In a recent episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur podcast, host Josh engages in a compelling conversation with Eisha Armstrong, the executive chairman and co-founder of Victorious, and an accomplished author of several influential books, including "Productize," "Fearless," and the forthcoming "Commercialize." The episode delves into the transformative concept of productization, particularly for B2B service providers such as consultants, agencies, and coaches. This blog post will break down the key insights and actionable advice shared by Eisha, providing a comprehensive guide for professionals looking to embrace productization.

Productization is the process of transforming services into standardized, sellable products. For B2B service providers, this means packaging their expertise and intellectual property into offerings that can be scaled and sold repeatedly, rather than trading time for money. Eisha emphasizes that productization is crucial for professionals who often find themselves constrained by the limitations of time-based billing. By shifting to a product-based model, these individuals can scale their businesses, improve profit margins, and create predictable revenue streams. One of the most critical steps in productization is ensuring that there is a demand for your product. Eisha highlights the importance of identifying an "urgent and expensive customer problem" that your product can solve. If your product idea cannot clearly articulate this problem, it may not be viable.

Transitioning to a productized model can be challenging for B2B service providers. Some common obstacles include resistance to change, difficulty in packaging services, and fear of losing the personal touch. Eisha reassures listeners that while the transition may be daunting, the long-term benefits of productization far outweigh the initial hurdles. She advises starting small, educating clients, and investing in customer success. Additionally, Eisha discusses the recent surge in interest in productization due to advancements in generative AI, which can automate tasks and provide data-driven insights. She encourages service providers to explore how AI can be integrated into their productization strategies to stay competitive. As the conversation wraps up, Eisha shares details about her forthcoming book, "Commercialize," set to be released in September, which addresses the challenges entrepreneurs face when bringing new products to market.

Eisha Armstrong is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Vecteris, dedicated to helping B2B companies transform their services into tangible products. With over 25 years of experience in launching data and information service businesses, Eisha has a proven track record of leading global teams to success.

As an influential business leader, Eisha shares her expertise by advising executives on building cultures that foster product innovation. She authored the best-selling book Productize: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Professional Services into Products and Fearless: How to Transform a Services Culture and Successfully Productize.

Eisha extends her impact beyond Vecteris, serving on Advisory Boards for AMEND Consulting and Gild Collective. She has also contributed to organizations such as Women Helping Women, Cincinnati Early Centers, and Aviatra Accelerators. Committed to empowering women in investing, she is a Limited Partner in Next Wave Impact, aligning her investments with both social impact and financial return.

An accomplished speaker, Eisha has addressed audiences at over 100 leadership development and executive education sessions globally. Her insights have been featured in esteemed publications such as The Financial Times and The Washington Post, and she is a sought-after guest on podcasts focusing on product management and innovation.

Eisha's educational background...

In a recent episode of "The Thoughtful Entrepreneur," host Josh explores the complexities of team dynamics with Karen Wright Gordon, the CEO of Simpli5. This episode is a goldmine of insights for leaders and managers aiming to boost teamwork and collaboration within their organizations. Karen discusses the significance of understanding individual work preferences and how this knowledge can revolutionize team performance. Here, we distill the key takeaways from the episode, providing actionable advice and detailed explanations to help you implement these strategies in your own organization.

Five Dynamics is a company dedicated to enhancing organizational teamwork through a unique assessment methodology. Their core tool is a three-minute assessment designed to identify how individuals prefer to work, learn, and collaborate. This assessment, which took a decade to develop, reveals each person's most efficient neural pathways, highlighting their strengths and areas where they may struggle. Leaders can use this information to tailor their management styles to better suit their teams, thereby enhancing overall performance.

Josh raises an essential question about the importance of understanding team dynamics amidst the myriad responsibilities leaders face. Karen emphasizes that this understanding can significantly accelerate team performance. By understanding how new team members will fit into existing dynamics, leaders can avoid lengthy adjustment periods, establish a common language for discussing team dynamics, and reduce conflicts arising from different energy levels and work styles. This shared understanding leads to enhanced communication, minimized conflicts, and improved collective performance.

Karen Gordon is the President and CEO of Simpli5, a technology utilized by Fortune 500 companies that analyzes teams’ work styles and their affinity for different phases of a project cycle to improve team collaboration, satisfaction, and results. A serial entrepreneur who loves strategy and execution, Karen finds fun in solving big problems and making deals work. Throughout her career, Karen has dedicated herself to transforming workplace cultures through the power of collaboration and team performance.

Karen has worked with a who's who of businesses, including transformational partnerships with Nortel Networks, Humana, AT&T Wireless, and LinkedIn. In 2000, shortly after founding GTCI, she secured a significant deal with AT&T Wireless to develop and deliver a course about 3G wireless technology, training over 2,000 employees nationwide. Nortel Networks was GTCI's biggest customer, allowing Karen to lead their outsourced documentation program globally. Her strategic insight and resilience led to a significant win against larger competitors.

Humana stands out as a pivotal client. Their CEO, Mike McCallister, recognized the potential of the 5 Dynamics model after Karen's first presentation. LinkedIn remains a fantastic partner, utilizing Simpli5's model extensively and supporting the company’s growth.

A recognized leader and influencer, Karen's accolades include being a two-time Inc. 500 Honoree, an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, and a notable spotlight in the Dallas Top 25. Her expertise has been featured in leading publications such as SWAAY, The CEO Magazine, Business News Daily, Huffington Post, HR Dive, and Entrepreneur. One of her career highlights is her TEDx UT Austin presentation on "The Myth of Difficult People," which has further cemented her status as a thought leader in understanding and navigating complex human dynamics in the workplace.

5 Dynamics isn’t just a one and done assessment; it is a common language that enables individuals to better understand themselves and those with which they...

In a recent episode of "The Thoughtful Entrepreneur," host Josh engages in a compelling conversation with Andrew Horn, the co-founder and CEO of Tribute, and the founder of the Institute for Relational Leadership. The discussion delves into Andrew's innovative work in enhancing human connections and leadership effectiveness through his two ventures. This blog post will break down the key themes and actionable insights from the episode, providing valuable guidance for listeners and readers alike.

Andrew Horn shares a deeply personal story that inspired the creation of Tribute. On his 27th birthday, his partner surprised him with a video compilation featuring heartfelt messages from 20 of his closest friends and family. This emotional gift left a lasting impression on Andrew, highlighting the profound impact of meaningful gestures. However, he quickly realized the challenges involved in creating such videos, which often required extensive coordination and technical skills. This realization led to the founding of Tribute, a platform designed to simplify the process of creating and sharing impactful video montages. Tribute has facilitated the creation of over 7 million tribute videos worldwide, with 82% of recipients reporting "tears of joy" when watching their tribute videos.

In addition to Tribute, Andrew founded the Institute for Relational Leadership, which provides training and frameworks for leaders to navigate difficult conversations and build collaborative teams. Effective leadership hinges on interpersonal dynamics and communication, and the Institute aims to equip leaders with the tools and language necessary to foster thriving relationships within their teams. The Institute has developed a five-step framework designed to help leaders engage constructively with conflict and foster collaboration. Andrew emphasizes the importance of objectivity in communication and offers practical advice for leaders, including active listening, asking open-ended questions, and maintaining composure under pressure.

Andrew Horn is an entrepreneur, speaker and leadership coach who Forbes recently called “Dale Carnegie for the digital age.”

He built his last company Tribute.co to 8-figures, millions of users and landed at #256 on the INC500 before stepping down to focus on coaching and growing IRL - the Institute for Relational Leadership.

Andrew spends most of his time helping high-impact entrepreneurs and executives to master a relationship-centric path to success, fulfillment and leadership excellence. He frequently speaks for organizations like Google, The Cleveland Clinic and he’s even been featured on the homepage of TED.com.

He's on a mission to create art that reminds him how he wants to live and his creations revolve around three core pillars; radical authenticity, personal integrity and relational mastery.

Tribute makes it easy to create and gift a love-filled group video montage. Tribute was recently #256 on the INC500 list of fastest growing companies in America. We have delivered 6,000,000+ Tributes since launching.

We are a boutique consulting firm that helps people work better, together. From unicorn startups to the Fortune 500, we equip teams with the people-centric...