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Is It Really Good to be the King, Part I by Barry Sea Siegel
Mel Brooks, while playing the role of Louis XVI in the Movie “History of the World, Part I,” kept emphatically stating “It’s good to be the King!” I’m sure it’s at least partially true that this particular line of thinking drives many of us to either proceed up the...
"Upstream – Downstream Analysis to Find More Business" by Tom Balistreri
Many of us spend a great deal of time trying to find the next idea to expand our product or service offering. It is always a perplexing process. A process filled with the anxiety because we know that if we guess wrong, it will cost us time, effort and money. Ideas...
Will Sugar Kill Coca-Cola’s Business Model?
Coke ranks as the 4th most valuable brand in the world behind Google, GE and Microsoft with a brand value of $58.2 billion. Truly one of the world’s most iconic brands, does Coke have a business model issue as the drumbeat of the “emp…
Competitive Advantage vs. The Business Model
Competitive advantage is not the same as a business model.
Harvard Professor Michael Porter proposed the theory of competitive advantage in 1990. His competitive advantage theory suggests that businesses should pursue policies that create high-quality goods to sell at the highest possible prices.
Competitive advantage happens when companies acquire or develop an attribute or combination of […]
Is there such a thing as too much cost cutting?
When I travel for speaking engagements, my accommodations are often booked for me. I checked in early to my Holiday Inn Express room in Houston yesterday. As I looked around my room, signs of bean-counter hell abounded. As I scratched my itchy skin, I noticed that only shampoo and conditioner were in the bathroom. When […]
Hooters’ Impending Train Wreck
For its entire existence, Atlanta-based Hooters has been mocked and reviled for its entire concept; from its double-entendre name, to its tight bright-orange short shorts, to its efforts to be a “family-friendly” restaurant. Hooters’ CEO is even appearing on CBS’ Undercover Boss to tout their new plan.
Why is Hooters trying to be family friendly? Come […]
Kmart business model overhaul?
For those of us old enough to remember the 1970’s, we remember a world without Wal-Mart. This was a world ruled by Kmart. During this period, Kmart was the Wal-Mart. What happened? First and foremost, Wal-Mart created a superior business model for a discount retailer. Like it or not, the superior business model almost always […]
Boggle and Your Business Model
If you have ever played the board game Boggle, you have undoubtedly been frustrated to find that other players find easy words that you missed. Once you have played Boggle a few times, you learn a trick. That trick is to rotate the board 90 degrees so you see things from a different angle. When […]
Small Business Is Missing Out On The R&D Tax Credit By Tom Balistreri
Year after year, many small business owners are over-paying taxes to Uncle Sam because they and their tax accountants are not aware of the R&D tax credit. Learning about and using the misunderstood R&D credit can mean a source of much needed cash as well as...
Business Model Trend #1: Flexible Business Models
Winning business models of the future will be flexible. By this, I mean that these businesses will be able to double sales with one-third the number of employees. This may sound impossible, but it is not. Remember Armor All, the tire shining product. In the 1990’s, Armor All did over $300 million in sales with […]
