What if the problem
isn't the process,
but who you're
listening to?
Innovation doesn’t stall because of a lack of ideas. It stalls because we’re listening to the wrong people—or not listening at all.
The Catalytic Customer introduces a bold, practical way forward: stop chasing the average customer, and start learning from the ones who push you. The ones who challenge assumptions, see what others miss, and care enough to tell you the hard truths. These are your Catalytic Customers—and they just might be the difference between a product that flops and one that flies.
Based on decades inside the rooms where product, strategy, and marketing decisions get made, this book arms you with tools to find these customers, learn from them, and build smarter, faster, and with more relevance. Whether you’re a product lead, founder, insights pro, or innovation exec, this is your new playbook for staying close to what matters.
THE CATALYTIC Customer
Accelerating Innovation and Growth from the Outside In
Who
It's For
Executives
& Founders
Product Managers
& Innovators
Marketing
Leaders
Customer Insights
& Research Teams
What You'll Learn
Why It Matters
If you want innovation that matters and products that last, you need customers who challenge you along the way. Not the loudest or the most loyal, but the ones who see what others miss and care enough to speak up.
This book gives you the tools to find them, listen well, and turn their challenge into what comes next.
About the Author
Paul Peterson is the founder of CoinJar Insights & Strategy, a consultancy that helps organizations make smarter innovation decisions by staying close to the customers who matter most. For more than 35 years, he has advised leading brands—including Google, Netflix, Amazon, HP, and Autodesk—on turning customer understanding into strategic advantage.
His work blends behavioral insight with business pragmatism, challenging conventional research practices and uncovering the voices that accelerate real progress. The Catalytic Customer distills those lessons into a practical framework for product leaders, innovation teams, and anyone seeking sharper, more relevant decisions.
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