The 9-Second Version.
Stanley won by paying close attention to their buyers and pivoting to offer more of what they wanted.
How can you turn the simple act of active listening into a 10x-revenue success story in your organization?
Discover.
The willingness to listen transformed everything.
Stanley had been making thermoses for over 100 years, building a solid $70 million business serving construction workers and outdoorsmen with rugged, green bottles. In 2016, they launched the Quencher—a 40-ounce insulated cup that completely flopped with their traditional customers. By 2019, Stanley had stopped restocking it entirely.
When Terence Reilly became president in 2020, he discovered something unexpected. Female influencers from “The Buy Guide” blog had fallen in love with the neglected product, using it for daily hydration rather than camping trips.
Instead of trying to salvage the Quencher with Stanley’s male audience, Reilly pivoted entirely toward women, launching vibrant colors and embracing social media marketing.
Revenue exploded from $73 million to $750 million in four years. Stanley’s breakthrough came from having the humility to hear feedback from an unexpected source and the courage to completely abandon a century-old playbook based on what they learned.
Think.
What does “active listening” mean to you?
What feedback from your peers, customers, or managers might you need to really consider?
Do.
3 Options
Option 1: The Listening Experiment
- Pick one meeting or customer interaction this week where you usually speak up. Instead, commit to being 80% listener.
- Jot down the three most surprising things you heard — then identify one small change you could make based on that insight.
Option 2: The Feedback Flash Survey
- Text or email five customers, colleagues, or team members this one simple question: “What’s one thing we could do better?”
- Collect their answers and circle the one that feels both surprising and actionable — then take the first step toward addressing it.
Option 3: Listen Like a Beginner
- Approach your product, service, or process like you’ve never seen it before.
- Ask someone outside your department (or even outside your company) to try it and give you brutally honest feedback. What blind spots are you missing?
To your creative success…
PS: Want to share this issue of Find A Way? Just copy and paste the link or forward the email version. Did someone share this with you? Subscribe here to get your own copy delivered straight to your inbox every Monday.
About Josh
Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and a globally recognized innovation expert. To learn more or to explore a collaboration, visit JoshLinkner.com