Making Things Click is a 5-part series with bestselling author John Zeratsky, diving into the core ideas of his new book Click. Through real-world lessons and a powerful 2-day method called the Foundation Sprint, John shares how startups can avoid failure, build with clarity, and create products that truly connect with customers.
How to Give Your Startup Unlimited Chances to Succeed | John Zeratsky (Author of Make Time, Sprint, Click)
Author John Zeratsky discusses using short iteration cycles and design sprints to quickly validate startup ideas and learn from customer feedback in this interview.
1 Jun 2025
What If Your First Startup Idea Is Totally Wrong? | (John Zeratsky Author of Make Time, Sprint, Click)
Author John Zeratsky discusses the concept of the pre-pivot, which encourages teams to explore alternative approaches before building, potentially saving time and improving success chances, in this interview.
18 May 2025
Why Nobody Gets Your Product and How to Fix It | (John Zeratsky Author of Make Time, Sprint, Click)
In this third episode of the 5-part podcast series Making Things Click, bestselling author and venture capitalist John Zeratsky breaks down how to make your product actually stand out in a crowded market. It’s not enough to build something great — you need to build something radically different and communicate that difference clearly from day one.
Drawing on insights from his new book Click and his experience designing products at Google Ventures, John shares how top teams use a simple but powerful 2×2 framework to identify true differentiation. You’ll also learn how to root your positioning in unique advantages and create messaging that customers instantly understand — and repeat.
If you're building something new, this episode will change how you think about product strategy, communication, and the “click” moment that sets breakthrough ideas apart.
Timestamps:
00:00 Why most products fail to stand out
01:05 The difference between building and communicating differentiation
02:22 What truly makes a product “10X better”
03:34 Why customers repeat your marketing (or don’t)
05:11 How to identify your team’s unique advantage
07:10 Inside the 2×2 differentiation chart
12:01 The Google Meet vs Skype example
15:20 Why you need to test positioning before you build
17:44 Creating a “mini manifesto” for team alignment
20:11 How differentiation drives internal and external clarity
📘 Learn more and order the book Click: https://www.theclickbook.com/
12 May 2025
The First 3 Things Founders Get Wrong | John Zeratsky (Author of Make Time, Sprint, Click)
In the second episode of 'Making Things Click,' author John Zeratsky discusses the importance of understanding your customers, the unique advantages of your team, and identifying your competitors. John highlights the significance of the Foundation Sprint, a proven two-day method to kickstart projects and align them with customer needs. Drawing from his vast experience, John emphasizes that sustainable success is built on a deep understanding and focus on the customer. He also introduces the 'Note and Vote' method for effective team collaboration and decision-making and underscores the importance of being aware of direct and indirect competitors to differentiate your product successfully.00:00 Introduction to Making Things Click00:31 The Importance of Understanding Your Customer02:25 The Foundation Sprint Method05:43 The Note and Vote Technique08:21 Identifying Unique Team Advantages12:46 Understanding and Analyzing Competitors17:44 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser
Learn more and buy the book at https://www.theclickbook.com/
30 Apr 2025
Why Most Startups Fail And How to Fix It in 2 Days | John Zeratsky (Author of Sprint, Make Time, Click)
In the first episode of 'Making Things Click,' author John Zeratsky discusses the core ideas from his new book 'Click' and introduces the concept of the Foundation Sprint. This proven two-day method helps teams clearly define and test the hypotheses behind new products, services, and projects to significantly increase their chances of success. John shares insights from his extensive experience with successful startups and his work at Google Ventures, emphasizing the importance of crafting a clear founding hypothesis and involving key decision-makers in the process. Tune in to learn how focusing on the right problems, understanding your customers, and differentiating from competitors are critical steps to building something that truly 'clicks.'
00:00 Introduction to Making Things Click
00:20 Meet John Zeratsky
00:39 The Foundation Sprint Concept
01:11 Challenges of Creating Something New
02:10 The Importance of a Clear Hypothesis
02:22 Developing the Foundation Sprint
02:33 The Role of Character Capital
02:54 Lessons from Google and Startups
03:24 Creating a Compelling Promise
03:51 The Founding Hypothesis
04:24 The Need for a Foundation Sprint
04:42 Implementing the Foundation Sprint
06:18 Character Labs and Early Founders
06:55 Refining the Foundation Sprint
08:05 Goals and Purpose of the Foundation Sprint
09:16 Executing a Successful Foundation Sprint
10:10 Team Dynamics in a Sprint
13:03 Optimal Team Size
14:36 Writing the Book
15:55 Summary and Conclusion
Learn more and buy the book at https://www.theclickbook.com/
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