One of the most useful things in business is to know where to play and how to win. It would be great if you could stake your claim and then settle in for a lifetime of success. Unfortunately, someone, somewhere is trying to steal your business. So, what to do? I typically ask four questions when I meet a new company:
Read MoreOne of our clients is expanding quite quickly and hiring people. They are in the business of creating complex and highly sensitive sensors to measure everything that’s going on with our ocean waters. Naturally they’re looking to hire people who are interested and hopefully passionate about the same sorts of things. So what do they do if they want t...
Read MoreIn the northern hemisphere spring has sprung. In my part of the world, spring seems to last but a week as we quickly move from snow-covered fields and bare trees to warm summer sun. Leaves burst forth and flowers bloom and, very quickly, we are into summer and the world has found a new equilibrium.
Read MoreEventually, every successful company becomes a customer service company. As a company grows it goes through a number of step changes which require its CEO to think very differently. Take for example a manufacturing company. The first stage of growth is getting to product/market fit. And, often the term ‘minimum viable product’ is used to describe t...
Read MoreWhen you enter a new market, the natural inclination is to figure out how the game is played there and then how you can play it better than the incumbents. This is a very poor way to enter a new market. A better way is to determine what the end users require and then start from a blank sheet to design your own way to serve the ‘best’ segment in tha...
Read MoreAs a business leader, you own your company’s strategy. But most of us get tied up in the day-to-day and, at best, are focusing on tactics that will see us through this quarter or this year. The next few years are guaranteed to be full of big changes and therefore will present equivalently large threats and opportunities.
Read MoreEach year I mentor a student in the Telfer School of Business at the University of Ottawa. This year the woman I am mentoring has been asked to participate in their Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. A truly noble cause. But… I am reminded of the great experiment underway at the moment to encourage the vaccine hesitant to rethink their opp...
Read MoreThe reason I bring this up is because of a more recent interaction with Bell. My internet stopped working and so I went online to try and resolve it… The first items on their phone tree are all about buying a new phone, a new TV service, faster internet etc… Eventually you get down to repairs and you again click through a long tree only to be put o...
Read MoreHi everyone Andrew here. Previous blogs have answered: What is D2C? Why would I use D2C?; Is D2C Profitable? How hard is D2C to set up? Can I use D2C if I also use a 3rd Party Channel?. This blog puts it all together. How do I decide what to sell through D2C? It just makes sense to launch with a world beating product rather than a ‘me too’ product....
Read More“I have an established sales and distribution network. How would I ever be able to set up a direct to Customer sales approach? Great question. Many industries are locked into old ways of working and will find it hard to transition; the automotive industry is a great example. Manufacturers depend on a huge network of franchised dealers who promote...
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