Blue Ocean Strategy challenges traditional competitive strategies by advocating for the creation of new, uncontested market spaces. The authors, W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, argue that companies should focus on innovation to create 'blue oceans' of new demand, rather than competing in 'red oceans' of existing markets. The book provides a systematic approach and tools for successfully formulating and executing blue ocean strategies, including the strategy canvas and the six principles of blue ocean strategy. It highlights successful examples such as Cirque du Soleil and low-cost airlines, and offers guidance on overcoming organizational hurdles and aligning value, profit, and people propositions.
This book is a hands-on, step-by-step guide that builds on the concepts introduced in Simon Sinek's 'Start With Why'. It provides detailed exercises, illustrations, and action steps to help readers find their 'WHY', which is the core reason behind their actions and decisions. The book aims to inspire readers to wake up with purpose, feel safe at work, and return home fulfilled. It addresses various concerns such as how to apply the 'WHY' concept to careers, teams, companies, or nonprofits, and offers strategies for individuals and teams to discover their most powerful reasons for getting up in the morning and starting the workday[1][3][4].
Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth[2][4][5].
In Traction, Gino Wickman provides a systematic approach to achieving business success through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). The book focuses on six key components: Vision, People, Data, Issues, Process, and Traction. It helps business leaders clarify their vision, align their leadership team, solve common business problems, and foster healthy communication and discipline within the organization. The EOS system is designed to help businesses overcome frustrations such as lack of control, people issues, insufficient profit, hitting the ceiling, and feeling stuck. The book offers practical tools, real-world examples, and actionable strategies to drive sustainable growth and improve business operations.
In 'Start with Why', Simon Sinek introduces the concept of 'The Golden Circle', which consists of 'Why', 'How', and 'What'. He argues that successful leaders and organizations start with their purpose or 'Why', which inspires loyalty and trust. Sinek uses examples such as Apple, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers to illustrate how this approach can lead to significant influence and success. The book emphasizes the importance of leadership and purpose in inspiring others and achieving long-term success.
This book, written by Verne Harnish, provides a comprehensive framework for scaling businesses. It focuses on the four major decision areas every company must get right: People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash. The book includes the updated One-Page Strategic Plan and the Rockefeller Habits Checklist, which have been used by over 40,000 firms to scale successfully. Harnish draws on decades of experience advising CEOs and executives, emphasizing the importance of routines, effective meetings, and clear communication to drive business growth and maintain organizational health[1][3][4].
Want to start a business in 2025? This mini series is for you!
In this episode of the Australian Business Podcast Podcast, Zara McGuffie and Jordan Kidis kicked off our 4-part mini-series on how to start a business in 2025. We covered everything from ideation and market research, mistakes to avoid, and how to make sure your idea is going to sell.
Topics covered today:
- The importance of finding your purpose
- Is this a good idea? How to find gaps in the market and what problems you can solve
- Is it going to sell? How to validate your idea with research
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Essential reading: Start with Why by Simon Sinek, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Traction by Gino Wickman and Scaling Up by Verne Harnish.
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Market research tools: Google Trends, Roy Morgan Research, IbisWorld, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Social media listening tools
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Entrepreneur questionnaire:
- Ask a question (select the Business podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest
- Inflection website: www.inflection.au
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