March 2023

Gaia Bernstein is a law professor who has experienced the addictive dangers of technology and has feared the impacts on herself and her children. After many years of battling this monster, she has reached the conclusion that the solution does not lie in self regulation (either individuals mastering their habits, or the tech industry implementing prominent but ineffective solutions) but rather in forcing the tech industry to stop abusing its users. 

In her new book, Unwired, she teaches about these abuses, the impacts they have on individuals and families, and how the battle to stop them will likely play out.

Read my full review of Unwired here.

One of the great things about being a consultant is that I’m always learning. What I learn from working with one client often becomes a blessing to another client. 

Recently I’ve been working with a fabless semiconductor company and learning much about the industry. Last week, The Lion’s Den DFW invited me to share some of what I’ve learned. You can watch a video of my presentation at their website (look under Practice Pitch under Events) or you can click on the link below to read what I said and see the slides I presented.

In the article linked below (and the presentation I gave), I quickly fly through the fascinating 70+ year history of the industry leading up to the Covid era, talk about the real causes of the semiconductor supply chain chaos we saw during the pandemic, and then talk about what has happened on the backside of that chaos to try to correct (and at least in some cases overcorrect). The entire talk is meant to be a basic layman’s introduction to the industry. Experts will undoubtedly chuckle at some of my oversimplifications and may wonder why I left some things out. Feel free to provide your perspectives and corrections in the comments below (I do love to learn).

By the way, the annual Lion’s Den DFW pitch competition is coming up in a few weeks. If you haven’t already made plans, I recommend you consider registering to attend either in person at Dallas Baptist University or virtually online. The Lion’s Den DFW provides Christian investors and entrepreneurs an environment to connect and collaborate that results ​in the creation of wealth while having a meaningful kingdom impact. Hopefully I’ll see you “there” (I’ll be online).

Read the full article here.

The Ecosystem Economy makes the case that the entire structure of the global economy is changing from one defined by clearly delineated industry sectors to one of sector-crossing ecosystems. Thisis an ambitious book. It begins with bold claims and then proposes major changes that large corporations should make to every aspect of how they operate. Clearly, such changes will be challenging without the help of a consulting firm like McKinsey, the firm that the authors represent. 

As a strategy executive for Fortune 500 companies, I have worked with all of the top-tier consulting firms. Every few years, these firms like to come up with a big idea that their brightest thought leaders can then write a book about. This book becomes a very effective marketing tool. When a partner gives the book to a client (or potential client), it provides something meaningful to talk about and another opportunity to propose an engagement related to the topic of the book.

In the review linked below, I describe how 20 years ago, when I led strategy at a F500 company, we built our entire strategy around the hypotheses in a similar book. I describe the positives and challenges of doing so. I also share specifically what The Ecosystem Economy is about and why you might want to read it.

Read the full review here.

I’ve written previously about the importance of product and market categories. Our brains need categories to help them make sense of increasing complexity in the world. Most companies and their products can and do fit into existing categories. These companies can spend their time and energy making sure that customers think of them when that category comes to mind and that the right customers understand what makes them better. Sometimes, however, a company and its products don’t fit well into any existing category.

So, if you find your company and its products in that same position — not fitting well in existing categories — how do you go about creating a new category? There are three major phases to category creation: define the category, establish the category, and own the category. In the article linked below, I focus on what it takes to define a new category.

Defining a new category requires answering three types of questions:- Why?- How?- What?

Read the full article here to see the eight critical questions and how to go about answering them.

Let me know if you need help defining your new category!