{"id":15375,"date":"2025-06-11T13:37:57","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T10:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/?p=15375"},"modified":"2025-06-11T14:56:39","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T11:56:39","slug":"moving-forward-with-colin-brown-lessons-on-teams-and-decision-making","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/news\/moving-forward-with-colin-brown-lessons-on-teams-and-decision-making\/","title":{"rendered":"Moving Forward with Colin Brown \u2013 Lessons on Teams and Decision-Making"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This week the <strong>NextHorizon Coaching in AI era<\/strong>&#8211; workshop series with entrepreneur coach <strong>Colin Brown <\/strong>continued to offer valuable insights for startups and entrepreneurs. The third and fourth sessions zoomed in on two critical areas for business success: building the right team and making effective decisions. Here\u2019s a closer look at what we learned and experienced in these interactive workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>Finding and Keeping the Right People<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the core themes in workshop part 3 was the importance of assembling a team with the right people\u2014those who are smart, motivated, and bring relevant expertise to the table. But it\u2019s not just about individual skills; it\u2019s about how people relate to one another. Colin Brown described the company as a \u201clittle city,\u201d where every team member has a defined place and role with clear lines to guide them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Diversity was highlighted as a crucial factor. A team made up of similar personalities tends to see challenges through the same lens, which limits innovation and problem-solving. To thrive, startups need a mix of characters, each offering unique viewpoints and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another key point was the importance of a strong feedback culture. Colin stressed the importance of giving feedback regularly\u2014both positive and constructive. Additionally, feedback should flow both ways\u2014<strong> <\/strong>you&#8217;re more likely to receive valuable feedback if you actively provide it to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15376\" style=\"width:405px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-480x640.jpg 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-560x747.jpg 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-1600x2133.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250609_121843-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>Decision-Making: Mechanisms and Mastery<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Workshop part 4 turned the spotlight on decision-making, exploring how leaders can make faster, better choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most crucial lessons was understanding that sometimes it&#8217;s better to pivot\u2014recognizing harsh realities and swiftly changing course can lead to greater success. Many companies wait too long to pivot, risking failure, while others pivot frequently, adapting to market changes and seizing new opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"15381\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15381\" style=\"width:382px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-480x640.jpg 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-560x747.jpg 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-1600x2134.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093113-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"15382\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15382\" style=\"width:403px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-2048x1537.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-960x720.jpg 960w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_093435-1600x1201.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Real-world examples helped illustrate this, with stories of <strong>Instagram<\/strong> starting as a filter app and <strong>YouTube<\/strong> as a dating site before finding their true paths. Some startups are lucky to hit the right idea early while others discover it through trial and error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The session also gave participants time to work on their <strong>Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)<\/strong> and engage in discussions with fellow entrepreneurs.These conversations helped sharpen understanding of who to serve and how to tailor products accordingly. It emphasized that you can&#8217;t sell to everyone; identifying and focusing on a specific ideal customer is crucial for success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:43px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"15384\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-480x360.jpg 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-560x420.jpg 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-960x720.jpg 960w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_101923-1600x1200.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"15383\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-480x640.jpg 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-560x747.jpg 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-1200x1600.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439-1600x2133.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/20250610_095439.jpg 1804w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:47px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>Moving Forward with Confidence<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>These sessions highlighted that while a great idea is essential, the journey to success involves much more. It&#8217;s about building a strong network of the right people, understanding your market deeply, and being flexible enough to change direction when necessary. The ability to pivot, adapt, and refine your approach can make all the difference in turning a good idea into a thriving business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Built by Design<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>From assembling the right team to making bold, informed decisions, these workshops have shown that thriving startups don\u2019t happen by chance\u2014they&#8217;re shaped with intention, clarity, and action. <strong>Colin Brown&#8217;s <\/strong>approach isn\u2019t just about theory; it\u2019s about building something real, step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re serious about growing your venture, there&#8217;s no need to wait for the next session. Colin works directly with founders and teams who are ready to take the next leap. Whether you missed the workshops or want to dive deeper, don\u2019t hesitate to reach out. The journey to building something extraordinary often starts with a single conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links aligncenter has-visible-labels is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-linkedin  wp-block-social-link\"><a rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/linkedin.com\/in\/colinbrown1\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M19.7,3H4.3C3.582,3,3,3.582,3,4.3v15.4C3,20.418,3.582,21,4.3,21h15.4c0.718,0,1.3-0.582,1.3-1.3V4.3 C21,3.582,20.418,3,19.7,3z M8.339,18.338H5.667v-8.59h2.672V18.338z M7.004,8.574c-0.857,0-1.549-0.694-1.549-1.548 c0-0.855,0.691-1.548,1.549-1.548c0.854,0,1.547,0.694,1.547,1.548C8.551,7.881,7.858,8.574,7.004,8.574z M18.339,18.338h-2.669 v-4.177c0-0.996-0.017-2.278-1.387-2.278c-1.389,0-1.601,1.086-1.601,2.206v4.249h-2.667v-8.59h2.559v1.174h0.037 c0.356-0.675,1.227-1.387,2.526-1.387c2.703,0,3.203,1.779,3.203,4.092V18.338z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label\">Colin Brown<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft-wrapper alignleft size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"228\" src=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-15316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo.png 1024w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo-300x67.png 300w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo-768x171.png 768w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo-480x107.png 480w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo-560x125.png 560w, https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/eulogo-960x214.png 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week the NextHorizon Coaching in AI era&#8211; workshop series with entrepreneur coach Colin Brown continued to offer valuable insights for startups and entrepreneurs. The third and fourth sessions zoomed in on two critical areas for business success: building the right team and making effective decisions. Here\u2019s a closer look at what we learned and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":207,"featured_media":15385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"15322,13129,7342,15176,10705,6666","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[80,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-show-in-all-categories","category-yleinen"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15375","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/207"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15375"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15375\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15404,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15375\/revisions\/15404"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15375"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15375"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oulu.com\/ictoulu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15375"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}