Mark – Page 16 – Mark Ballett

Breakfast or Building Material?

Post author:Mark
Post published:May 4, 2012
Post category:Leverage

"Why has China’s Bright Food just bought a controlling interest in Weetabix?” On The Daily Show, in 2011,United States satirist Jon Stewart joked that Weetabix wasn’t a breakfast, it was…

A Balancing Act

Post author:Mark
Post published:May 1, 2012
Post category:Leverage Risk

“Borrowing money to drive growth can make you rich, if you don’t take on too much risk.” Terra Firma Capital Partners, led by Guy Hands, is a London based private…

Deal or No Deal?

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 26, 2012
Post category:Knowledge Leadership Risk

“Why my neighbour, Premier Foods, has had to go back to basics.” I live across the road from the headquarters of Premier Foods, owners of Hovis, Mr Kipling, Ambrosia,…

Fingernails & Asteroids

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 25, 2012
Post category:Knowledge Risk

"What’s the difference between investment and speculation?” For those with some cash to hand and an entrepreneurial streak it seems that nail bars have been a good investment in recent…

A Day Is a Long Time in Politics

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 24, 2012
Post category:Alignment Leadership

“Don’t wait until you have a crisis to think strategically.” The public administration select committee has said that David Cameron doesn’t have a strategy for the country. Consequently, it’s…

How On Earth Did They Do That?

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 18, 2012
Post category:Difference Leadership

“How has Aquascutum gone bust when every other luxury brand is rolling in cash?” Sadly, Harold Tillman’s attempt to save the classic Aquascutum fashion brand has come to nought…

Boxing Clever

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 17, 2012
Post category:Risk

"Satisfying both customers and investors is a hard task for a new business.” I don’t work with start-up businesses because there are just too many uncertainties. There is rarely…

Late Learning Centre

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 13, 2012
Post category:Difference Leadership Risk

"Look what happens when great brands do nothing as the world changes around them.” One of my fundamental building blocks of a great business is to “stay different”. This implies…

The Best Buy Uncertainty Principle[1]

Post author:Mark
Post published:April 11, 2012
Post category:Leadership Leverage Risk

"You can’t sustain profits whilst investing in radical change." Having just spent the last two weeks in the United States, where I am working with clients and also starting an…

Del Boy at the Speed of Light

Post author:Mark
Post published:March 27, 2012
Post category:Risk

How BATS was hoisted with its own petard. In case you don’t know, a “petard” was a small bomb used for blowing-up fortifications. Sometimes they went off prematurely, injuring the…