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Second Mouse Tales From China
While new global market participants are emerging from several countries, the Chinese are our primary example…
If You Have Too Many Priorities, You Have None
The wisdom inherent in the frequently heard statement “If you have too many priorities, you have…
Learning from the Fast Learners
In previous articles[1], we’ve written about the emerging competitors from China, firms that are beginning to…
Your 2012 Plans: Preparing for the Uncertainty of the New Year
What is the outlook for next year’s economic growth? It’s the $64,000 question. In the United…
We Aren’t The Champions: Achieving Success As A Second Mouse
When, if ever, will the Chinese competitors graduate from being ‘fast followers’ to become true innovators?…
Turn Your Customer Into A Partner
Most companies invest a significant level of resources in activities designed to identify business partners and…
They Only Had One Pig
During a recent discussion, a customer of one of my clients described an episode of the…
They Aren’t Who We Thought They Were
It is as close to a sure thing as exists in business to assume that the…
The Standard is the Standard
Getting the standards right is only a part of the equation that defines sustained success and…
The Second Mouse Gets the Cheese
Driving into Tampa recently, we saw a sign that read “The early bird gets the worm,…
Stand By Me
Recently, I participated in a conference attended primarily by technology integrators, firms that provided high-end solutions…
Solutions To Growth Challenges
In recent years, “solutions” has become among the most popular one-word strategy summaries. Many firms, finding little…
Ready, Fire, Aim!
George F. Brown, Jr. identifies four themes for business growth in 2012, and offers his unique…
My Customer’s Competitor Is My…
An Arabian proverb says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” While the logic is…
Known Unknowns And Unknown Unknowns
A client in the medical equipment industry recently shared the following experience with me: “You might…
It’s My Own Damn Fault
Taking steps to avoid unnecessary instances in which your direct customer is a price buyer is…
It’s a Pricing Problem, Not a Price Problem
In an interview with an executive in a large national industrial distribution firm recently, I asked…
Get Your Price
Blue Canyon Partners’ George F. Brown Jr. on how to invest in your pricing strategy. When…
CoDestiny Relationships With Government
America’s governmental institutions face many more changes in the years to come. A major part of…
CoDestiny Relationships With Channel Partners
CoDestiny[1] relationships come in many flavors. The most frequent ones involve suppliers and their end customers….
Building Strong Foundations for Customer Relationships
It takes a significant effort on the part of suppliers and customers alike to ensure that…
You Know it Ain’t Easy
George F. Brown, Jr. shares his research on the challenges executives experience in implementing business model…
Troubled Waters
In today’s business environment, where every firm has to focus intensely on the ways in which…
Sitting on the Bulls-Eye
One of my all-time favorite Far Side™ cartoons showed a deer with a target on its…
Preparing for Future Competition
It is as close to a sure thing as exists in business to assume that the…
The BRIC Effect
One of our business-to-business clients recently stated during a strategy session that, “We really no longer…
Taking Action to Sustain Customer Relationships
Most companies invest a significant level of resources in activities designed to identify business partners and…
Who Would Ever Share Customers?
Many organizations live in fear of the notion of sharing end customers. After all, a manufacturer…
Listening To The Voice Of The Customer
In the book CoDestiny, it is argued that the most successful business strategies are ones that…
How to Align Your Workforce to Successfully Execute Your Strategy
This guest post is by Atlee Valentine Pope, co-author of “CoDestiny: Overcome Your Growth Challenges by…