The what you make, and the how you make it, are obvious – definitely to you, hopefully to others. The reason why, however: that’s problematic.
In 2010, Simon Sinek delivered the “Golden Circle” TED talk that revolutionized product development and marketing. Sinek argues that the need being answered, the why, is what should be determining what you’re building, and how.
It’s an argument in favor of user research that quickly morphed into a discussion of culture and passion. For the marketer, their job is to sell the product — but Sinek pointed out what was missing, the why in the story, that changed the marketing narrative.
He explained it like this:
“As it turns out, all the great and inspiring leaders and organizations in the world, whether it’s Apple or Martin Luther King or the Wright brothers, they all think, act and communicate the exact same way. And it’s the complete opposite to everyone else. I call it the golden circle.”
The great leaders, the ones who have answered the big needs, are the ones who have found a way to explain those needs. To bring them to the surface, and to make emotions a part of their solution.
A million people can build what you’ve built. How do you make yourself the one who solves the problem?
