Good corporate strategy should answer three deceptively simple questions:
1. Where are we playing?
Which market are we targeting? Unless you’re creating a truly new market (rare), this is about smart selection. Think of it like dropping a pin on a map or tearing out a page of the Thomas Guide. Be specific. Geography, industry, customer segment…
2. How are we winning?
What are we offering, and how is it differentiated? This is your competitive edge. Will you be the red dot in a sea of white ones? Strategy is more about “what not to be” than what to be.
“To be or not to be……..” – Willy S.
3. What do we need to win?
Which resources do you need on your voyage – capital, talent, time, tools, weapons? Better yet, what will break you if it’s missing?
If your strategy doesn’t answer these three, it’s not strategy – it’s aspiration.
Aspirations are cool. Strategy is better.
Poll Results: The results are in from last week’s survey:
Our last Exit Planning workshop of the summer happens next Friday Aug 29th 9a-12p pst. Interested in joining? Shoot me an email.
Song of the week…
Tim Martinez
“The Inside Man”
-
Grab my latest book “Do Good Work” – Minor Shifts, Major Impact (buy here)
-
Optimize before the Exit – FREE on-demand training (click here).
-
Take TIMgpt for a spin.
-
Have thoughts? Leave a comment
Feel free to unsubscribe if this isn’t for you. No hard feelings. Better yet, share it if you feel someone else needs to hear this message.
PS – from time to time a few typos or a broken link may occur, just visit my Substack page for the most up to date version
