There’s no denying it – building a successful, growing business today means you need to be customer-obsessed. For better or worse, modern consumers have unlimited options at their fingertips, and brand loyalty is quickly becoming a thing of the past. As such, the businesses that thrive long-term are maniacally focused on continually impressing users. If not, their customers will simply just jump ship without a second thought.
We recently sat down with one of the premiere startup growth experts, Zak Westphal, co-founder and CEO of StocksToTrade. Zak has led StocksToTrade to become one of the fastest rising platforms in fintech with over 30,000 loyal members. The secret fueling much of that expansion? An unwavering commitment to education, service, and community that puts customer needs at the core of all decisions.
In this exclusive interview, Zak pulls back the curtain on how a customer-centric approach has shaped StocksToTrade’s product design, content strategy, and team building. Let’s dive in.
Q: You’re known for running StocksToTrade with the customer always in mind. Why such a strong focus on user experience and education?
Making trading accessible and easily understandable for regular people was the main thing that motivated me to start StocksToTrade in the first place. I struggled myself as a beginner trader years back, and after a bit of research, it became quite clear to me that I was playing a rigged game. I didn’t have the expensive data tools or intel bigger firms used to beat retail investors like me.
I wondered – why should only privileged institutional investors have a fair shot? So I envisioned a platform that gave open access to tools, resources, and community support. But I knew focusing purely on trading features would fail users long-term. Education was absolutely essential so people could put those powerful capabilities to good use, and more importantly, use them responsibly.
That meant not just sharing indicators or scan settings, but exploring deeper topics like risk management, portfolio diversity, emotional discipline, reacting to breaking news, and so on. Even experienced traders encounter new situations needing guidance. So we continually ask – how can we not just enable but truly empower members?
Q: As StocksToTrade scaled rapidly, how have you nurtured that customer focus across a growing team?
Prioritizing users has been a mindset that I have tried to spread across the entire company, not just leadership. So firstly, we try to support employees who demonstrate genuine user empathy and emotional intelligence. No amount of trading aptitude helps if a coach lacks listening skills or patience with newcomers.
Secondly, we incentivize team members to engage closely with users across channels like email, forums, and chat rooms. That creates invaluable feedback loops revealing pain points or new feature ideas. And it keeps staff connected to the real humans relying on us daily.
We also invest heavily in customer research through surveys, interviews and data analysis. Quantitative and qualitative insights inform strategic decisions on product, content and all that good stuff. But just as importantly, research findings get widely shared internally so everyone understands user needs.
Finally, we track and circulate inspiring member stories showcasing trading successes. It powerfully reinforces why we come to work each day – to help more people take control of their financial destinies.
Q: What role has your member community played in StocksToTrade’s growth?
Our engaged community has been paramount. Experienced members provide incredible knowledge sharing and support for newcomers just starting. Expert user feedback shapes our platform evolution. Member stories and wins keep our team fired up.
In many ways the StocksToTrade community embodies why we exist – to expand access and help more people thrive in the markets. Our members root for each other like one big family. They celebrate key milestones together, from a first trade, to doubling an account, to retiring early thanks to trading profits.
Seeing members empower each other aligns perfectly with our mission too. As more individuals control their financial futures, it demonstrates a pathway for others to realize the same freedom.
Q: As you gather so much customer data, how do you approach using insights to improve?
We take a very strategic, metrics-based approach to translating feedback into improvements. Product managers analyze usage data and feedback to identify high priority problems. What issues do support tickets, survey comments and reviews commonly bring up? Where does in-app behavior signal friction converting free trials into paid plans?
We distill insights down to key themes, then set objectives for optimizations. My leadership team reviews progress and success metrics every month. But just as importantly, we remain nimble adjusting goals if new pain points emerge suddenly. You have got to balance structure with fluidity, and you need to measure product changes against very specific KPIs to ensure valuable customer time gets respected.
We also increasingly leverage data to personalize the user experience. Behavioral analysis means tailoring educational touchpoints to different member needs. Or customizing platform configurations based on trading style. The more we can provide unique value to specific segments, the stickier our platform becomes.
Q: Most founders know customer focus is important, but still struggle upholding it. What’s your #1 piece of advice?
Don’t pay lip service to being “customer obsessed” – actually help create those emotional connections between your team and users. Well designed software alone lacks heart and purpose. Help staff see tangible human stories behind feedback data and usage metrics. What frustrations do common problems actually cause in users’ daily reality? How is someone’s career or life trajectory improved when your company delivers?
Too many teams treat faceless quantitative analytics as the customer story. But my advice is put your crew in front of real, inspiring people you serve. Have them engage forum members, run webinars hearing learner challenges, review candid interview footage from users. Bonds form working directly with community members pursuing life-changing goals through your platform. Customer focus scales when teams feel accountable to the humans relying on them.
Q: As technology and markets are always changing, how does StocksToTrade anticipate and prepare for future needs?
We analyze global financial tech trends, then explore what solutions could empower our customers next. Areas like blockchain, digital assets, and AI will reshape retail investing, so we’re already investing there. But rather than reacting, we’re pioneering integrations on our platform’s strong foundation.
Ultimately adding value amidst change means learning user needs before they even fully realize them. We foresee needs by being embedded in financial and technology futures daily.
Q: As closing advice – how should aspiring founders approach putting customers at the center?
Founders must genuinely connect company purpose to improving people’s lives. Early stage, it’s simple feeling accountable to initial users who believed in your vision enough to purchase. But never lose that empathy as you grow.
Talk to support teams. Read forums. Do user interviews. Immerse yourself in their worlds, aspirations and pain points continually. How is my company positively impacting people? What more could we do to help them achieve success, in their definition?
Finally, realize customers ultimately vote with their wallets. Retention and reviews determine if you’re living up to promises. Keep earning their business each day through quality products, support and community. Deliver on expectations, then find ways to surprise and inspire. Building customers for life, not just a quick sale, must be front of mind in all you do.
