LinkedIn Names Aha! #2 on 2018 Top Voices List
November 20, 2018

LinkedIn Names Aha! #2 on 2018 Top Voices List

by Brian de Haaff

It has been another terrific year at Aha! — I am grateful. Grateful for our team’s growth and that our product is solving a very real problem for more than 600,000 product builders. And I am grateful that so many of you take the time to follow our writing here and on LinkedIn where I have contributed hundreds of articles. In the spirit of sharing appreciation, I want to thank you.

Once again, LinkedIn named me to their list of the best writers on management and workplace topics.

Being consistently recognized on this list over the last few years has been an honor. But even more gratifying is that I can share the Aha! story with others. I started sharing this story early on, in the company’s early stages.

Back then, I was writing about taking a more human-centric approach to business — one that puts people and profit first. A lot of startups at the time were making headlines for fairly ruthless approaches, chasing scale and valuation at any cost, and questionable behavior. So, this idea of putting people at the heart of business seemed radical to some. But the value of our approach seemed obvious to us.

I called it “lovability” and eventually wrote a bestselling book on the topic. Now, I am writing about the paradox of building a lovable, high-growth software company. The goal remains the same — share what works for us and inspire other company builders to think differently and put people and profit first.

Many of you have told me that Iovability is needed. I have received thousands of comments and messages. Some of you have said that our ideas really resonate with you and you want to know more. And some of you have presented strong opinions along the way. I enjoy reading your messages. Without open conversation, there is no growth.

But I know there is something we can all agree on — we must treat all people with respect and work to be better tomorrow than we are today.

This is why we put people first and it is the essence of the Aha! story. It is also why I hope to inspire you to imagine better business and a better world. Life is short and we spend much of it at work. We must keep learning how to serve each other — as teammates, as leaders, as customer advocates, and simply as people.

Thoughtful leadership and serving others are topics that I will continue to explore in 2019. The world needs these messages now more than ever. I hope you will join me.

What else would you like to see me write about next year?

Your team is begging for a better way to work. Start a free 30-day trial of Aha!

Brian de Haaff

Brian de Haaff

Brian seeks business and wilderness adventure. He is the co-founder and CEO of Aha! — the world’s #1 product development software — and the author of the bestseller Lovability and The Startup Adventure newsletter. Brian writes and speaks about product and company growth and the journey of pursuing a meaningful life.

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