business strategy

EP# 050: Be a Contrarian

EP# 050: Be a Contrarian

In good times you should never blindly follow the herd. But this is even more relevant during bad times. As Albert Einstein famously said, "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result". To develop lasting competitive advantages and provide new, unexpected value for your customers, it is critical to think and act differently from your competitors. You have to reinvent the game.

A contrarian is someone does not mindlessly imitate the competition or follows popular opinion or practice. A contrarian challenges the conventional wisdom and "zigs when others zag". Dr. O discusses the importance of having a contrarian mindset and levering the tenets of Maneuver Warfare to succeed in business by confusing competitors and exciting customers.

EP# 035: The LEGO Story

EP# 035: The LEGO Story

The Lego Group has an amazing history and the brand has the capacity to reawaken the sense of experimentation and play that resides within everyone. From its founding in 1932 to the introduction of the interlocking toy bricks in 1949, to the massive losses in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the story of Lego is an amazing business tale of struggle, success, failure, and reinvention. With relentless innovation over the company’s 8+ decades and overcoming aggressive competitors offering electronics or other forms of building sets, Lego has survived and prospered.

EP#030: The Tata Group

EP#030: The Tata Group

The Tata Group is India’s biggest conglomerate company, founded in 1868 by Jamsetji Tata and headquartered in Mumbai, India. The Tata Group operates in over 100 countries throughout the world is believed to be India's best-known global brand within and outside the country. The ongoing mission of the group has been and is to develop India into a modern industrial nation. The story of the Tatas is another great example of dreaming big and never stop innovating.

EP# 027: The New Lanchester Strategy (Part II)

EP# 027: The New Lanchester Strategy (Part II)

Frederick Lanchester was a key figure in the development of the automotive industry and the man who defined modern aeronautical technology and science. Lanchester is another legend in technology and science that most of us have never heard of or never learned about in business or engineering school. The theories Lanchester developed were adapted for business, especially sales and marketing which we will focus on within this episode.

Japanese business consultant Dr. Nobuo Taoka adapted Lanchester’s theories into The New Lanchester Strategy which provides guidelines for creating winning business strategies for both market leaders or firms struggling to remain profitable or increase market share. The lessons in this episode are straightforward but extremely effective for developing differentiation and keeping your competitors guessing and your customers excited.

EP# 026: The New Lanchester Strategy (Part I)

EP# 026: The New Lanchester Strategy (Part I)

Frederick Lanchester was a key figure in the development of the automotive industry and the man who defined modern aeronautical technology and science. Lanchester is another legend in technology and science that most of us have never heard of or never learned about in business or engineering school. The theories Lanchester developed were adapted for business, especially sales and marketing which we will focus on within this episode.

Japanese business consultant Dr. Nobuo Taoka adapted Lanchester’s theories into The New Lanchester Strategy which provides guidelines for creating winning business strategies for both market leaders or firms struggling to remain profitable or increase market share. The lessons in this episode are straightforward but extremely effective for developing differentiation and keeping your competitors guessing and your customers excited.

EP# 024: Henry Ford: My Life and Work

EP# 024: Henry Ford: My Life and Work

A great book to expand your business knowledge is, My Life and Work by Henry Ford. Yes, the founder and namesake of the world-famous automobile empire. The book was originally published in 1922 and is a brief autobiography as well as Ford’s ideas on business and life.

My Life and Work takes you inside the mind of a person who managed to change the world, yet who lived in obscurity for the first 40 years of his life. This was a long time to develop skills, both personal and mechanical, which laid the foundation for a massive enterprise.

EP# 023: The Mongol Business Model

EP# 023: The Mongol Business Model

The Mongol Empire was founded by Chinggis Khan (aka Genghis Khan) and became the largest contiguous empire in history stretching from the Sea of Japan to the Mediterranean Sea and the Carpathian Mountains. In the 13th century the Mongols redrew world boundaries, consolidating smaller countries into larger ones. Mongols still controlled India in 1857 and the last ruling descendant, Alim Khaim, emir of Bukhara, was still in power in Uzbekistan in 1920.

So why are we talking about the Mongols on a business podcast about strategy and innovation? Well, the Mongols were some of the most innovative societies ever. Mongol leaders ruled the world with an iron fist but created amazing innovations in military, economic, and social life. As business professionals, we can all learn and be motivated by the amazing changes the Mongols brought to the world and their ability to adapt and change based on different circumstances. Also, their strategies and tactics can be incorporated into business to allow you and your organization to become a leader in your market.