EXPERT EXCHANGE - Clients Want Honesty, Even When Things Go Wrong - From the Ground Up

Summary4 min read

Episode Overview

Podcast: From the Ground Up
Episode Title: EXPERT EXCHANGE - Clients Want Honesty, Even When Things Go Wrong
Host: Inc. Magazine
Date: August 20, 2025

This episode of From the Ground Up centers on the importance of honest and transparent client communication—especially when projects hit snags. Lauren Asghari (Founder & President, Alderson Loop) and Jose Herrera (CEO & Co-Founder, Horatio) share their first-hand experiences handling client relationships, turning setbacks into opportunities for trust-building, and choosing client partnerships that align with company values.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Proactive Client Communication

Jose Herrera’s Approach to Documentation
- Emphasizes documenting every client conversation in a follow-up email to establish a clear record and mutual understanding.
- Quote:
  
  "Once you have a conversation with a client, document that conversation through an email and send it back to them and say, per our conversation, this is what we discussed. Can you please confirm that this is your understanding of our conversation?"
  — Jose Herrera [00:44]
- Rationale: Creates a reference point for future issues and reinforces accountability on both sides.

2. Responsiveness as a Core Value

Lauren Asghari on Responsiveness
- Stresses that being immediately responsive is key, especially when things go wrong or solutions aren't yet in hand.
- Quote:
  
  "Even if you don't have a solution at the exact moment, just getting back to them and saying, heard, I got it, we're on it, this is what we're planning to do really goes a long way in how they view your service."
  — Lauren Asghari [01:23]
- Practical Impact: Rapid acknowledgment reassures clients and employees, protecting trust during setbacks.

3. Honesty When Things Go Wrong

Jose Herrera’s Early Fears and Lessons
- Recalls his fear of communicating bad news to clients, only to discover that honesty was not only preferred, but expected.
- Quote:
  
  "We were super scared of having that open line of communication with our clients when things didn't go well... And it's funny how it's the opposite. It's funny how they actually want to hear from you and they want that feedback and that honesty."
  — Jose Herrera [01:48]
- Insight: Most clients already sense when something is amiss and value transparent updates over silence.

4. Defining True Client Partnerships

Lauren Asghari on Partnership Dynamics
- Differentiates between clients who want to collaborate openly versus those treating the relationship as purely transactional.
- Quote:
  
  "The clients that are willing to engage in those conversations and kind of be in the boat with you are the type of clients that you want versus, you know, the ones that maybe don't necessarily do that as well and don't share together in the success of the outcome."
  — Lauren Asghari [02:09]
- Takeaway: Mutual buy-in leads to healthier, more sustainable business relationships.

5. Staying Disciplined Amid Financial Pressure

Lauren Asghari on Client Selection
- Advises founders to resist desperation early on and steer the company toward value-aligned clients, despite cash flow pressures.
- Quote:
  
  "Staying as disciplined as you can to trying to guide your ship towards those types of customers that really see the partnership versus the ones that, you know, might just see you as a commodity in what you do."
  — Lauren Asghari [02:30]
- Context: Being selective ensures long-term fit and shared success, even when immediate financial needs are pressing.

Notable Quotes & Moments

On Documentation for Transparency:

"You can go back to that email and say, hey, we had this conversation and you agreed."
— Jose Herrera [00:44]
On Quick Acknowledgment:

"Just getting back to them and saying, heard, I got it, we're on it, this is what we're planning to do really goes a long way."
— Lauren Asghari [01:23]
On Overcoming Fear of Sharing Bad News:

"We were super scared of having that open line of communication with our clients when things didn't go well, right? ... It's funny how it's the opposite."
— Jose Herrera [01:48]
On Selecting Meaningful Partnerships:

"Staying as disciplined as you can to trying to guide your ship towards those types of customers that really see the partnership..."
— Lauren Asghari [02:30]

Timestamped Episode Highlights

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:44 | Jose Herrera outlines the importance of documenting client communication. | | 01:23 | Lauren Asghari details why immediate responsiveness matters, even before solutions are found. | | 01:48 | Jose brings up their early hesitance to communicate honestly about problems—and what they learned. | | 02:09 | Lauren defines the difference between partnership-oriented and transactional clients. | | 02:30 | Lauren shares advice for founders about client selection and discipline under financial pressure. |

Episode Summary

This candid conversation between Lauren Asghari and Jose Herrera offers actionable wisdom for founders and business leaders. Honesty, responsiveness, and choosing the right clients are positioned as cornerstones of durable success—even (or especially) when things go wrong. Their shared stories and candid reflections serve as a guide for building lasting trust and resilient business relationships.

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Transcript10 lines

[00:01]
Square/Principal Announcer
Brought to you by Square. Your favorite neighborhood spots are using Square to do everything from covering cash flow gaps to expanding to new locations. Wherever your business is growing, Square meets you there.
[00:14]
Blake Odom
Hey, listeners. I'm Blake Odom, lead producer of from the Ground Up. And today we have another special episode of Expert Exchange brought to you by Principal. In this conversation, you'll hear Lauren Asghari, founder and president of Anderson Loop, and Horatio CEO and co founder Jose Herrera as they chat about how clients want honesty even when things go wrong. Enjoy.
[00:45]
Jose Herrera
A habit that I've instilled in all of my teammates is once you have a conversation with a client, document that conversation through an email and send it back to them and say, per our conversation, this is what we discussed. Can you please confirm that this is your understanding of our conversation? Because when you have that issue in three months or in a year or in two years, you can go back to that email and say, hey, we had this conversation and you agreed.
[01:11]
Principal Announcer
One of our Brought to you by Principal. You're the expert in what you do. Let our expertise round out yours. Retirement benefits, investments.
[01:23]
Lauren Asghari
Core values is responsiveness. Most of the time, things go very well, but the percentage of time when they don't, make sure that you're responding immediately and quickly to your client or to your employee to try to make sure that you're turning things as quickly as possible. And even if you don't have a solution at the exact moment, just getting back to them and saying, heard, I got it, we're on it, this is what we're planning to do really goes a long way in how they view your service.
[01:48]
Jose Herrera
And it's funny because when we started the company at the beginning, we were super scared of having that open line of communication with our clients when things didn't go well, right? We were scared that they were going to fire us. And it's funny how it's the opposite. It's funny how they actually want to hear from you and they want that feedback and that honesty. And if things don't work out, most likely they already know and they want that feedback from you as well.
[02:10]
Lauren Asghari
You know, at Alderson Loop, we view that as a true partnership with clients, right? And that's where you can kind of tell the difference. The clients that are willing to engage in those conversations and kind of be in the boat with you are the type of clients that you want versus, you know, the ones that maybe don't necessarily do that as well and don't share together in the success of the outcome.
[02:29]
Jose Herrera
100% yeah.
[02:30]
Lauren Asghari
And I think one of the things as a business owner, and you've probably experienced this, especially when you're starting to get things going at the beginning, is staying disciplined, as disciplined as you can, because you need cash flow, right. You need money coming in. But staying as disciplined as you can to trying to guide your ship towards those types of customers that really see the partnership versus the ones that, you know, might just see you as a commodity in what you do.
[03:01]
Square/Principal Announcer
Panoply.