From Invisible to Unforgettable:

How Startups Win Busy Customers

In today’s blink-and-scroll economy, grabbing a moment of a consumer’s attention can feel like chasing sunlight through a window blind. If you’re a startup, that moment is your shot to prove you're worth remembering — and it’s fleeting. Winning that attention and converting it into loyalty isn’t about making noise; it’s about showing up with precision, relevance, and timing. Let’s dig into real-world strategies that turn strangers into believers and believers into your biggest fans.

Cutting Through Noise

Your audience is saturated. Ads blink from every angle, influencers push ten brands before breakfast, and inboxes are digital landfills. To compete, your marketing must not just exist — it must interrupt without irritating. You need digital marketing strategies that convert customers, especially if you’re a startup trying to gain ground quickly. Smart founders anchor themselves in highly targeted messaging and surgical timing, often choosing hyperlocal campaigns, referral loops, or event-based pings to break through the clutter. Pair that with authentic, helpful content, and you're no longer noise — you're the one voice that matters.

Personalized Hooks

Generalized pitches are fast food for attention — convenient, forgettable, and empty. Personalized marketing is the seven-course meal. By leveraging user data, behavior cues, and psychographic profiling, startups can tailor their marketing to users in ways that feel less like selling and more like helping. Consider dynamically generated product recommendations, localized landing pages, or behavior-triggered emails that speak to a user’s specific context. The goal? Make them feel like your brand was built just for them. Personalization isn’t just a feature — it’s a trust builder.

Aggressive Launch Tactics

Early-stage traction often comes down to how loud, different, or compelling your first moves are. That doesn’t mean overhyping or overpromising — it means bold launch moves that slice through apathy. Think unexpected giveaways, timed exclusivity, or a challenge that goes viral for the right reason. But keep in mind: aggression needs grounding. Pair every punchy tactic with a safety net of operational readiness — nothing kills loyalty like a broken promise wrapped in good intentions. You get one chance to be “new” — make it count.

UX‑Driven Experience

Attention is fragile. One clunky form, one confusing button, one second too long — and your user’s gone. Designing for ease isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. You make it a UX-Driven design by intentionally crafting each touchpoint for the busy customer, to reduce friction and increase satisfaction. Whether it’s through mobile-first design, intuitive flows, or fast-loading pages, you’re shaping an emotional memory. The best brands don’t just look good — they feel good.

Earning an MBA

The more complex your ambitions, the more clarity you need to pull them off. That’s why structured learning can make all the difference. For startup founders juggling team building, product development, and market penetration, formal education like an MBA sharpens decision-making, clarifies financial strategies, and elevates operational thinking. It’s not about theory — it’s about practical frameworks you can bend into action. For many, finding success with an MBA means fewer rookie mistakes, better leadership habits, and faster traction in crowded markets.

Loyalty Blueprint

Loyalty doesn’t arrive in the mail. It’s engineered. Startups must think beyond points and perks — they need emotionally resonant systems that reward not just purchases, but participation. Consider a loyalty program and rewards tiers that evolve with the customer. Maybe your most vocal advocate gets a sneak peek of the next feature. Or maybe loyal users shape the roadmap. Build in moments that surprise, delight, and recognize — and you’ll earn more than repeat business; you’ll earn allegiance.

Retention Culture

It’s not enough for your brand to care about the customer. Your people need to breathe it. Building a culture obsessed with customers starts at the top — with founders who model curiosity, gratitude, and adaptability. Train your team to see feedback as fuel. Celebrate moments when someone goes above and beyond, and document them into playbooks. Customers don’t stay for the product; they stay because they feel seen. Loyalty is not a metric — it’s a mirror of your internal values made visible.

Busy consumers don’t give second chances. They reward clarity, relevance, and relationship. Startups who survive the noise do so by earning trust one touchpoint at a time — not by shouting, but by showing up where it matters. And the ones who win? They’re not louder. They’re sharper, kinder, and more attuned. Attention isn’t the goal — it’s the doorway. Loyalty is what waits on the other side.

Unlock your potential with Suberla Consulting and let Dee G Suberla guide you through transformative leadership and personal development tailored to your unique needs.

Poof You're A Project Manager And Other Delusions of Grandeur

Poof! You're a Project Manager from an Amazon customer

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

Employee training is often seen as a necessary expense, but when done right, it becomes a powerful investment. The challenge is determining when it’s truly worth the time and resources and ensuring that the training aligns with your business goals. Not all training is created equal, and different teams have different needs. Investing wisely requires a strategic approach that balances company objectives with employee growth. The right training programs can boost productivity, improve retention, and enhance workplace culture. However, the wrong approach can waste money and leave employees disengaged. Here’s how to determine when training is the right choice and how to pick the most effective programs for your team.

New Technologies Mean Disruptions

Technology is evolving faster than ever, and businesses that fail to keep up often fall behind. When new tools, software, or systems are introduced, employees need proper training to adapt. Without it, productivity drops, mistakes increase, and frustration builds among staff. Investing in upskilling ensures that employees can leverage new technologies effectively rather than struggle with outdated methods. If your industry is seeing rapid technological shifts, training should be an ongoing priority rather than a one-time initiative.

Performance Gaps

If you notice that certain employees or departments are consistently underperforming, training might be the missing piece. Whether it's a lack of technical skills, weak leadership abilities, or poor customer service, structured learning can address these gaps. Performance reviews and key performance indicators (KPIs) can help pinpoint areas in need of improvement. Training programs designed to target specific weaknesses can lead to measurable improvements in efficiency and output. Before making a hiring decision to replace struggling employees, investing in training may offer a more cost-effective and morale-boosting alternative.

Employee Retention

High turnover rates are a sign that something isn’t working in your workplace culture. Employees want opportunities to grow, and if they don’t see a path forward, they’ll seek it elsewhere. Providing training and development opportunities signals to employees that you’re invested in their careers. This can increase loyalty, job satisfaction, and overall engagement. When training is tied to career advancement, employees are more likely to stay and contribute at a higher level. Investing in education and mentorship programs can make the difference between losing top talent and building a committed workforce.

Compliance and Safety

Some industries have strict regulatory requirements, and failing to meet them can result in heavy fines or legal issues. Regular training ensures that employees stay up to date with the latest compliance rules, safety procedures, and industry standards. This is especially crucial in fields such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, where mistakes can have serious consequences. A well-trained staff reduces risks, improves workplace safety, and minimizes liability. Even in less regulated industries, compliance training can help foster ethical decision-making and responsible business practices.

Strengthen Leadership and Management

Strong leadership is critical to long-term business success, but great leaders aren’t born—they’re developed. If your company struggles with team motivation, decision-making bottlenecks, or ineffective communication, leadership training can help. Providing management training to new and existing leaders ensures they have the skills to guide their teams effectively. Investing in leadership development also creates a pipeline for future managers, reducing the need for external hires. Employees who see a clear path to leadership are more likely to stay engaged and contribute at a higher level.

Innovation and Creativity Are Key to Growth

Some companies prioritize efficiency, while others thrive on creativity and innovation. If your business relies on staying ahead of industry trends, training can fuel new ideas and fresh perspectives. Encouraging employees to learn about emerging trends, problem-solving techniques, and creative thinking can lead to breakthrough innovations. Cross-training employees in different areas of the business can also spark new ideas by exposing them to different viewpoints. A culture of continuous learning ensures that employees don’t just maintain the status quo but actively push boundaries.
Choose the Right Training Approach

Not all training programs will deliver the results you’re looking for, so selecting the right approach is crucial. First, identify your goals—whether it’s improving technical skills, boosting leadership, or increasing overall efficiency. Next, consider how your employees learn best. Some may thrive in hands-on workshops, while others prefer online courses or mentorship programs. For example, if you have people who need more to build technical skills in IT, this is a good choice. Tailoring training to fit different learning styles improves engagement and retention. Finally, measure success through follow-up assessments, feedback, and performance improvements. A training program should be an ongoing process that adapts to evolving business needs.

Investing in staff training isn’t just about ticking a box, it’s about creating a more capable, motivated, and engaged workforce. The key is recognizing when training is needed and aligning it with business goals. Whether it’s adapting to new technologies, closing performance gaps, or fostering leadership, the right training programs make all the difference. By choosing a strategic approach, you ensure that training delivers real value rather than becoming a wasted expense.

Unlock your potential with expert guidance from Suberla Consulting and transform your leadership journey with tailored coaching, consulting, and speaking solutions.

Poof You're A Project Manager And Other Delusions of Grandeur

Poof! You're a Project Manager from an Amazon customer

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

Here we are at the end of another year and things are still picking up speed! I had a quick and exciting trip to Nashville to witness the making of the audible version of C’mon Let’s Play, my latest book. The picture above is of the voice actor, Carrie Brewer, and me bursting with excitement to meet her! As a reminder, C'mon Let's Play is about playing around with different ways of thinking to move toward those things you’d like to achieve. I share a few stories and give examples of how it worked for me. This was such a great experience.

The advice from C’mon Let’s Play continues to work for me because I’m moving forward on my passion for writing and am officially announcing my new business: Oak Line Press.  Yep, that’s right, I’m publishing my own books as well as books for others looking to publish business books to share the wealth of knowledge they’ve gathered over the years. Creating an Audible book after publication of the print copies was a common request.

Have you already published? Let me know if you'd like to create an audible version - I'd love to help you!

There will be more about Oak Line Press and the release of my audio book in 2023. I've got to say that I am just loving closing 2022 with announcing a new book release and a new business. The C'mon Let's Play audio book will be out in Q1 2023.

We have a couple new webinar recordings if you didn't attend the live meetings go to the Coach & Free Webinar page to check them out. There's a lot good information there.

• Colleen Dixon and I had a great time creating Your 2nd Act. It's for those of you who are looking to begin a new role that is more in line with you'd really like to be doing with your time. Both of us have done this and have been quite happy with the outcomes.
• Gary Chin did a great job as always, on sharing the highlights of PMBOK 7 – plus he answered a lot of questions from the attendees.  

I was lucky to present From Research to Management - Making the Leap to a great group at the University of Illinois at the Chicago Campus. We had a great time and I had the chance to meet with some of the 4th year students afterward during lunch.

Matt Curin, Director, Nemolizumab Project Management at Galderma and I are getting ready to teach another session for the University of Chicago on Leadership and Project Management in Healthcare, staring in January 2023.

If you are looking to present some useful business information or would like to see a specific topic addressed in a webinar, please let me know – I’d love to make it happen! In the meantime… think about writing a book – I can help!

 Links

Want to write a book? Have a book you'd like extend into an audio book? Let's chat 

Colleen Dixon and Dee Suberla present Your 2nd Act – check out the video

Gary Chin shared his take on the new edition of PMBOK. Check out the video.

Poof You're A Project Manager And Other Delusions of Grandeur

Poof! You're a Project Manager from an Amazon customer

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

Working with a business coach can provide several advantages, not the least of which is learning more about how to communicate more effectively with employees or clients. A great business coach can also help you stay motivated or develop a new ability, depending on your specific needs. Write out a list of things you’d like to work on before meeting with a potential coach in your industry to ensure they’ll be a good fit. Consider whether you need individual or group sessions in case your team can benefit as well. Check out the services at Suberla Consulting to get an idea of the advantages a business coach can bring to your company. Interested in a free 30-minute session? Just send an email to Dee by the end of August 2022 be sure to mention this blog in the subject line.

 Here are the top four signs that you need the services of a pro:

Your communication skills aren’t what they could be

Do you have trouble getting your ideas across? Is it hard to manage your team and keep everyone productive and on the same page? Do you often feel frustrated during meetings because your voice isn’t being heard? It might be time to learn better communication skills. Many people are surprised to find that this is something they need to be taught, assuming that it will come naturally; however, actively listening, asking open-ended questions, and being mindful of body language are all important aspects of communication that are often overlooked and must be practiced. In fact, you can start by talking to the pros at Suberla Consulting about the communication methods they use with their clients.

You’re having trouble staying motivated

Whether you’re having a hard time communicating or just aren’t feeling inspired as an entrepreneur anymore, a business coach can help you refocus your goals so that you’re able to shake off those negative feelings. Utilizing certain tools can help you maximize productivity, and you can also learn tactics that will help you change up your daily business operations to make them more efficient. This will ensure that you’re not stuck on time-consuming practices that fill you with dread every day. Make note of the specific issues you’re having so that when you meet with a coach for the first time, you can find out what their solutions will be; keep in mind that you can request a complimentary consultation to ensure that you’re both a good fit for one another.

You have a hard time saying no

Whether you own your business or are managing a team, being unable to say “no” or delegate can also lead to feelings of burnout. It’s common for individuals in leadership roles to take on too much and end up feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied with their job as a result, but you can learn how to decline diplomatically when someone asks for too much of your time or energy. A business coach can teach you how to delegate and find your own strength without compromising your relationships.

Your business is growing too quickly

While many entrepreneurs would consider this a great problem to have, it can be stressful when your business starts to outgrow your processes. Whether you don’t have enough employees to handle the workload–which adds to your own plate–or your tools aren’t advanced enough to keep up, a business coach can help you find solutions that will allow you to create a more effective system and keep your staff from becoming overwhelmed, which in turn will prevent a high turnover rate.

Hiring a business coach may sound like an option that’s meant for large companies only, but consultants can bring their professional touch to businesses of all sizes. Make sure you understand exactly what your needs are so you can communicate effectively with your coach and let them know what your needs and expectations are.

Poof You're A Project Manager And Other Delusions of Grandeur

Poof! You're a Project Manager from an Amazon customer

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

and the Do you believe that you cannot make decisions without consulting or gaining the approval of someone else? Are there circumstances that you feel dictate what you can and cannot do, such as a lack of money or education, a feeling you are too old or too young? Do you feel trapped and helpless to do anything about it? Are you waiting for someone to help you out of a dilemma?

If you’re an adult, it means that you may not have a sense of your own essential freedom. 

Maybe it’s due to negative childhood experiences or maybe as an adult, you have given something your all and it didn’t work. Maybe you experienced failure more than once or twice and gave up. Some people wind up trapped in the idea that they are now, and always will be, a failure. Someone else needs to call the shots because it’s obvious you can’t do it for yourself.  Yes, I'm afraid that this does mean you do not have a sense of your own essential freedom.

Get Your Copy of C'mon Let's Play

Sometimes, people remain in this situation because they believe have to depend on others – they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are failures and cannot can help themselves move forward. As we discussed in last month’s blog, once we convert thoughts into beliefs, we have a sense that they are completely and undeniably true facts.

Well, there are people out there right now who have been through what you have been through—some experienced much worse — and they got through it.  How did they get through it? Is it because fundamentally they’re better than you, stronger, luckier?

Nope! But let’s pause for a moment. Are you having thoughts of defending your belief that you are a failure on some level? Are you thinking that you can prove that you have failed? Ok, set that thought aside for a few minutes and just play with this idea. Think: what if there is another way? What if I’ve convinced myself of something that isn’t really a cold hard fact of life? And, what if I tried? What would my life be like if I could move forward? Then imagine positive answers to these questions, let them live in your heart and mind for a while – what does that feel like?

Many successful inventors, business people, spiritual people, ok all kinds of people have demonstrated that failure is the act of giving up. When you stop trying – you accept the failure. If you keep trying new things, learning all the time, you find what doesn’t work, and the things that didn't work are just more information on your way to success. Become inspired to look for another way that could work.

It’s an exercise in thinking and asking larger questions. What if you just experiment with it on your own, without the approval of anyone? Just decide to give it a go and see what happens. I first discovered this when I read Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning. He was a psychiatrist and a survivor of the horrors of Auschwitz. Viktor discovered our fundamental freedom, the one no one can take from us no matter what he or she does to us. At one of the horrible points in captivity he thought, you can do what you want to my body, but you cannot make me hate. After that he worked to always find beauty in his surroundings. I highly recommend the book because we can truly grow and learn from others’ experiences.

If you’re feeling trapped and helpless spend some time thinking about anyone who was in a similar situation that got out of it. Because if anyone, even one person did it, well – so can you. Step one is to gather your strength and learn about others who found that there is a way.

I claimed my independence from a pretty difficult situation with the intention of changing my life. It’s not a light switch, it was more like creating an upward spiral while finding inspiration and opening myself up to the possibilities. I finally decided I was in fact worth it and I could be independent and my declaration was made at night, in the dark through tears.

What you think about your life, what you believe about yourself, and your willingness to work on clearing away stale “facts” of your life allows you to see the infinite possibilities. They are stepping stones on your path to move into your independence.

 Grab your ticket to this month's webinar

What Are You Thinking?

Tues 5/25 and Thurs 5/27/2021 6:00pm-7:30pm Central Time

Watch for news on upcoming webinars and on book signing events – post COVID-19! Sign up for the newsletter!

 Next Month: We are switching it up and talking about returning to the office in

Let's Get This Band Back Together!

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021

A favorite book of mine is The Science of Getting Rich*. It’s not about making a big pile of money; it’s about enriching all aspects of life. Think about things like: our health, relationships, how we earn, and the environment in which we live.

While dealing with cancer, I found so much to be grateful for when it came to good health. Everything else was working. My biological system was affected, but my amazing system would recuperate. My heart pumped, and I could talk, read, comprehend, and write. Even at my worst, a whole lot was still going well, ok - except that I was bald. Plus, I could easily get to the freezer for my mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Wallace D. Wattles wrote about how everything begins with a thought, and my interpretation of his writing is that given enough time, that thought can become a belief and the belief can become a fact of our life. Repetitive thoughts and beliefs are signals to the Universe. They are tendrils sharing our desires, intentions, and expectations. The signals amplify when associated with emotional intensity. Emotions are the juice.

A [person's] way of doing things is the direct result of the way [s/he] thinks about things.

 

 - Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Getting Rich (Virginia: Thrifty Books, 2009) Originally Published in 1910)

It doesn’t really matter if it is overwhelming gratitude for what we have or overwhelming despair over what we lack. When we focus our attention on something, the Universe reads it as our intention to have that, or more of that thing. After long periods of paying attention to something it becomes a belief like “I’ll Never Get Ahead!”  Yep, you’re right because you believe it and can even point to examples to prove it. When fueled by emotions like anger, frustration, and despair, your belief becomes a fact. Your reality, in this case, is that you can’t get ahead.

This works equally as well for both positive, and negative thoughts. For example, if you think, I’ll never get ahead, you get results that prove that thought to you.  When fueled by emotions like anger, frustration, and despair, your belief becomes your very own fact and reality. In this case, you chose to begin with the end of "you can’t get ahead".

So imagine the effect of pairing positive thinking, feeling, and beginning with a positive end in mind. This gives you responsibility for the life you would actually want to live. 

The message here is you can reverse the negative expectation that you may have. Begin by playing around with the concept of reframing your beliefs on something small.

Because I have found so much information on this topic and because I really enjoy the concept, I am offering a live What Are You Thinking? webinar in two parts on May 25 & 27, 2021 at 6:00 pm central time. 

Get Your Copy of C'mon Let's Play

If you believe that you are somehow less than other people, or that you’re stupid or unworthy of all the splendor the Universe has to offer, you’re not just speaking of yourself. The Universe is everywhere – right down to the smallest particles that make up everything, along with the spaces between. So, when you critique yourself, you’re actually critiquing the work of the Universe – is that really what you want to be doing?

I hope you’ll choose to enrich your life and give play around with this idea. Bring a little more joy into your life by changing just one negative thought about yourself or your capabilities. I’ll be sharing my first attempt in the May webinar. It’s accomplished by using the same process we’ve have used to find fault in ourselves. But now we’ll just come at it from the opposite direction.

Remember it’s 1.) what you’re thinking; 2.) how you’re thinking about what you’re thinking 3.) what you’re feeling about all what you're thinking. Okay, you might need to reread that a couple of times.

For this to work, you must be willing to play. To me, the payoff of being willing to play with all of this is to experience the freedom to think wonderful things about our lives and our possibilities. If you experience a lot of negative self-talk, it could take a little time, but just give it a try; C’mon Let’s Play!

 Save the dates for the webinar What Are You Thinking? 

Tues 5/25 and Thurs 5/27/2021 6:00pm Central Time

Watch for news the upcoming webinar and on book signing events – post COVID-19!

 Next Month: The Declaration is Independence!

 C’mon Let’s Play! Living, Playing and Moving Forward

A. Z. Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021