Empathy – Understanding People
Matthew 7:12
“Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them.”
Today’s Focus: Who Are You Helping?
Great entrepreneurs do more than come up with good ideas. They learn to understand people.
Last week, we focused on identifying problems. This week, we are going to look at the people who experience those problems.
This is called empathy.
What Is Empathy?
Empathy means trying to understand another person’s feelings, needs, experiences, and point of view.
In entrepreneurship, empathy helps us ask:
- Who has this problem?
- How does this problem affect them?
- What do they really need?
- What would make their life easier?
- What solution would actually help them?
You may think you know what someone needs, but a good entrepreneur does not just assume. They ask, listen, observe, and learn.
Matthew 7:12 teaches us to think about how we would want to be treated and then treat others that way. As entrepreneurs, we can apply this by caring about the people we hope to serve instead of only thinking about what we want to sell.
Beginning of Class: Student & Team Photos
At the beginning of class, your tutor will take:
- An individual photo of each student
- A group photo of each business team
These photos may be used as we continue developing and presenting our business ideas throughout the class.
Be ready to smile and represent your team!
Choose Your Problem
While photos are being taken, meet with your team.
Your team needs to decide which problem you want to learn more about today.
Look back at the problems your team identified during our previous lesson. Discuss your ideas and choose ONE problem that your team wants to investigate.
Before interviewing anyone, make sure everyone on your team can answer:
What problem are we investigating?
Who do we think has this problem?
What do we want to learn about this problem?
Do not worry about creating the perfect solution yet. Today, your job is to understand the problem and the people experiencing it.
Class Activity
Interview Your Classmates
Today, you are going to practice empathy by interviewing your classmates.
Choose classmates to interview and ask questions about a problem or need you are interested in solving.
Good Interview Questions
Ask questions that encourage people to explain their experiences.
Try questions such as:
- Have you ever experienced this problem?
- When does this problem usually happen?
- What is the hardest or most frustrating part?
- What do you currently do to solve it?
- What do you wish were easier?
- If someone created a solution, what would be important to you?
- Would you actually use or buy something that solved this problem? Why or why not?
The Empathy Rule
Do not try to convince the person that your idea is great.
Your job is to listen.
If someone does not like your idea, that is useful information!
Entrepreneurs sometimes become so excited about their ideas that they only want to hear positive answers. But honest feedback can help you improve your idea before you spend time or money developing it.
Team Challenge
What Did You Learn?
After your interviews, meet with your team and discuss:
WHO: Who seems to experience this problem?
WHAT: What exactly are they struggling with?
WHY: Why does this problem matter to them?
CURRENT SOLUTION: What are they doing about it now?
NEED: What do they wish were better?
Then ask your team:
Are we solving the problem we thought people had, or did our interviews teach us something different?
It is okay if your idea needs to change. That is part of entrepreneurship!
Homework
Interview 2 People
Interview two people outside of class who could potentially experience the problem your team wants to solve.
They could be parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, teachers, business owners, or another appropriate person.
Ask each person at least 5 questions.
For each interview, record:
Person #1
- Who did you interview?
- How are they connected to the problem?
- What did you ask?
- What did you learn?
- What surprised you?
Person #2
- Who did you interview?
- How are they connected to the problem?
- What did you ask?
- What did you learn?
- What surprised you?
Final Reflection
After both interviews, answer:
What is one thing you would change, improve, or reconsider about your business idea based on what you learned?
Remember: Do not build for yourself. Learn about the people you want to serve.
A great entrepreneur does not simply ask:
“What can I sell?”
A better question is:
“Who can I help, and what do they actually need?”