HBR On Strategy The 6 Forces of Failure—and How to Protect Your Company from Them
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Apr 30, 2025 Sean Jacobsohn, a partner at Norwest Venture Partners and founder of the Failure Museum, explores the lessons learned from notable product failures like Harley-Davidson Cologne and Cheetos Lip Balm. He identifies six key forces of failure, emphasizing the importance of timing, financial management, and understanding product-market fit. Through vivid examples like Pets.com and Blockbuster, listeners discover how agility and market awareness can safeguard against business pitfalls. Get ready to rethink your strategies based on these fascinating failures!
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Unusual Product Failures
- Harley-Davidson's 1996 cologne smelled like tobacco, showing a peculiar product extension choice.
- Other unusual failures included Cheetos lip balm and Alan, Ken's less popular best friend doll.
Webvan's Scalability Failure
- Webvan launched grocery delivery in 10 cities unproven and raised $880 million.
- The capital-intensive model failed due to lack of sufficient demand for early product version.
Theranos' Expertise Deficit
- Theranos aimed to revolutionize blood testing but lacked domain expertise in its team.
- Using a pinprick of blood was scientifically insufficient, dooming the company despite its high valuation.