If You Don’t Know Your Customer, You’ll Stay Stuck.
How to Unlock Insight, Urgency, and Traction with the Quick-Path Method
Welcome back to Changemakers, the newsletter for founders, storytellers, and leaders shaping the future of climate, circularity, and innovation.
This edition is all about speed and clarity, and customer persona’s. Because when you're growing fast, you can’t wait six weeks for some bloated brand workshop just to understand who you're selling to. You need to know what your customer feels, fears, and wants, now. This is the exact framework we used to help Eeden secure their partnership with one of the world’s top five fashion brands.
Today’s topics...
→ Spotlight: The Question That Changed Everything
→ Why Most Personas Fail (And What Works Instead)
→ Framework: The Quick-Path Method
→ Case Study: How Eeden Unlocked Market Clarity
→ What Founders Can Learn
→ How to Apply It Today
Drop us a note anytime at mission@brighterfuture.studio or reach out to me directly at aaron@brighterfuture.studio,alternatively, if you are looking are rebranding, or need support on communications/pitch development you can view our capabilities and detailed flagship cases here.
Spotlight: The Question That Changed Everything
The rep had driven six hours through dust-coated backroads to reach the client’s farm. The sun was low, the air dry, and he could already feel the tension.
He opened his laptop, clicked into the deck, and started presenting. Features, savings, sustainability, the usual. The buyer sat with arms crossed, silent Then he said it:
“We hear this ten times a month. What makes you think we care?”
The rep looked up, closed the lid of his laptop, and said,
“Can I ask you something instead? What keeps you up at night during harvest?”
The buyer blinked. Then leaned in. That single question unlocked the rest of the meeting. The conversation shifted, not just in tone, but in trust. It wasn’t about the product anymore. It was about him, his stress, his risk, his win.
The sale closed two weeks later.
Not because the pitch was perfect.
But because the rep stopped guessing, and started listening.
Why Most Personas Fail
Let’s be blunt, most personas are nonsense.
They sound like this:
“Alex is 32, drinks oat lattes, and cares about the planet.”
It’s easy to build them. Easy to feel like you're being strategic.
But they rarely help you write sharper copy, close a deal, or land a partner.
Because most of them miss the emotional core.
They list attributes. But they don’t reveal what matters most, what someone’s trying to avoid, or what will finally make them act.
That’s what we fix with the Quick-Path Method.
The Quick-Path Method: How It Works
This is the method we use when we need to help teams get sharp, fast.
It’s a lean, question-led process that uncovers:
1. The pain and tension
→ What is your customer really struggling with?
→ What do they fear will happen if it’s not solved?
2. The decision moment
→ What would make them act now, not later?
→ What objections are in the way?
3. The values and outcomes
→ What does a “win” look like to them?
→ How do they define success, safety, or trust?
These aren’t abstract questions. They unlock messaging that lands. They shape your story, your offer, and your whole customer journey.
Case Study: Eeden’s Story
When we worked with Eeden, a circular materials startup, they were ready to scale.
But their customer profiles were still based on intuition and assumptions. So, before we touched design or pitch structure, we ran the Quick-Path. The result?
We uncovered a few big insights:
Investors were excited by the circular economy, but hesitant on chemistry
Potential partners needed stronger proof of brand and supply alignment
Their audience wasn't just looking for innovation – they were looking for momentum
We rebuilt their personas around those deeper motivators. The result was a sharper pitch, a more urgent story, and a message that moved people.
“This method gave us such clarity, we rewrote our pitch. Our positioning. It helped us build urgency and confidence with investors and opened the door to one of our biggest partnerships.”
– Steffen Gerlach, Founder of Eeden
What Founders Can Learn
You don’t need a 40-slide brand doc. You need to know:
What your customer believes
What your customer needs
What makes them hesitate
What shifts their behaviour
Personas aren’t the point. Precision is. When your customer story is sharp, every decision gets easier, your copy, your pitch, your positioning, even your product roadmap. And if you’re not sure what to do next. Pick up the phone and call them.
Quick-Path Customer Clarity Questionnaire
A rapid method to uncover what your customer needs, fears, and believes, so you can craft messaging that drives real traction.
Use this to sharpen your narrative, clarify your pitch, and build trust across every channel.
1. Pain & Tension
What are they struggling with, and what happens if it’s not solved?
Ask:
What are they stuck on right now?
What’s slowing down progress or draining energy?
What do they fear could go wrong if this problem continues?
What’s creating friction internally, across teams, or externally with partners or clients?
What are they tired of repeating, fixing, or justifying?
Look for:
Reputational risk
Operational inefficiencies
Strategic misalignment
Missed growth targets or deadlines
Hidden anxiety or emotional stressors
2. Frictions & Objections
What makes them hesitate, and how can you resolve that tension?
Ask:
What are their biggest hesitations or worries about solving this?
What concerns do they raise in meetings or decision calls?
What stories do they tell themselves about why this won’t work?
Where have previous solutions or providers failed them?
What beliefs or assumptions are holding them back?
Look for:
Cost or timing objections
Distrust in providers or solutions
Fear of failure or looking wrong internally
Misunderstandings around your category
Confusion about the offer or result
Why this matters: Understanding objections lets you educate, not just persuade. It gives you the chance to bridge the belief gap with clarity and proof.
3. Decision Moment
What would make them say yes today?
Ask:
What has to happen for them to act now, not later?
What internal pressures or external triggers are driving urgency?
What outcomes are they expected to show their board, manager, or clients?
What reassurance would make them feel safe to move forward?
Who else needs to buy in?
Look for:
Change events such as new funding, a missed quarter, or a failed project
Validation needs such as social proof, traction, or ROI clarity
Emotional thresholds such as tipping points or quiet pressure building up
4. Success & Failure
How do they define success, and what are they afraid of failing at?
Ask:
What does a “win” look like, practically and emotionally?
What would make them proud to show results internally?
What would they be relieved to solve?
What does failure look like in their eyes?
What would be embarrassing or damaging if it goes wrong?
Look for:
Specific KPIs or proof points
Career risk or reputational concerns
Emotional relief such as finally having clarity or momentum
Signals of ambition or aspiration such as being first or being bold
5. Values & Beliefs
What do they care about, and how do they make decisions?
Ask:
What values shape how they choose who to work with?
How do they describe their mission or purpose internally?
What kind of language or tone resonates with them?
What do they believe makes a solution credible?
Look for:
Key words or phrases they repeat
Culture signals such as speed versus perfection, or ambition versus caution
Their worldview, whether they are systems thinkers, pragmatists, or change agents
6. Ideal Experience
What would make this feel smooth, trustworthy, and even delightful?
Ask:
What’s been frustrating in past experiences?
What would make this feel easy and aligned?
What would be a surprising positive touchpoint?
Explore Our Services
Whether you’re just starting or striving for new heights, these services are built to deliver results.
Communications Consulting, Content Development & Execution: High-trust, high-impact strategic communications to sharpen your voice and align your message across channels, from newsletters to social.
Investor & Partnership Storytelling: Success fee driven pitch support that helps you earn belief from day one, whether for pitch competition, partnerships or investment rounds, we’ve got you covered.
Brand and Identity Design: Strategic and visual foundations to help you show up with confidence and coherence across every touchpoint; from logos to brand systems, we build the assets and structure to scale.
Website Design: Tailored Webflow builds that communicate your credibility and value.
High-Level Design Support: Need reports, investor updates, or partner materials? We offer tailored design execution across your business-critical communications.
Know Someone Who Needs Support?
Refer a founder to Brighter Future Studio and earn a 10% commission on their first project. Let’s help more purpose-led teams win with brand and story. If this story resonated, or if you’re preparing for a high-stakes moment of your own; we’d love to help.
Thanks for reading.
If you’ve made it this far, feel free to share this with a founder, partner, or investor navigating these challenges. Or reach out directly to talk.
Best,
Aaron C. Leaman
LinkedIn | Capabilities Deck
Founder, Brighter Future
Personal: www.aaroncleaman.com
Company: www.BrighterFuture.Studio
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