Week 1
Week 1 Cheddar Chat
For your initial post in the Week 1 Cheddar Chat, introduce yourself and tell everyone a little bit about you,
your hobbies, what you’re passionate about, and what you do. Also include your contact information if
you’d like as well (Twitter, LinkedIn, email, etc.) so that you can continue to network with each other. To
complete the Week 1 Cheddar Chat, comment beneath the Week 1 Cheddar Chat video on Facebook
Hello All, my name is Tracee Smith and I am not sure what I am supposed to say. I am currently
an Invoice Specialist 3, at a major supplemental Insurance company. I have been working there
for the past 13 years, it will be 14 in May. I am currently in a relationship for the past 16 years,
we are supposed to get married this year, but that is up for discussion. I am also a mother, to 2
fur babies, Sampson, who is a lab mix, he is 9 years old and Nigel, a morkipoo, he is 22 months
old (they are a handful).
10 years ago my Fiancée had a heart attack at 25 years old, he had what they called a widow
maker, but with his age and strength he survived it, but it was found out that he had a major heart
condition, As time passed it got worse and worse, until 2013 or 14, his doctor decided that he
should be placed on the heart transplant list…he was finally placed on the list 2015. On July 1.
2016 he received a heart transplant. Since I am a teleworker, I work from home, I was able to be
with my Fiancé while he was recovering. During the time he was recovering I was able to work
from my laptop, that’s why I have a love hate relationship with it. So if you ever hear my
complaining about it…you know why!!!!
You can view my information on LinkedIn….www.linkedin.com/in/traceesmith41993
Email:
Facebook: Tracee Smith
The High Growth Thinking Exercise
What is Product-Market Fit and why is it so important when developing a product?
Product/market fit means being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market.
You can always feel when product/market fit isn’t happening. The customers
aren’t quite getting value out of the product, word of mouth isn’t spreading,
usage isn’t growing that fast, press reviews are kind of ‘blah’, the sales cycle
takes too long, and lots of deals never close. And you can always feel
product/market fit when it’s happening. The
,customers are buying the product just as fast as you can make it — or usage
is growing just as fast as you can add more servers. Money from customers
is piling up in your company checking account. You’re hiring sales and
customer support staff as fast as you can. Reporters are calling because
they’ve heard about your hot new thing and they want to talk to you about
it. You start getting entrepreneur of the year awards from Harvard Business
School. Investment bankers are staking out your house. You could eat free
for a year at Buck’s.” Marc Andreessen
https://a16z.com/2017/02/18/12-things-about-product-market-fit
Bonus Question
1. There are steps in the lean product process
4
5
6
7
Week 2
For your initial post in the Week 2 Cheddar Chat, think about this week’s Live Lesson and then answer the
following questions: What problem does the product or service associated with your business address? When
developing a problem statement, why should you start with the customer experience? Why is it important to
listen to your customers when addressing a problem? How will you ensure that you do so?
I currently work for the supplemental Insurance company, Aflac.
, What problem does the product or service associated with your business address? Aflac is a company
that was founded as company that pays the insured, and not the provider. When the insured
files
a claim, the payment is sent to the insured. Since major insurance is used to pay for the
provider, our insurance is actually used to pay the customer/insured, to help when its
needed. We are a policy of hope. “We hope that you never have to use us, but when you do
we are actually there”
When developing a problem statement, why should you start with the customer experience ? At the core
of everything involved in creating a startup is the problem. But many times, the best
product for solving that problem doesn’t win. Why? Because the makers of that solution
are really good at solving said problem, but not good at all at explaining what exactly the
problem is. In other words, the entrepreneur who can communicate better usually wins.
That is why it is so vitally important to be able to explain the problem you are solving to
anyone so that they understand it completely
Why is it important to listen to your customers when addressing a problem? Always listen to your
customers/Insureds. They have complained for a reason and it is important to understand
why they are complaining. Always take time to listen and understand what their problem
is. To maintain quality from all support personnel. When your customer/insured has a
legitimate complaint, it needs to be solved. If the issue has been or can be repeated, make
the necessary changes so you do not receive another complaint.
How will you ensure that you do so? Actively listen to what is being said or to read everything
that the customer or insured and email or written to understand what their issue is. Once
the problem is received either call or email the policyholder that we have received their
request and that we are trying to resolve their issue and that we will let them know once it
has been completed.
High Growth Thinking Exercise
Why is it important to spend a lot of time in the Problem Space before moving to the Solution
Space when it comes to product development?
Albert Einstein purportedly said that, given one hour to save the world, he
would spend 55 minutes defining the problem and 5 minutes finding the
solution.
A well-defined problem often contains its own solution within it, and that solution is
usually quite obvious and straightforward. By defining problems properly, you make
them easier to solve, which means saving time, money and resources.
Defining problems is simple and any difficulty that arises is because
it requires patience, repetition and thorough examination. It is the most
important element of critical thinking.
Week 1 Cheddar Chat
For your initial post in the Week 1 Cheddar Chat, introduce yourself and tell everyone a little bit about you,
your hobbies, what you’re passionate about, and what you do. Also include your contact information if
you’d like as well (Twitter, LinkedIn, email, etc.) so that you can continue to network with each other. To
complete the Week 1 Cheddar Chat, comment beneath the Week 1 Cheddar Chat video on Facebook
Hello All, my name is Tracee Smith and I am not sure what I am supposed to say. I am currently
an Invoice Specialist 3, at a major supplemental Insurance company. I have been working there
for the past 13 years, it will be 14 in May. I am currently in a relationship for the past 16 years,
we are supposed to get married this year, but that is up for discussion. I am also a mother, to 2
fur babies, Sampson, who is a lab mix, he is 9 years old and Nigel, a morkipoo, he is 22 months
old (they are a handful).
10 years ago my Fiancée had a heart attack at 25 years old, he had what they called a widow
maker, but with his age and strength he survived it, but it was found out that he had a major heart
condition, As time passed it got worse and worse, until 2013 or 14, his doctor decided that he
should be placed on the heart transplant list…he was finally placed on the list 2015. On July 1.
2016 he received a heart transplant. Since I am a teleworker, I work from home, I was able to be
with my Fiancé while he was recovering. During the time he was recovering I was able to work
from my laptop, that’s why I have a love hate relationship with it. So if you ever hear my
complaining about it…you know why!!!!
You can view my information on LinkedIn….www.linkedin.com/in/traceesmith41993
Email:
Facebook: Tracee Smith
The High Growth Thinking Exercise
What is Product-Market Fit and why is it so important when developing a product?
Product/market fit means being in a good market with a product that can satisfy that market.
You can always feel when product/market fit isn’t happening. The customers
aren’t quite getting value out of the product, word of mouth isn’t spreading,
usage isn’t growing that fast, press reviews are kind of ‘blah’, the sales cycle
takes too long, and lots of deals never close. And you can always feel
product/market fit when it’s happening. The
,customers are buying the product just as fast as you can make it — or usage
is growing just as fast as you can add more servers. Money from customers
is piling up in your company checking account. You’re hiring sales and
customer support staff as fast as you can. Reporters are calling because
they’ve heard about your hot new thing and they want to talk to you about
it. You start getting entrepreneur of the year awards from Harvard Business
School. Investment bankers are staking out your house. You could eat free
for a year at Buck’s.” Marc Andreessen
https://a16z.com/2017/02/18/12-things-about-product-market-fit
Bonus Question
1. There are steps in the lean product process
4
5
6
7
Week 2
For your initial post in the Week 2 Cheddar Chat, think about this week’s Live Lesson and then answer the
following questions: What problem does the product or service associated with your business address? When
developing a problem statement, why should you start with the customer experience? Why is it important to
listen to your customers when addressing a problem? How will you ensure that you do so?
I currently work for the supplemental Insurance company, Aflac.
, What problem does the product or service associated with your business address? Aflac is a company
that was founded as company that pays the insured, and not the provider. When the insured
files
a claim, the payment is sent to the insured. Since major insurance is used to pay for the
provider, our insurance is actually used to pay the customer/insured, to help when its
needed. We are a policy of hope. “We hope that you never have to use us, but when you do
we are actually there”
When developing a problem statement, why should you start with the customer experience ? At the core
of everything involved in creating a startup is the problem. But many times, the best
product for solving that problem doesn’t win. Why? Because the makers of that solution
are really good at solving said problem, but not good at all at explaining what exactly the
problem is. In other words, the entrepreneur who can communicate better usually wins.
That is why it is so vitally important to be able to explain the problem you are solving to
anyone so that they understand it completely
Why is it important to listen to your customers when addressing a problem? Always listen to your
customers/Insureds. They have complained for a reason and it is important to understand
why they are complaining. Always take time to listen and understand what their problem
is. To maintain quality from all support personnel. When your customer/insured has a
legitimate complaint, it needs to be solved. If the issue has been or can be repeated, make
the necessary changes so you do not receive another complaint.
How will you ensure that you do so? Actively listen to what is being said or to read everything
that the customer or insured and email or written to understand what their issue is. Once
the problem is received either call or email the policyholder that we have received their
request and that we are trying to resolve their issue and that we will let them know once it
has been completed.
High Growth Thinking Exercise
Why is it important to spend a lot of time in the Problem Space before moving to the Solution
Space when it comes to product development?
Albert Einstein purportedly said that, given one hour to save the world, he
would spend 55 minutes defining the problem and 5 minutes finding the
solution.
A well-defined problem often contains its own solution within it, and that solution is
usually quite obvious and straightforward. By defining problems properly, you make
them easier to solve, which means saving time, money and resources.
Defining problems is simple and any difficulty that arises is because
it requires patience, repetition and thorough examination. It is the most
important element of critical thinking.
