Lessons from Top Investors: Insights & Strategies

\"We really focused on the customer problem. We get people high quality meals... That's why we've been successful.\"

• Centering on solving customer needs drives success.
• Delivering high quality solutions enhances customer satisfaction.
• Focusing on the problem ensures products meet market demand.

\"We were feeding people what they wanted... People love burgers in this country and Omaha makes a super high quality product.\"

• Listen to customer desires to inform product offerings.
• Introduce products that align with consumer demand.
• Customer-centric approach can lead to best-selling products.

\"In the first two years... you're able to differentiate what has far higher probability of taking off versus what may or may not.\"

• Monitor early performance to assess future potential.
• Founders should demonstrate clear vision and execution capabilities early on.
• Early success reduces reliance on investor intervention.

\"Well Simple today is the leading fintech brand here in Canada... don't distract from what you have.\"

• Reinvest in areas with proven success to accelerate growth.
• Avoid distractions that can divert focus from core competencies.
• Deepen market penetration before expanding into new domains.

\"Building durable businesses over a 15-year period, solving mammoth problems... you're trying to set the company up to make really good decisions.\"

• Focus on long-term goals rather than quick gains.
• Solve large, meaningful problems to build lasting value.
• Make strategic decisions that position the company for sustained success.

\"We partnered with Omaha Steaks... launched an Omaha Steaks cheeseburger product... it was the best selling menu product in the history of Tovala.\"

• Collaborate with reputable partners to create popular products.
• Partnerships can lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
• Leverage partner's brand recognition to expand market presence.

\"Companies that really work work within the first two years... if there's a lot of intervention needed by VCs in the first two years, that usually is not a great sign.\"

• Strong early traction suggests higher probability of long-term success.
• Founders should have deep understanding of their vertical from the outset.
• Reliance on investors for core knowledge may reduce success chances.

\"We knew as we marched towards profitability that the last thing we could ever compromise was the quality of our food... find those sweet spot meals where cost to us is low, but satisfaction is super high.\"

• Identify products with high customer satisfaction but lower costs.
• Scrutinize expenses without compromising core value to customers.
• Strategic partnerships can enhance offerings and scale.

\"We thought, why can't we build the same platform in the UK and the US at the same time? It was ambitious and taught us a lot of lessons... it can be very expensive and take away focus.\"

• Expanding into new markets should be incremental with validation points.
• Overexpansion can divert resources from the core market.
• Focus on scaling where you have proven success before leaping into new geographies.

\"I think the most talented entrepreneurs will things into existence. They figure out the thing that must happen and then figure out how to make that magic actually come to light.\"

• Top founders identify critical goals and persistently find ways to achieve them.
• Building a durable business requires consistent, exceptional effort over time.
• The quality of the founding team is the most important ingredient for success.