Successful startups can always point to a few pivotal decisions that made a huge difference. Maybe it was using Google pay per click ads before they became popular or maybe it was sponsoring a certain online communities that provided an enormous return. The reality is that it isn’t one or two major decisions that made the business successful but rather the numerous small decisions over time that put the startup in the position to see the big opportunity and make the decisions that led to big improvements.
A serious challenge is tunnel vision where something is left alone because it’s always been that way, even if that way isn’t the best. Here are some small changes that might have a big impact:
- Introducing a referral program to encourage customers to refer prospects
- Making a corporate decision to pursue a best places to work award and truly going after it
- Bringing on a new team member that raises the bar for everyone else
There are so many small changes that happen on a regular basis it’s hard to tell which ones will have a big impact. What’s most important is to constantly look for opportunities for improvement and to continually pursue them.
What else? What are some other examples of small changes that have a big impact?
David Cummings on Startups 