How start-ups can build trust and a healthy reputation

I had the pleasure earlier this week of talking to early-stage entrepreneurs and assorted others about the importance of building trust from the get-go.

Providing a genuinely useful and usable experience with great customer service is the starting point for many start-ups, but one that is nowadays expected as the price of admission.

Customers, the general public and others are able to act immediately on bad experiences and are increasingly intolerant of perceived poor behaviour by companies.

The travails of companies like Uber and Theranos show that having good governance, being open and transparent – including preparing properly for when things go wrong – and having strong values and a clear purpose are essential if a start-up is to build trust over the long-term.

Here are my slides: