From our CEO

Uncensored advice about product development and building a high-growth software company from Brian de Haaff, co-founder and CEO at Aha!

Collection884 articles
The One Thing Successful Founders Do to Create Winning Teams
December 20, 2017
The One Thing Successful Founders Do to Create Winning Teams

Were you an awkward teenager? Not yet an adult but not a kid anymore. I know there were times when I was not quite sure where I fit in and what my role was. This is the…

Hey Customer: Stop Treating Me Like a Jerk
December 19, 2017
Hey Customer: Stop Treating Me Like a Jerk

Angry customers. I have encountered a few. And I bet you have too — even if it was just in passing. Have you ever walked into a store and a rage-filled return in…

Use These 4 Words to Be More Productive in 2018
December 13, 2017
Use These 4 Words to Be More Productive in 2018

One day. Then two more. Still silence. This was several years ago when I was working at a large software company. I had sent an email to a colleague, hoping to address an…

6 Signs You Love Your Job
December 5, 2017
6 Signs You Love Your Job

“You cannot improve what you do not measure.” This is what I wrote the first time I asked our team at Aha! to evaluate our own company. I wanted to know how people really…

Hey Boss: You Are Setting Me Up for Failure
December 4, 2017
Hey Boss: You Are Setting Me Up for Failure

A terrible first day at a new job. You show up only to find your wonderful new boss is not ready for you. Nobody greets you. I would like to say I am making this up — but…

Product Manager vs. Business Analyst
November 27, 2017
Product Manager vs. Business Analyst

Product managers focus on the market and customers to guide product success. Business analysts gather technical requirements for development.

Remote Work Is Not Your Scapegoat
November 21, 2017
Remote Work Is Not Your Scapegoat

This is a tale of a company at a crossroads. Innovation had stalled. Teamwork was anemic. It was a time of stagnation. Leaders wrung their hands over the ailing…

How to Be Transparent at Work (Without Making People Cry)
November 16, 2017
How to Be Transparent at Work (Without Making People Cry)

Extreme openness. This was the original intention of the open-office design. Breaking down walls would also break down barriers — everyone could exchange ideas throughout…

Your Company Is Not a Democracy
November 14, 2017
Your Company Is Not a Democracy

Company leaders need to make decisions for the entire team. Learn how to make everyone feel equally invested even if they did not get to vote.

How to Silence the Office Donkey
November 13, 2017
How to Silence the Office Donkey

My friend Mary recently shared a recurring nightmare. It involved a twisted metamorphosis into a donkey. It was Disney’s fault — specifically, the film Pinocchio. You…

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