This week’s Founder Fundamentals session unpacked one of the most powerful yet overlooked drivers of startup success: understanding why customers behave the way they do. The session, Customer Psychology: Why People Buy, Stay & Pay, was led by Talitha McCloskey — Senior Manager of Impact Partnerships & Government Relations at GrowClass, co-founder of RaiseHER, community builder, strategist, and a champion of empathy-driven marketing. Through storytelling, lived experience, and deeply practical frameworks, Talitha demonstrated how customer psychology isn’t just a marketing tactic — it’s a competitive advantage. From why customers hide online, to how to talk to them without bias, to why every founder needs to think like a curious five-year-old, this was a session full of moments founders can apply immediately.
Why Customer Psychology Matters More Than Ever
Talitha opened with a simple but transformative truth: every brand interaction is emotional, and every emotional experience shapes a customer’s decision to buy, return, or disappear.
To demonstrate this, she invited participants to reflect on a recent brand experience — one where they felt recognized, valued, or deeply frustrated. This exercise highlighted a core insight: brands win not by being the cheapest, but by being the most human.
And the data backs it up:
- 88% of customers say experience matters as much as the product itself.
- Only 3% of companies are truly customer-obsessed.
- To compete today, empathy and personal relevance matter more than pricing or features.
Customers expect responsiveness, personalization, and genuine connection — and they can sense when it’s missing.
The Challenge: Customers Are Hiding
According to Talitha, today’s customers are harder to reach than ever for two key reasons:
1. Customers are actively avoiding traditional marketing.
People are leaving platforms like Meta due to privacy concerns and mental fatigue. Tracking is limited, ads are ignored, and inboxes are saturated.
2. Customers are moving into “dark social.”
These are private, untrackable spaces like:
- DMs
- Discord
- Slack
- Email forwarding
Much of your marketing impact happens here — but platforms classify these as direct traffic, making attribution nearly impossible.
This makes one thing clear: to understand your customers, you can’t rely on algorithms — you need real conversations.
The Power of Talking to Your Customers
Talitha reminded founders that while we all know we should talk to customers, very few of us do it consistently — mostly because it's awkward, uncomfortable, or time-consuming.
But that discomfort is exactly where the competitive advantage lies.
Why customer conversations matter:
- They uncover real behavior, not assumptions.
- They reveal emotional motivations that data can’t show.
- They expose friction points you didn’t know existed.
- They clarify what customers truly value — not what they say they value.
“If you’re the only one actually listening, you win.” – Talitha McCloskey
Three Keys to Getting Customers to Engage With You
Talitha outlined three ways founders can encourage people to participate in interviews or share feedback:
1. Ego - Validate their expertise
Make customers feel valued for their knowledge and experience. People love to help when their insights matter.
2. Ego - Early Adoption — Give early access.
Offer beta testing, previews, or first looks at new features. Make participation feel exciting and meaningful.
2. Exclusives — Provide rewards that can’t be bought.
Instead of generic gift cards, offer something truly special — e.g., a strategy session, a behind-the-scenes experience, or community perks.
These incentives transform conversations from “a favor” into “a valuable exchange.”
Applying Customer Psychology to Your Startup
Throughout the session, Talitha emphasized that customer understanding is not a one-time activity — it’s an ongoing practice that shapes:
- Your product
- Your messaging
- Your positioning
- Your retention strategy
- Your community-building
- Your customer experience
She encouraged founders to bring “toddler energy” into their customer work — meaning more curiosity, fewer assumptions, and the courage to ask “why?” repeatedly.
By the end of the session, founders walked away with a clear, actionable framework for weaving customer psychology into every part of their business. Understanding customer psychology isn’t just about improving sales. It’s about building relationships that last — and creating brands people genuinely care about
About Founder Fundamentals
Founder Fundamentals is a 12-week workshop series hosted by YSpace and Black Enterprenurship Alliance and powered by City of Markham designed to equip you with essential entrepreneurial skills. Attend 9+ workshops to earn a Certificate of Completion and take the first step toward entrepreneurial success!
About the Speakers
Talitha McCloskey is a relationship builder, advocate, and community champion dedicated to creating spaces where people can thrive. As Co-Founder of RaiseHER Community and a Strategic Consultant at Growclass, she empowers others to dream big and achieve more. She also serves on boards and committees with organizations such as the YWCA and Venture for Canada, all while balancing life as a freelance writer, partner to Mitch, and devoted mom to her sons. Her work is driven by a belief in connection, compassion, and the collective strength of community.