We have probably all heard the variation of the old saying around having two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice as much as you speak. Here are a few ways that can be really important for an early stage founder.

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Talking to customers

When approaching potential prospects during the sales process, many founders tend to speak too much pitching their product and are “talking at” their customers trying to force a sale. We have all heard those sales pitches and most people stop paying attention. Instead, ask questions and listen to what your customers really struggle with, really want to accomplish, and ask follow-up questions and listen to uncover deeper insights. The most important thing early in your business is the learnings and iterations of your problem solved, ideal customer, and value proposition.

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Talking with your team

In small startup teams, the CEO/founder often has an outsized impact. Anything they say is taken as gospel and the team immediately runs with it. When the founder speaks first, that can sometimes prevent the team from sharing different ideas and getting to a better solution. Instead, consider asking your team for their thoughts first, allow for a good discussion on the topic, and wait to speak more until the end.

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Talking to investors

Similar to speaking to customers, a lot of entrepreneurs go through a pitch and don’t ask a single question. They talk the entire time and don’t have any idea what the investor is thinking. Instead, take pauses, ask questions, and better understand what the investor is concerned about so you can talk through those areas. You would also be surprised that many investors could have some great advice for your business if you just asked or listened.

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Listening can be a powerful tool in the startup world. Remind yourself to ask questions and then truly listen to what your customers/team/investors are saying.