This post reminded me of the aftermath we dealt with at WooThemes earlier this year when our servers got hacked and our business was almost destroyed. Whilst that was one of the most challenging situations I've ever had to deal with, I was absolutely astounded by the reaction we received from our community. Instead of complaining & criticising, they were totally understanding, supportive & loyal.
If isolated, the situation itself obviously would not have resulted in such a positive reaction, but instead it must've been things we did prior to that experience that caused our customers to be so fantastic. Money in the bank.
So in thinking about the various ways that we've put money in the bank with WooThemes, I'd like to highlight a few things we've done really well:
- We've spent a lot of time building a brand that communicates our core values: excellence, responsive, progressive & authentic.
- We've always tried to under-promise & over-deliver.
- We've never been afraid to (openly) admit our mistakes.
- We've invested in our team, as they are the custodians of our work and our brand.
How are you putting money in the bank in your startup / company?