Named Aptly
Whatever Happened to Billabong? I guess not many of us know what a billabong is. Yes, we all know it’s from Down Under and it has something to do with…
All these articles illustrate why you need to stay different. Difference, more than anything else, drives value and allows you to achieve higher returns on capital in your business. Most businesses fail to give Difference enough attention, not just when starting out, but over time as competitive pressures increase and things change around them.
The Richest Man in The World’s Secret
The most successful business people are monopolists, so why aren’t you? I once wrote a book called The 5Secrets of Business Success about what I consider to be the five…
The Elastic Brand
Will Dr Dre ever run a railway? I advise all of my clients to stay focussed. That’s just common sense, right? Well, you might be surprised just how hard businesses…
Meredith
Few companies adapt so well to the challenges and the opportunities of a changing world. As we see Reader’s Digest Association seek Chapter 11 protection for the second time in…
The Recession Seen Through Rose Tinted Spectacles
We are living in a world where more people than ever can now afford to own a “luxury” brand. I own an Omega diving watch and Oakley sunglasses. I have…
A Strategy Masterclass
David Cameron has just made the defining strategic decision of his career as Prime Minister. Rarely do politicians do things that impress me but, yesterday, the UK Prime Minister, David…
In Praise of Red Tape
Scale is not always a good thing, it has unattractive qualities too. I once ran a payphone business. I know, it does seem rather quaint, in today’s 4G world, to…
Chinese CAT
The financial and reputational costs of diversification can be too high. Half of the global demand for construction equipment now comes from China, so it might not be that surprising…
The Growth Curve
All businesses grow in exactly the same way, following a series of, often disconnected, s-curves like those in the figure opposite. At least the good ones do, most businesses just…
How to Be Different
Why Would Anyone Want A Second Watch? The iconic watch company, Swatch, which single-handedly rebuilt the Swiss watch industry around a solid platform of stylish and affordable plastic (mostly) watches,…