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Market Strategy

Market Strategy

No One Wears Shoes

Andrew Penny, September 19 2023

Many years ago, a shoe-maker sent his best sales-person to a developing country to see if there was a market for shoes. He reported back, “The market is terrible – no one wears shoes”. Not being sure if this was true, the shoe-maker sent a consultant to double check, “The market is fantastic”, he reported, “No one wears

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Market Strategy

It’s like ‘When Harry Met Sally” but with Penguins

Andrew Penny, September 12 2023

Most movies are unique, except for the endless sequels. And so, when someone pitches a studio on a movie idea, they need to explain something that’s never been explained before. The simplest way to get the new idea across is by using a compelling metaphor. You start with something the studio boss already understands and build on that e.g....

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Market Strategy

Making Circles Pay

Graham Birkenhead, September 5 2023

Last week, we talked about the circular economy, which is an alternative approach to the more linear ‘take-make-consume-dispose’ value chain.  We try to minimise the take and dispose elements, and repeat the ‘make’ element through things like reuse, recycle, and repurpose, while extending the ‘consume value’ element.  It creates a more continuous...

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Market Strategy

Wedge Categories

Andrew Penny, August 15 2023

Standing out and capturing attention can be difficult, especially when you're introducing a new product in a market where there are dozens of similar offerings. How do you find the right buyers and how do they find you. The larger the number of buyers, the more competitors you’ll have to face. A great way to solve this problem is to use a Wedge...

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Market Strategy

It's Time to Take Time

Andrew Penny, June 27 2023

Roger Greenberg of Minto Group was reflecting on his journey to building one of North America’s leading real estate developers. He acknowledged that the struggle is constant, and the uphill climb can be very hard. His advice to all those climbing similar mountains was to stop from time to time and admire the

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Market Strategy

The $32m Rock

Andrew Penny, June 13 2023

About a year ago in the sprawling Fura mine in Mozambique Balbir, the master sorter was on to something. After the sorting and sifting of hundreds of tons of earth and ore, a small red golf ball sized rock stood out. It was destined to become the world’s most expensive ruby. After the cutters and polishers had finished with it, the now thumbnail...

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Market Strategy

New Products to New Markets

Andrew Penny, May 23 2023

We’ve helped hundreds of companies take new products into new markets and when I say new products, I don’t mean a slightly better ‘me too’ product, but ones that completely change the way things have been done up till then. This includes tomato bio-char, de-pyrolysis of used tires, smart home grids, GPS farming, and many

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Market Strategy

Why Product Market Fit is the most important piece of your Strategy

Andrew Penny, May 16 2023

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of great technologies that could have gone on to improve our world but were never able to get that magical ‘product – market’ fit…. that moment when you discover the ideal match between a product and its intended market, resulting in satisfied customers and spontaneous word of mouth

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Market Strategy

Launching New Products

Andrew Penny, May 9 2023

I recently met with two CEOs who shared that one of their worst mistakes was hiring a senior sales executive to help them launch their new products. Seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? New product, new market – hire a really good salesperson to lead the way. Unfortunately, it never works out

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Market Strategy

Breaking the Rules

Andrew Penny, April 25 2023

Listening to a recent ‘Under the Influence’ podcast, I learned some fascinating things about Roger Nielson. Many of you know him as a coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators but before that he was breaking the rules in the OHA. And how! Well, actually, not really breaking the rules but playing the game in a way that was so radically different that...

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