every touchpoint is part of my personality. For years, this has seemed like a bug and not a feature. (my daughter called me pretentious because I couldnā...
Jan 06, 2025
Trust and Community Building: What Your Members Really Want
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Exploitation is never a featureĀ
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Let's talk about a troubling trend in brand community building that's masquerading as a feature but is actually eroding the very foundation of what makes communities work. I recently witnessed this firsthand, and it's time to sound the alarm about trust ex...
Jan 03, 2025
We're drowning in mediocrity (w/examples)
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I recently posted about my experience trying to cancel my Semrush trial.
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Then, a Semrush rep jumped in with this helpful comment:
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Now, we're not mad at Kyle. Poor Kyle is doing exactly what he's been instructed to do: insult my intelligence.
It doesn't matter that Semrush wouldn't call it...
Dec 30, 2024
Building an Effective Community - When Simple Beats Strategic
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Let's talk about building community without getting caught up in the weeds. After some much-needed rest these past few weeks, I am genuinely excited about the year ahead.
Part of that excitement stems from some deep thinking I've been doing about community. It's always on my mind, but recently ...
Dec 23, 2024
The Science of Gamification: Building Engagement Through Strategic User Experience Design
Let's dive into gamification strategies that actually work - not the superficial bells and whistles, but the psychology-backed approaches that create meaningful user experiences.
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Gamification is super lame...
That's what I've always thought.
Leaderboards? Whatever. Badges? Yawn.
The whole con...
Dec 17, 2024
This is all you get
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Hey friends,
The last time I wrote, I told you I had just been diagnosed with cancer.
Six months of aggressive chemotherapy (and a lost head of hair) later, itās time to slowly re-enter the world of work. While Iām far from through this, the hibernation served me well and, well, life must go on...
Dec 11, 2024
How to People
