The Entrepreneurial Litmus Test: “You Make It, You Use It.”

Many small business ventures are sprouting up as a result of this most recent recession. Americans are not the type to sit idle, hoping and praying someone comes around and hands them a job. We’re a proactive bunch, steadily looking forward for the next problem we can solve. The good thing is that this is helping our economy. The question is, “are we doing any good?”

New products launch everyday, in both the online space and the real world market place. But how can we be sure that what we’re offering is quality? Which is more important, “new” or “improved?” The answer to bettering your products can only be found by making an intentional effort to discover not only what your company does best, but what it does the worst.

“Litmus test: a critical indication of future success or failure”            

Umair Haque calls it “dieting on your own dog food,” in his post “Why You Should Focus on ‘Worst Practices’.” He says, “What would happen, one wonders, if every CEO had a new clause inserted into his or her gilded contract: you make it, you use it — exclusively.” This is a great idea for any company just starting out. Does your own product solve your own problems? It’s a yes or no question.

Deep introspection isn’t the only way you can find out where the leaks are in your ship. Utilizing social platforms can also be beneficial for surveying how customers feel about what you have to offer.

But that isn’t the end-all solution to your problem. Having a few thousand followers on Twitter does you no good if you’re not listening for ways your company can improve. Look at social engagement as an opportunity for growth, not just with visibility, but also capability.

That’s why at BounceFire we went through our own process when rebranding: Discover. Build. Deliver. Optimize. Innovate. Rebranding for us was an opportunity to hone our offerings, and fine-tune our skills to better ease our customers’ pains and to build a better company. It shows with a more efficient development team and our recent growth. And we’re only getting better.

Now is the time to take your company to that next level. We believe in our product because we know that we’re capable of quality. Can you say the same? If not, you may want to do some digging. Let us know how we can help.