Lovability - by Brian De Haaff (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Love is the surprising emotion that companies cannot afford to ignore. Lovability genuine, heartfelt devotion and loyalty from customers is what propels a select few companies ahead, leading to consistent growth and profitability. Think about the companies that you really care about and how they make you feel. Love is central to all human interactions, and business is made up of human interactions. Do the math and the solution is clear: love is central to business. Nobody talks about it, but it is obvious in hindsight that love is everything in all we work for and can even be measured. This book shares what Silicon Valley-based author and CEO Brian de Haaff knows from a career of founding successful technology companies and building award-winning products. He reveals the secret to his own company's growth and the engine behind customer love; a set of principles that he pioneered and named The Responsive Method. In preparation for writing this book, he interviewed innovators at dozens of name brand and out-in-front organisations to help readers discover how to build their own lovable products and be happy doing it. Much has been written about how to build a breakthrough product and successful business, but the author's message is original and refreshing. In a business world that has increasingly emphaised hype over substance and unicorns over profitable growth, it's time for a new recipe for business success. Lovability is the essential ingredient readers have been looking for." -- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

Love is the surprising emotion that company builders cannot afford to ignore.

Genuine, heartfelt devotion and loyalty from customers -- yes, love -- is what propels a select few companies ahead. Think about the products and companies that you really care about and how they make you feel. You do not merely likethose products, you adore them.

Consider your own emotions and a key insight is revealed: Love is central to business. Nobody talks about it, but it is obvious in hindsight.

Lovability: How to Build a Business That People Love and Be Happy Doing It
shares what Silicon Valley-based author and Aha! CEO Brian de Haaff knows from a career of founding successful technology companies and creating award-winning products. He reveals the secret to the phenomenal growth of Aha! and the engine that powers lasting customer devotion -- a set of principles that he pioneered and named The Responsive Method.

Lovability provides valuable lessons and actionable steps for product and company builders everywhere, including:
- Why you should rethink everything you know about building a business
- What a product really is
- The magic of finding what your customers truly desire
- How to turn business strategy and product roadmaps into customer love
- Why you should chase company value, not valuation
- Surveys to measure your company's lovability

Brian de Haaff has spent the last 20 years focused on business strategy, product management, and bringing disruptive technologies to market. And in preparation for writing this book, he interviewed well-known startup founders, product managers, executives, and CEOs at hundreds of name brand and agile organizations. Their experiences, along with headline-grabbing case studies (both inspiring successes and cautionary tales), will help readers discover how to build something that matters.

Much has been written about how entrepreneurs build innovative products and successful businesses, but the author's message is original and refreshing. He convincingly explains that there is a better path forward -- a people-first way grounded in love. In a business world that has increasingly emphasized hype over substance and get-big-at-any-cost thinking over profitable and sustainable growth, it's time for a new recipe for company success.

​Insightful, thought-provoking, and sometimes controversial, Lovability is the book that you turn to when you know there has to be a better way.

Review Quotes

A must read for innovators everywhere, this book reveals an intriguing, human-centric approach to building products and organizations that will make you rethink everything you have learned about business.

-- "Ekaterina Walter, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Think Like Zuck"

Lovability will inspire product managers everywhere to build better products.

-- "Chris Yeh, Senior Vice President of Product at Box"

Product managers will find useful guidance in the pages of Lovability.

-- "Jeff Lash, Service Director, Product Management at SiriusDecisions"

The most refreshingly original book on innovation I have read, written by someone who has consistently created products that people love. It is required reading if you want to build a breakthrough business.

-- "James Allworth, New York Times bestselling co-author of How Will You Measure Your Life?"

This book shares the secrets to building winning products and outlines a clear path to success. Tech leaders and innovators will want to keep a copy on-hand at all times.

-- "John Peters, Silicon Valley-based management consultant"

In this heartfelt debut, de Haaff, cofounder and CEO of software firm Aha!, lays out a consumer-oriented road map to success. The author obviously takes great pride in having a positive work culture at his company, and he points out that a company needs to be lovable internally as well as externally. With sensible advice and a humanistic tone, this offering will encourage companies big and small to value both customers and employees.-- "Publishers Weekly"

Lovability is a must-read leadership book for company builders. Building products that people love not only feels good for customers and employees, but is also good business.-- "Connie DeWitt, Senior Vice President, Product Management at Adaptive Insights"

About the Author

Brian de Haaff seeks business and wilderness adventure. He has more than 20 years of experience building breakthrough products and has founded multiple successful software companies. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aha! -- one of the fastest growing companies in the U.S. and the world's #1 product roadmap software. His two previous startups were acquired by well-known public companies.

Brian writes and speaks about product and company growth and the adventure of living a meaningful life. More than 200,000 people follow him on social media and he is a regular contributor to Inc., Entrepreneur, and The Huffington Post. He has been named multiple times by LinkedIn as one of the world's 10 most influential management and culture writers.

He is a proud graduate of both The University of California at Berkeley and Northwestern University. Brian lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and three sons.