Category Strategy

Businesses Are Not Machines, Nor Are You.

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As South Africa came out of our fifth week of lockdown sometime in May last year, I took the decision to stop reading COVID news. I was frazzled by the onslaught of different theories and opinions. South Africa’s hard lockdown…

Abdullah Verachia’s Disruption Amplified

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This week, I wanted to introduce you to Nigerian artist Ndidi Emefiele I loved her piece, Here as in Heaven which is currently showing in London’s Gallery Rosenfeld. Then, Sepanta Bagherpour, Nando’s CMO for North America, dropped me a note telling me about their undemocratic meal…

The Power Of Persistence

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Good morning friends Generally, this letter’s open rates exceed the industry average by >40%. Last week’s letter on good leadership exceeded even that. On Tuesday morning I sent out a mail asking whether you’d like more social media engagement from me. Two…

Lululemon, Takashi Murakami And Ayobami Adebayo

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Good morning everyone Today, we will dive straight into stories of yoga, art, and love. / Strategy Chip Wilson’s story is fascinating. The son of a Phys Ed teacher and a seamstress, today his 9% shareholding of athletic wear business, Lululemon means…

Strategy Lesson: Listen To Weak Signals

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Dear All Thank you all for your reflections on last week’s letter. The Thabo Mbeki quotation that “no solution to current problems can be found unless we understand their historical origins” resonated with many of you. It took me back to…

Creating possibility

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By now you know that South African Tatjana Schoenmaker has set a new world record for the 200-meter breaststroke. If you haven’t seen the moments after her win, scroll to the 2 min 20 sec mark and watch, it will make your…

Netflix and The Culture of Reinvention

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Good morning. I hope you’re well and that someone is bringing you coffee in bed… Six weeks ago, I wrote to you from Inside Covid. A week later, as Covid spat me out, I wrote that I’m Still Standing. Since then, we…

The Wisdom of Forests

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A couple of years ago, Ralph Freese Chief Executive Director of the African Leadership Initiative suggested that I would enjoy The Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer-Prize,. He was right. Central to the book is the insight, that in our…