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B2B startup life moves fast, and founders are constantly pushed to make big bets with little more than scraps of feedback and intuition. You're trying to build something people actually want, but half the time, you're guessing at what that even looks like. It's frustrating—watching churn creep up or deals stall because something just doesn't click. Getting a clear picture of what customers really need shouldn't feel like detective work, but that's exactly how it ends up.
Eli Portnoy is a repeat founder with two successful startup exits. He's worked at Amazon and built Thinknear and Sense360, later acquired by Telenav and Medallia. Now, he leads BackEngine, a platform that helps teams turn customer conversations into clear, actionable insights. Eli often shares practical takes on AI, product, and leadership on LinkedIn. Today, he dives into his journey, startup lessons, and what drives BackEngine today. Tune in to find out more!
Quotes:
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"The process of building a company is iterating on that idea and figuring out what actually works and what doesn't. It's about taking that idea, getting as much feedback as possible and being honest with yourself about what's working and what's not working."
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"The line between success and failure in startups is very, very thin, and most of the time it comes down to serendipity, because almost every founder I know works incredibly hard."
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"It's way better to come from a place of even-keeledness and make decisions based on the data in front of you, without getting too full of yourself or too down on yourself."
Takeaways:
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Talk to your customers weekly to gain direct insights and improve business performance.
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Assign a specific team member to own and manage customer feedback collection and analysis.
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Practice emotional balance as an entrepreneur - don't get too high during wins or too low during challenges.
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Recognize that business success involves both hard work and serendipity, so stay adaptable.
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Use customer feedback to drive product roadmap, marketing messaging, and strategic decisions.
Conclusion:
Strong entrepreneurship depends on really understanding what customers need—not just what they say they want. It takes careful listening, creativity, and the patience to spot patterns in feedback that hint at deeper problems or desires. Building a successful company is rarely about getting everything right from the start; it's about staying flexible and learning quickly. When customer conversations are organized and studied regularly, they become a powerful tool for shaping better products, clearer messaging, and smarter decisions. This steady loop of listening and improving is what keeps a business moving forward.
Links Mentioned:
Guest Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eliportnoy/
Website: https://www.backengine.com/
