From the category archives:

Strategic Thinking

19 Thoughts on Effective Strategy

April 23, 2010

Be crystal clear on your Vision. Your Mission. Your reason for Being.
Solve a problem. Ideally a BIG problem.
Be prepared to say ‘No’ or pass up on opportunities that don’t match your strategy (you WILL be tested).
Never put price at the centre of your strategic advantage. When you are solving BIG problems in NEW ways, price becomes (almost) [...]

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Fresh Water creates a Fresh Challenge for Business

March 31, 2010
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A further significant challenge facing businesses wishing to do business in the 21st Century is emerging with news that access to fresh water is declining more quickly than originally feared.
A report by Globescan and SustainAbility notes that a combination of population growth, urban development, farm production and climate change is increasing competition for fresh water [...]

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5 Killer Questions for Every Entrepreneur Starting a Business

March 29, 2010

What problem or need will your product or service fulfill and how is this better than what’s currently on offer?
How big is the potential market? What’s the potential “open goal”?
Do you have the right team? Is it well balanced with a decent mix of experience and raw enthusiasm?
How will you dominate your market? e.g. by having [...]

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Business Tips for Start-Ups from David Hansson – 37 Signals

March 21, 2010

Some key learning points for fast growth and start-up companies:

Common misconception that start-ups need external finance.
Taking other people’s money leads to bad choices – too much staff, computers and too much time.
Don’t waste your time raising money. Prove the business on its own revenues.
Make sure you are working on your best idea right now. If [...]

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Is Craigslist a game-changer for the newspaper industry?

February 13, 2010
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Whilst we watch the newspaper industry being decimated, its tempting to attribute its demise to the recession and consequent decline in advertising revenue.
But such a widely held view misses the KEY point.
Look at the above chart, comparing ad revenue of US classified ads website Craigslist with ad revenue generated by traditional newspapers over the same [...]

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Why being a middle of the road business is a BIG mistake

January 31, 2010
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It seems reasonable to assume that targeting your business at the middle is a safe bet.  After all, the middle comprises the majority of customers. Right?
Perhaps – but there is a nasty sting in the tail for the unwary…
The middle is big.  Very BIG. The middle provides the most choice for customers. The middle is [...]

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