Strategy
The demand for gas is now on a stable downward trajectory. In 2030, McKinsey estimated a drop to $79bn, down from $87bn in 2019. The venerable gas station is among the many businesses and infrastructure impacted, and companies like Shell are now paying attention. With consumers and professionals transitioning to
Hot Takes
As I briefly explained a few days ago, I don't intend to spend much more time on Twitter with the current BS going on (which is, for me removing the few moderation rules and decency safeguards that led to banning Trump and a few others). For the same
Hot Takes
Qatar has spent $220bn to build an entire city and its various infrastructure to host the Mondial World Cup. The more realistic cost is estimated at a whopping $300bn by Bloomberg. What Qatar Built for the Most Expensive World Cup EverQatar has spent $300 billion preparing for the FIFA World
Strategy
Last June, I discussed some elements of the thermodynamics of innovation and how laws and regulations are very often the limiting factors to getting change in the market. In that regard, the seemingly never-ending race to get autonomous vehicles on the road is a perfect example. If the technology was
Expert
Today it's all about a more nuanced and practical discussion on how to apply innovation frameworks depending on which type of team culture you're dealing with. And because we never have much time in innovation, let's boil it down to three types of culture.
Hot Takes
Since yesterday, I couldn't avoid addressing the elephantic blue bird in the room once again; let's have a quick discussion about TikTok too. Like probably many of you, I've seen a bite-sized takedown of TikTok on LinkedIn that was clipping a 60 Minutes video
Hot Takes
As we collectively try to decide if Elon Musk is playing 3D chess with Twitter or just being bipolar, it's worth remembering Occam's Razor. Do not attribute to malice which can easily be explained by stupidity. In the case of Elon Musk, though, stupidity is certainly
Hot Takes
Many (many) years ago, I learned that most branches of Hinduism, and later Buddhism, were using precise tools to teach concepts or notions that essentially cannot be explained. There are called upāya kauśalya (उपाय कौशल्य) in Sanskrit or fāngbiàn (方便) in Chinese. It translates as skillful means
Strategy
Direct-to-Consumer startups (DTC, or sometimes DTM for direct-to-market) were all the craze mid-2010s. Heralded by businesses like Casper, Away, or Warby Parker the core strategy was very seducing. Take an old and proven retail idea (selling mattresses) and make it as simple as possible in every way possible to disrupt
Weak Signals
A recent article from Horace Dediu (analyst extraordinaire) caught my eye recently. It crunched the numbers on what is the enterprise value of automotive companies worldwide in terms of 25 new entrants (<20 years old) and 31 incumbents, as reported by the OICA (International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers)
Hot Takes
I dutifully avoided the subject a few weeks ago when everyone was head over heels as Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, announced he would "give away" his company to fight the climate crisis. Yvon Chouinard Donates Patagonia to Fight Climate CrisisEarth is now our only shareholder. Patagonia
Hot Takes
If you're trying to make sense of how much Twitter should cost, it's rapidly obvious that a flat $8 fee doesn't make sense as it doesn't bring enough money, but most importantly, it's not tied to a clear value proposition.