Thought Leaders
Faking ‘Purpose’ Backfires — Here’s How to Stand on Your Principles Without Overselling
Before you commit to a big ad spend trumpeting your good works, hit pause.
Aytekin Tank is the founder and CEO of Jotform and the author of Automate Your Busywork. Tank is a renowned industry leader on topics such as entrepreneurship, technology, bootstrapping and productivity. He has nearly two decades of experience leading a global workforce.
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More From Aytekin Tank
Thought Leaders
How to Tell Your Story With Authenticity and Watch Investors, Customers and Talent Come Pouring In
Uncertainty and setbacks aren't a sign of failure; they're just part of the process. Here's how to be authentic and vulnerable without oversharing.
Thought Leaders
How to Turn Everyday Employees Into Your Most Confident Leaders
Growing a great leader doesn't happen automatically — it has to be consciously ingrained in your company's culture. Here's how I approach it.
Entrepreneurs
How to Design Your Way Out of Delay and Build Simple Systems That Make Procrastination Almost Impossible
Contrary to popular belief, cutting out procrastination isn't a matter of willpower or even self-discipline. You don't need to punish yourself. You need a system.
Human Resources
Hack Weeks Have Been Game Changers For My Company. Here’s Why You Should Have Them, Too.
At Jotform, hack weeks have produced some of our most successful innovations. If you're thinking of implementing them yourself, here are my tips for getting started.
Building a Business
How to Land Your First 1,000 Users and Turn Them Into a Growth Engine
Growing a business isn't a straight line, and acquiring your first handful of users is going to look very different than acquiring your first thousand. Here's how to make the transition.
Thought Leaders
How to Stop Publishing Content Nobody Cares About and Create Content Your Audience Loves
Your product, no matter how useful or innovative, will not speak for itself. Here's why every founder needs to be producing impactful, high-quality content.
Thought Leaders
The ‘Everything Is Urgent’ Culture Is Burning Everyone Out — Here’s How to Reset Priorities Before It’s Too Late
These days, "urgent" has become a default setting. As leaders, it's up to us to think more deeply about what's actually urgent versus what's important — and what's neither.
Thought Leaders
If You’re a Founder Who’s Never Done Customer Support, You’re Building Your Business Blind. Here’s How.
When I first started my company, I spent years handling customer support myself — and I wouldn't trade that experience for anything.
Thought Leaders
If Your Company Isn’t Reskilling Employees Yet, You’re Quietly Planning Your Own Demise
One thing is certain: AI will absolutely transform work. But how it plays out depends on not only how workers to adapt, but the willingness of organizations to help them along.
Building a Business
Reinventing a Successful Product Could Actually Destroy It — Try This Measured Approach Instead
Leaders face pressure to innovate constantly, but surprising your users with updates and overhauls they didn't ask for is a recipe for disaster. Here's my advice on how to reinvent your product the right way.
Thought Leaders
Return to Office Mandates Are Failing — Try This Smarter Alternative
Rather than issuing mandates and threats, make the office a place where people are inspired to do their best work.
Thought Leaders
Want to Lead Better? Get a Hobby That Has Nothing to Do With Your Job
Work isn't the only place where growth happens. Some of my most valuable ideas come to me during my time off.
Building a Business
A Bad Market Doesn’t Kill Startups — That Belief Does. Here’s How to Launch a Startup in Any Economy.
If you can prove your idea works when times are tough, you'll be ready to scale when the tide inevitably turns.
Marketing
Splashy Product Drop or Silent Launch? Here’s How to Find the Sweet Spot
There's no requirement to have a buzzy, PR-filled product launch. Sometimes, a quieter approach can ultimately have the biggest impact.
Building a Business
This ‘Old-School’ Sales Tactic Is Still the Best Way to Find Your First Customers
When you're trying to find your first customers, the analog work of getting out and hustling can make the difference between your business taking off and falling flat.
Thought Leaders
Good Leaders Don’t Follow Roadmaps — They Blaze Their Own Path
Roadmaps are great for getting from Point A to Point B, but building a business isn't a predictable journey.
Thought Leaders
Don’t Let AI Fool You — Here’s Why Every Founder Still Needs to Learn to Code
While you don't need an advanced degree in computer science to get your vision off the ground, I still think the basics are worth your time to learn.
Thought Leaders
Leaders Who Accept ‘Good Enough’ Risk Failure — Don’t Be One of Them
"Good enough" may satisfy most people, but it's rarely what creates lasting impact — and it's certainly not enough to stake your business on.
Thought Leaders
This Is the Most Obvious Yet Overlooked Reason Your Best Employees Keep Leaving
Paying fairly isn't a luxury reserved for when you're profitable — it's how you build the kind of company that gets there.
Thought Leaders
Solitude Isn’t Your Enemy — Here’s How to Turn It Into Your Greatest Advantage
Don't rush to fill the void of loneliness with noise. Embrace the quiet, learn from it and let it shape you into a more resilient, focused and effective leader.
Marketing
Founders Must Harness Their Inner Marketer to Succeed — and AI Can Help
You don't need to be a marketer to market well. But you do need to be curious, listen closely and use the tools available to you.
Thought Leaders
This Simple Change Made Us Improve Almost Overnight — and Became a Huge Competitive Advantage
It's been 10 years since cross-functional teams became a cornerstone of Jotform's culture, and I can say for certain that it was one of the best decisions I've made. Here's why.
Thought Leaders
Most Founders Would Hide a Secret Service Investigation From Customers — Here’s Why I Didn’t (and How It Paid Off)
Your users want to know what's happening behind the scenes — and who they're trusting with their data, time and business.
Thought Leaders
Walking Away From My Co-founder Was the Best Business Decision I’ve Made — Here’s Why
I'm a proud solo founder now, but that wasn't always the plan.
Building a Business
You’re Sabotaging Your Startup By Doing Everything Alone — Here’s Why You Need Founder Friends
For founders, especially solo founders, having someone who understands the unique pressure of building something from scratch can make all the difference.
Thought Leaders
Your Best Employees Will Quit Someday — Here’s Why You Should Support Them on Their Way Out
No leader wants a good employee to quit. But it's going to happen. What matters most is how you respond when that moment comes.
Thought Leaders
AI Frees Up Your Time — Here’s Why You Should Spend It With Your Employees
You don't have to micromanage — but you do have to show up. Here's why presence is the underrated superpower of AI-era leaders.
Business Ideas
The Best Ideas Don’t Always Come From Brainstorming — They Might Surprise You Instead
Surprise isn't just a fleeting emotion; it's a signal that something's been overlooked. And for entrepreneurs, those moments — if you know how to pay attention — can be the starting point of something big.
Tech
Not Every AI Tool Is Useful — Here’s How to Choose Ones That Will Actually Transform Your Business
Just like loading up your kitchen with chef-worthy appliances won't automatically make you a better cook, cluttering your life with new AI tools won't necessarily make your business more efficient or profitable.
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