Business Archives

Power of Context–Your Idea Won’t Spread in the Wrong Setting

What is the “Power of Context”? Where does it come from? Why is it important in business, sales, and marketing? The Power of Context is the idea that the environment in which the message or idea is delivered can have a huge impact on whether enough people adopt and spread it to create an epidemic. This idea was popularized in Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point. We’ll cover examples of the power of context and look at why the context of a message can make all the difference.

What Is Scalability? (And Why Should You Care?)

What is scalability? How does scalability affect our lives? When is scalability a good thing? When is it a negative thing? Scalability is the characteristic or ability of a company or process to grow and adapt to changing demands. In the scalable parts of our lives, physical limits don’t apply and effects tend toward incredible extremes. We’ll further explore the scalability definition above, cover how scalability affects our lives, and cover which areas of our lives are most impacted by scalability.

Malcolm Gladwell’s Maven: Why You Need One on Your Team

Who is Malcolm Gladwell’s “maven”? How are mavens crucial to the spread of ideas and important for business? Mavens are information specialists. They are the kinds of people who are endlessly curious and adept at gathering and retaining information on a wide variety of (sometimes obscure) topics. The term comes from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. We’ll cover the role of Malcolm Gladwell’s mavens in business and why they’re crucial to the spread of ideas, services, and products.

Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen: Key Players in Marketing

Who are connectors, mavens, and salesmen? Where do these distinctions come from, and how are these three types of people crucial to the spread of ideas and important for business? Connectors are sociable, gregarious, and naturally skilled at making friends and acquaintances. Mavens are endlessly curious and adept at gathering and retaining information on a wide variety of topics. Salesmen are the people who pitch the idea or message behind an epidemic and persuade people to jump on board. The terms comes from Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. We’ll cover the role of connectors, mavens, and salesmen in business and

Weak Ties: Why You Need Them, Especially in Business

We don’t think of weak ties as good things–aren’t lasting friendships and deep connections what matter? We’ll cover why weak ties are important, especially in business and marketing. Learn why you should have a “connector,” someone with many weak ties, on your team.

Black Swans in Finance: What They Are, How to Prepare

What is a black swan in finance? Is there a way to predict and prepare for black swans in finance? We’ll look at some examples of black swans in the financial world and business and explore how to best prepare for future black swans.

What Is a “Black Swan” Event? The Ultimate Guide

What is a black swan event? Can you predict black swan events? Prepare for them? Avoid them? A black swan event is an extremely unpredictable event that has a massive impact on human society. These include positive Black Swans, like the invention of the Internet and the discovery of antibiotics, as well as negative Black Swans, like the 2008 recession. We’ll define black swan events, look at “black swan” event examples, and discuss how best to prepare for them.

Sui and Tang Dynasties: Lessons from Critical Battles (Sun Tzu)

Was the transition between the Sui and Tang dynasties smooth? What can we learn from how the Tang ruler wiped out rebel Sui armies? We’ll cover the fight between the Sui and Tang dynasties and what the Tang army can teach us.

The 5 Sun Tzu “Art of War” Quotes You Should Know, Explained

What are some of the most famous Sun Tzu Art of War quotes? What do they mean? The Art of War by Sun Tzu is a renowned guide for how to engage in conflict and be successful in battle. Written more than two thousand years ago, Sun Tzu, a Chinese warrior and philosopher, details the nature of competition and psychology of leadership and provides strategies for how to approach both. Although his teachings are geared toward actual military conflict, the principles can be useful in all arenas of conflict or competition, even at a personal level. We’ll cover some of

Wei Dynasty: 4 Lessons for Winning Battles

What can we learn from the way China’s Wei Dynasty conducted itself in battle? What lessons can the Wei Dynasty teach us about drawing your enemy out, exploiting distance, and forming alliances? We’ll cover the Wei Dynasty’s military strategies and what we can learn from both their successes and defeats.