Why We Built Compass
Over the past few weeks, I've been sharing a few reflections that have shaped my thinking while building Compass.
They weren't product announcements.
They weren't intended to be a series.
They were simply questions that kept coming up as we talked with users, reflected on our own experiences, and tried to better understand what actually helps people move forward.
Now that Compass is here, I thought I'd share the story behind why we decided to build it.
It started with a simple question
If there are more books, podcasts, courses, coaches, and AI tools available than ever before...
Why do so many people still feel stuck?
Not because they aren't capable.
Not because they aren't trying.
And certainly not because they don't care about growing.
It felt like something was missing.
The more we listened...
At first, we assumed people needed more information.
- Better assessments.
- More recommendations.
- More content.
But every conversation seemed to point us in a different direction.
People weren't asking for another report to read.
They wanted help answering much simpler questions.
- Where do I stand today?
- What should I focus on next?
- How do I know I'm making progress?
Those questions changed the way we thought about the product.
One conversation I keep thinking about
There wasn't one defining customer interview.
Or one big "aha" moment.
Instead, it was something we heard over and over again.
People didn't necessarily need someone to tell them what was wrong.
They wanted confidence that they were working on the right thing next.
That idea became surprisingly difficult to ignore.
Building Compass
As we continued designing the experience, we stopped asking ourselves: How do we build a better assessment?
Instead, we started asking: How do we build a better guidance system?
That subtle shift changed almost everything.
Compass became much more than a score or a report.
It became a way to help people:
- understand where they stand
- identify what matters most
- take meaningful next steps
- build momentum over time
One thing that changed my thinking
The more we built Compass, the more I realized something.
The goal was never to create another destination.
The goal was to make the journey feel a little less overwhelming.
A little more personal.
A little more actionable.
Because progress doesn't usually happen all at once.
It happens one meaningful step at a time.
Looking Ahead
Next we'll finally introduce Compass.
I'm excited for people to experience it.
Not because I think we've solved personal growth.
We haven't.
But I do believe we've built something that can help people find a little more clarity, a little more direction, and a little more confidence in what comes next.
And honestly... I can't wait to see where people take it from there. 🤩
This Week's Reflection
What's one question you've been trying to answer lately that keeps coming back?
Sometimes asking the right question is the first meaningful step forward.
Compass - A simple guidance system designed to help people:
Know where they stand.
Know what to do next.
Stay ahead—not behind.
