Navigating Growth: A Strategic Evolution at Kinetic

When we embarked on the journey of creating Kinetic and developing the Trackboard.app, our vision was clear – to build a platform that truly catered to the needs of our customers. From the outset, we understood the importance of aligning our product with the real-world challenges faced by businesses. Our Minimum Viable Product (MVP) wasn't just a prototype; it was piloted with a paying customer.

Initially, our goal was ambitious: to integrate program management, performance management, and talent management into one cohesive platform. However, the reality of being a bootstrapped company hit home, and we had to confront the luxury of time. Recognizing the need to prioritize and deliver value sooner, I engaged with potential customers and partners to identify where the pain points were most acute.

To my surprise, and perhaps not-so-surprisingly, given my prior experience as a consultant, we uncovered a substantial gap in corporate strategy planning, programming, and execution. It was a pivotal moment that led us to question why we shouldn't pivot our focus. And so, the transformation began.

The Learning Experience:

Customer-Centric Iteration: Our initial approach emphasized building a comprehensive, all-encompassing platform. However, engaging with customers allowed us to adopt a more customer-centric iteration. We learned to listen actively, understand pain points, and iterate our product to meet immediate needs.

Agility in Adapting: As a bootstrapped startup, agility became our forte. The ability to pivot swiftly and realign our focus based on market needs was crucial. It taught us the value of adaptability and staying attuned to the evolving customers' challenges and needs.

Discovering the Strategy Gap: The realization of the strategy planning gap was not just a revelation but a strategic epiphany. It underscored the significance of strategic alignment and execution in the success of businesses. We embraced the idea that strategy should be at the forefront of organizational tools.

Why Focus on Corporate Strategy at the time:

Immediate Impact: Strategy planning, programming, and execution addressed an immediate and critical need for our customers. It provided tangible solutions that made a significant impact on their day-to-day operations.

Market Relevance: The shift toward strategy planning allowed us to align with market trends and respond to the pressing demands of businesses. It ensured that the Trackboard.app remained not just relevant but ahead of the curve.

Sustainable Growth: Prioritizing strategy planning laid the foundation for sustainable growth. It positioned us as a vital partner for businesses navigating the complexities of strategic alignment and execution.

When building a startup, the journey is as significant as the destination. Our experience taught us that the ability to pivot strategically in response to customer needs is very important when bootstrapping. While our original vision of an all-encompassing platform hasn't faded, it has evolved to encompass a more strategic focus. Trackboard.app, shaped by the insights gained along the way, is now not just a product but a strategic ally for businesses on their journey to success. This iterative process, driven by a commitment to customer-centricity, continues to define our approach as a bootstrapped startup carving its niche in the human capital and resource management (HCM) competitive landscape. Now the good news is that our customers are beginning to request a Performance Management tool for the rest of their employees, and we will be piloting the new platform with paying customers.

Trackboard.app - A Strategy Development Platform

When we started building Trackboardapp by Kinetic (a strategy development platform) before the pandemic, we wanted to help bring efficiency, transparency, and speed to strategy development, mapping, and implementation . Now, I am most motivated by the fact that business leaders, institutions, and their employees are able to design and see their strategic goals implemented in real-time and the progress of their organization-wide mission from anywhere in the world on Trackboard. Fortunately, businesses have gone or/are going full remote or hybrid now, and naturally, adapting to a new change isn't always easy. Our foremost strategy consulting partner Ausso Leadership Academy led by Mr Austin Okere is doing fantastic work in easing customers on Trackboard by Kinetic digital transformation journey. It is surreal to see the leadership of publicly traded companies leading their organizational-wide digital transformation journey with the help of Trackboard. Like we always say, business le...

The B2B Advantage: The Significance of Partnerships in Launching trackboard.app

In B2B product development, partnerships are more than just beneficial; they're often the key to successful product launch. Our journey with Trackboard.app by Kinetic illuminated the profound importance of forging strong partnerships when launching a B2B product. Here are the essential lessons we've learned: 1. Access to New Markets: Partnerships open doors to new markets and customer segments. Collaborating with established entities provides access to their existing clientele and networks, giving your product a head start. 2. Industry Expertise: Partnering with organizations that have industry-specific expertise can be a game-changer. Their insights into the unique challenges and needs of your target market can guide your product's development. 3. Credibility and Trust: Established partners bring credibility and trust to your product. Their endorsement can significantly boost your reputation and validate your offering in the eyes of potential customers. It would have ...

My Journey to Building a Leading Strategy Execution Platform

As an engineer by training, my journey to building and leading a Strategy Execution platform has been fascinating and transformative. Throughout my college years, I immersed myself in the world of mechanical engineering, honing my technical skills and developing a deep understanding of complex systems. Little did I know that this foundation would serve as the launching pad for my future endeavors in the realm of strategy execution. My early career was dedicated to applying my engineering expertise to various projects, from designing innovative machines to optimizing production processes at Kia Motors. It was during this time that I first encountered the challenges organizations face when it comes to executing their strategic plans. I became increasingly intrigued by the gap between strategy formulation and its successful implementation. This gap often resulted in missed opportunities, unrealized potential, and, importantly, wasted human and capital resources. "It is estimated...

The Benefits of Strategic Mission Alignment for Organizations

I have been asked why organizations should take strategic mission alignment seriously. Here is my answer. Photo by Edz Norton Strategic mission alignment is a crucial aspect of organizational management. It involves aligning the organization's mission and goals with the actions and decisions of its employees. This alignment is vital because it ensures that everyone in the organization is working towards the same goals and objectives. This, in turn, can lead to several benefits for the organization, including increased productivity, improved efficiency, and tremendous success in achieving its strategic goals. Photo by Arjan de Jong One of the key benefits of strategic mission alignment is that it helps ensure that all employees work towards the same goals. It means increased collaboration and teamwork, directly or indirectly improving productivity and efficiency. Additionally, when employees work towards common goals, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged, leading to bett...

90% of strategy often fail, Why?

Yesterday, while dressing up my 3-year-old daughter Halona. I was slightly surprised when she asked me why the food was not working. To her, the food she eats ought to have given her everything to be as big and tall as her mum. I showed her the clothes she wore when she was a year old and asked her to try them on; they wouldn't fit (she was able to see the growth, a measure of success). I then assured her that she would be as big as Mama one day if she continued to eat good food and a balanced diet (strategy for growth). Come to think of it, most businesses are like Halona. Every business has a vision and mission. When organizations design strategies to implement their strategic goals, it's a no-brainer that they define a measure of success, usually for a quarter or a year (short to long-term strategic goals). Now imagine, what will happen to a business when they need to measure the effectiveness of its strategic plan without having efficient tools or processes to do it. It is...

The Watering Can Principle: A Sustainable Approach to Startup Growth

Once upon a time, there was a young entrepreneur named Lily. She was passionate about creating innovative products that would improve people's lives. After years of planning and hard work, Lily finally launched her startup. Excited to see her dream come to fruition, Lily invested all her resources in marketing campaigns, hiring, and other initiatives. She wanted her business to proliferate, believing that more funding was the key. Photo by David Ballew on Unsplash But things didn't go as planned. Despite a strong start, Lily's business started to falter. Sales were slowing down, and she struggled to attract new customers. She soon realized that her approach to growth had been flawed. She had focused too much ...

Overcoming Challenges: How I Mastered Strategy Design

Welcome to Day 2 of our 30-day journey into the world of strategy execution. Today, I want to share with you my personal experiences and insights on how I overcame challenges and mastered the art of strategy design. Building upon the foundation of my engineering background, I discovered the power of strategic thinking and its impact on successful strategy execution. The Importance of Strategy Design: Strategy design lays the groundwork for effective execution. It involves crafting a clear vision, defining goals, and outlining the steps required to achieve them. However, designing a robust strategy has its challenges. It requires a deep understanding of the business landscape, anticipating future trends, and aligning resources to maximize outcomes. My Journey to Mastery: Early on in my career, I realized that strategy design was an area where I could make a significant impact. I delved into research, studied best practices, and sought mentorship from industry experts. Thi...

Strategy and Digital Transformation

Search This Blog