--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We built this company from the customer…" description: "\"We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.\" — Lou Gerstner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png" --- # We built this company from the customer back, not from the… ![“We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.” quote by Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png) > “We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.” [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Building a company by starting with customer needs ensures relevance and loyalty. **In simple terms:** Start with customers, not internal agenda. Key Takeaway Prioritize customer perspective first. Themes customer focus bottom‑up loyalty Mood strategic pragmatic Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - product development - service design - feedback loops Key Concepts design thinking market orientation Questions to Reflect On - How can you truly hear the customer? - What balances internal vision with external demand? A Different Perspective Customer data can be noisy; internal capabilities matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [The attention toward me is basically because of what we've built as a company. If we built a pile of crap then nobody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-jacobs/the-attention-toward-me-is-basically-because-of-what-we-ve-built-as-a/) [Marc Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-jacobs/) > [The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best, but legendary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/the-goal-as-a-company-is-to-have-customer-service-that-is-not-just/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [“The high quality of a company’s customer experience rarely has anything to do with the high price of their product.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-slap/the-high-quality-of-a-company-s-customer-experience-rarely-has/) [Stan Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-slap/) > [In an ironic twist, I now see Good to Great not as a sequel to Built to Last, but more of a prequel. Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/in-an-ironic-twist-i-now-see-good-to-great-not-as-a-sequel-to-built/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [I built my company a lot while playing for the Patriots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/i-built-my-company-a-lot-while-playing-for-the-patriots/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) > [I built a company at the same time I built a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-hussle/i-built-a-company-at-the-same-time-i-built-a-career/) [Nipsey Hussle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-hussle/) > [Shopify was built as a company that could be run remotely anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-lutke/shopify-was-built-as-a-company-that-could-be-run-remotely-anywhere/) [Tobias Lutke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-lutke/) > [Customer complaints are the schoolbooks from which we learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/customer-complaints-are-the-schoolbooks-from-which-we-learn/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [No one is doing something in your business - getting a sale, having a key customer, working on an R&D project - doing anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/no-one-is-doing-something-in-your-business-getting-a-sale-having-a/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [I believe that all brands will become storytellers, editors and publishers, all stores will become magazines, and all media companies will become stores. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-massenet/i-believe-that-all-brands-will-become-storytellers-editors-and/) [Natalie Massenet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-massenet/) > [Some companies out there quote a start of production that is substantially in advance of when customers get their cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elon-musk/some-companies-out-there-quote-a-start-of-production-that-is/) [Elon Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elon-musk/) > [Customer-centricity should be about delivering value for customers that will eventually create value for the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-thompson/customer-centricity-should-be-about-delivering-value-for-customers/) [Robert G. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-thompson/) > [“I did customer service for a company. I hated it, as the customers knew they were building problematic systems!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-did-customer-service-for-a-company-i-hated-it-as-the-customers-knew/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I think technology advanced faster than anticipated. In that whirlwind, a lot of companies didn't survive. The reason we have done well is because,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/i-think-technology-advanced-faster-than-anticipated-in-that-whirlwind/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) ## More by Lou Gerstner > [Every now and then, a technology comes along that is so profound, so powerful, so universal, that its impact will change everything. It will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/every-now-and-then-a-technology-comes-along-that-is-so-profound-so/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Customer complaints are the schoolbooks from which we learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/customer-complaints-are-the-schoolbooks-from-which-we-learn/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [The rewards system is a powerful driver of behavior and therefore culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/the-rewards-system-is-a-powerful-driver-of-behavior-and-therefore/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [For the first month, I listened, and I tried very hard not to draw conclusions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/for-the-first-month-i-listened-and-i-tried-very-hard-not-to-draw/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [The thing I have learned at IBM is that culture is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/the-thing-i-have-learned-at-ibm-is-that-culture-is-everything/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [IBM needed - an enormous sense of urgency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/ibm-needed-an-enormous-sense-of-urgency/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I don't want to use the word reorganization. Reorganization to me is shuffling boxes, moving boxes around. Transformation means that you're really fundamentally changing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-don-t-want-to-use-the-word-reorganization-reorganization-to-me-is/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [It is not about bits, bytes and protocols, but profits, losses and margins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/it-is-not-about-bits-bytes-and-protocols-but-profits-losses-and/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I came to see, in my time at IBM, that culture isn't just one aspect of the game; it is the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-came-to-see-in-my-time-at-ibm-that-culture-isn-t-just-one-aspect-of/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [I just think we should look at this as a chess match," he said, "between the world's greatest chess player and Garry Kasparov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/i-just-think-we-should-look-at-this-as-a-chess-match-he-said-between/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [If the practices and processes inside a company don't drive the execution of values, then people don't get it. The question is, do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/if-the-practices-and-processes-inside-a-company-don-t-drive-the/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Everything starts with the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/everything-starts-with-the-customer/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [No institution will go through fundamental change unless it believes it is in deep trouble and needs to do something different to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/no-institution-will-go-through-fundamental-change-unless-it-believes/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [Technology has limitations on what it can accomplish. You do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/technology-has-limitations-on-what-it-can-accomplish-you-do-not/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [The last thing IBM needs right now is a vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/the-last-thing-ibm-needs-right-now-is-a-vision/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) [Explore all 29 Lou Gerstner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. 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When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 3,164 Built quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lou Gerstner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/we-built-this-company-from-the-customer-back-not-from-the-company-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Built" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/we-built-this-company-from-the-customer-back-not-from-the-company-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6fc/lou-gerstner-21499_built_we-built-this-company-from-the-customer_1178573.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We built this company from the customer back, not from the company out.” — Lou Gerstner", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Lou Gerstner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We built this company from the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/we-built-this-company-from-the-customer-back-not-from-the-company-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/we-built-this-company-from-the-customer-back-not-from-the-company-out/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```