Posts Tagged ‘innovation’
The Unchanging Nature Of Business
It’s a cool November day in 2014, and a young couple pause on a suburban street to snap a selfie with an iPhone 5C. 90 years earlier in a garden in Warwickshire, England (circa 1925), Arnold and Helen Hogg attach a Box Brownie camera to a long stick and take their selfie. When we think…
Read MoreWhy Do Your Customers Buy?
How thirsty is the college student who pays almost $5 for a Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks? Did the fitness instructor really need to upgrade his iPhone 6 to a 7? Can the mother who religiously gives her kids vitamins each morning prove that they work? When the CEO hires a contract lawyer is she paying…
Read MoreWhat’s Missing?
The patisserie opened with great fanfare and then fell flat. The brand had an international reputation, was selling a half decent product in a good location and yet customers didn’t feel like they had a reason to come back. They couldn’t put their finger on it, but the cafe just had no soul. It’s easy…
Read MoreThe Characteristics Of Successful Ideas
In an era when we have self-driving cars and delivery drones it’s still possible to encounter: Underwear with five uncomfortable care labels sewn into the seams. A beautiful teapot that becomes too heavy to lift when it’s full. Inconspicuous assembly instructions that confuse rather than clarify. Sports shoes that give the wearer blisters until they’re…
Read MoreA Common Sense Approach To Customer Insights
Joanne is a small business owner. She operates a catering van that travels to local industrial estates, serving workers who don’t have easy access to high street cafes and fast food restaurants closer to town. Joanne’s business lives and dies on what she knows about her customers. So she makes it her business to know…
Read MoreWhen To Fall In Love With Your Idea
Every business is founded on an assumption. We see a problem and propose a solution (maybe a new product or service), that we assume will be embraced with open arms. Before long we’ve fallen headlong for our idea, often without challenging our assumptions. Even with all the data in the world, it’s not possible to…
Read MoreThe Feedback You Invite Vs. The Feedback You Need
The air stewardess in the business class cabin was busy, but not overrun. She spent the majority of her time with one executive passenger in her section throughout the flight. A friend who was returning from an overseas holiday asked for a cup of tea. Ninety disappointing minutes and four more requests later it eventually…
Read MoreWhat’s Your Customer’s Value Story
You may have read some version of the recent Tech Crunch article by Tom Goodwin that began with this observation. “Uber, the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest accommodation provider, owns…
Read MoreThe 12-Word Strategic Plan
Have you ever found it difficult to plan, communicate or execute on a project, idea or strategy? This 12-word framework will help you to get clear on where you’re headed and why—enabling you to lead yourself or your team and achieve your objectives. It works for projects big and small, both personal and professional. Use…
Read MoreHow Will You Win?
All success at some level is about winning. Not necessarily coming first, but certainly reaching some kind of goal or destination. The truth is that most of us are terrible at articulating exactly what the plan to get there is. The ability to do this is probably the single most important competitive advantage of all…
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