We love a mystery. We’re told there is a bizarre creature in the woods, a treasure buried in the earth, something in the night sky that we can’t identify—and we yearn to discover what these things are. Here’s how three businesses used mystery to grow and get...
Best Buy succeeded where other stores failed. But when they opened in new markets they didn’t repeat their successful action, and it cost them. Any business owner would benefit knowing how they lost their way. In today’s internet age, brick-and-mortar stores are...
Southwest may be the most profitable company in the competitive airline industry. They utilize three “jets” that drive their success and make up their model. Any business wanting to reach greater heights should take note. One could say that the three “jets” that drive...
Mars Candies applied management skill to grow their company for more than 100 years. With a keen understanding of good management practices, this company has become one of the most popular places to work in Europe. Mars Candies, based in McLean, Virginia, is now one...
Old Spice, the brand once associated with sea captains and early Americana, completely rebranded their products in 2008 and have been successfully expanding their line ever since. How they reinvented the brand and continue to appeal to the younger generation is a...
Who would start a new pizza chain in 2008 smack in the middle of the great recession? Answer: A bold and socially conscious husband-and-wife team from Seattle, who decided to innovate the traditional pizza experience for a new millennium. In his article “THE ANALYSIS...
From Thomas Edison’s 1877 machine that played back on a rotating cylinder to 167 million vinyl LPs sold in 1985, vinyl’s warm yet crisp analog sound was a casualty in the digital eclipse of the compact disc, downloading and streaming.1 In his essay of August 30, 1965,...
From ancient warfare to maverick retail, the idea of a “hat” integrated with near-obsessive efficiency has been a crucible for productivity and has changed society itself. In his essay of July 1, 1965, titled “HATS, THE REASON FOR,” L. Ron Hubbard defined the...
Whether you’re playing the same three chords or are a seasoned virtuoso, if you’re a musician, chances are you have strong, even fanatical opinions about your gear. One Chicago company was listening. In his article of 19 March 1982, “EXECUTIVE SUCCESS,” L. Ron Hubbard...
The journey of Edward Marc Chocolatier is one of teamwork, ingenuity, adaptability and, above all, family. Towering over the corporate landscape are monolithic corporations—perceived sometimes as omnipresent, omnipotent and ominous. There’s absolutely nothing wrong...
We live in what has been termed the friction-free economy—where labor, information and money move around easily, cheaply and almost instantly. Overhead is at its lowest. Uber is the world’s largest car service but doesn’t own cars. Facebook is now a monolith of news...
The phrase “Think Global, Act Local” rings true when seeking that elusive commodity called business leadership. We’ve looked up to leaders all our lives, many of whom are worthy of the praise: Founding Fathers (Washington, Jefferson), humanitarians (MLK, Gandhi),...