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The Chief Outsider
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Recent Posts
The CEO Dashboard Should Show Direction, Not Just Activity
If your dashboard only tells you what happened, it’s reporting history. A CEO needs direction.
Steps Taken Aren’t the Same as Direction
I've spent a fair amount of time backpacking, and one thing becomes obvious when you've been walking for several hours: knowing how far you've walked isn't the same thing as knowing whether you're headed in the right direction.
Your watch can tell you that you've taken 22,000 steps.
Why CPG Companies Will Have to Innovate or...
Wed, Nov 29, 2023 — Challenger brands have nearly doubled the innovation success rate vs. leading brands By: Mike Concannon and Evan Eckman Which business author is famous for the quote “innovate or die”? Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, or Dr. Jack Matson? Answer: All of the above. It was a fundamental business principle for the past century. So why has the collective wisdom of these contemporary business authors seemingly been forgotten by the big CPG companies this century?
5 Things You Should Know Before Spending on Marketing Execution
Thu, Nov 9, 2023 — Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning, Part 5 If you have been under pressure to tighten your marketing budget this year, you’re not alone. According to a survey, B2B companies' marketing spending in 2023 increased by only 2.3%. This growth rate is lower than the 3.7% inflation rate, impacting businesses and individuals.
7 KPIs That Should be in Your 2024 Growth Plan
Fri, Nov 3, 2023 — Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning, Part 4 For modern-day businesses, establishing measures is not just a good idea – it’s a downright necessity. In fact, a poll of executive leaders found a nearly unanimous agreement that key performance indicators (KPIs) are essential to gauge the pulse of broad business goals.
How to Establish a Strategic 2024 Growth Plan and Justify Your Marketing Budget
Wed, Oct 25, 2023 — Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning, Part 3 In an era characterized by rapid technological shifts, changing consumer behavior, and a volatile global economic landscape, successful businesses are those that look ahead, anticipate challenges, and seize opportunities. But when it comes to developing your own business growth strategy, are you prepared for all that 2024 will throw at your company? Or are you content on a “lather, rinse, repeat” approach to strategic business development?
Analyze Your Current Customers to Supercharge Your 2024 Annual Business Planning
Thu, Oct 19, 2023 — Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning, Part 2 When we ask our clients why customers buy from them, much of the time, they either don’t know, or are completely off-base about the reason. In an uber-competitive marketplace and with so much at stake, this inability to define why people should buy your product or service can be a fatal misstep.
Why You Can’t Afford to Cut Your Marketing Investment for 2024
Wed, Oct 11, 2023 — Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning, Part 1 In an era dominated by rapid change and economic unpredictability, businesses often find themselves at the crossroads of making challenging decisions, especially when it comes to budgeting. One of the areas often eyed for potential cuts is marketing. But is this a wise move?
Accelerating Growth In 2024 with Strategic Business Planning
Tue, Oct 3, 2023 — Introduction: Take Action Now to Plan for Success Temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing colors, and you can almost hear the sounds of the crowd cheering at the high school homecoming game. With these and other harbingers of the calendar’s fourth quarter, you’re likely about to sharpen your pencil, corral your executive leadership – and engage in your strategic business planning process for 2024.
AI Trends for the Progressive CEO: Navigating the Transformative Landscape
Wed, Sep 6, 2023 — By: Ed Valdez and Angus Robertson It’s hard to think of another digital trend that has shaken the foundations of conventional wisdom as AI has. Though artificial intelligence has existed in some form since the 1950s, it has taken the emergence – and the related spinal shivers – of Open AI’s ChatGPT product to truly advance the conversation.
Why CEOs at Mid-Size Firms Must Embrace Tech to Compete
Tue, Aug 22, 2023 — When you think about the tech you use in your business today, does this sound familiar: endless spreadsheets, confusing email chains, clunky legacy systems? Many times this happens because of concerns about the cost and complexity of trying new approaches.