The Art of Quality What Can the World’s Oldest Companies Teach Us About Longevity? Notes from the Field with Eric Markowitz
Aug 29, 2025
Eric Markowitz, a Partner at Nightview Capital and former investigative journalist, shares insights from his globe-trotting quest studying multigenerational businesses for his book, Outlast. He discusses how his near-death experience sparked a fascination with endurance in cultures and companies. Eric highlights the importance of deep customer relationships over quick gains and the employee-first cultures seen in Italian firms. He also explores Japan's many long-lived companies and the role of respectful traditions in maintaining quality and longevity.
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Near-Death Sparked A Quest
- Eric Markowitz nearly died from a brain abscess and wrote a goodbye letter before surgery.
- That near-death experience became the seed for his project studying why some institutions outlast others.
Crisis Strengthens Systems
- Crises act as strengthening moments that force organizations to improve systems.
- Small, continuous tweaks across many dimensions create long-term resilience.
Design Enforces Behavior
- Structural design and rituals encode transparency and healthy behavior into systems.
- Lloyd's removed chair backs and built an open pit so participants wouldn't get complacent and information stayed visible.
