What Are the Core Disciplines That Companies Need to Develop?

Companies need to develop world-class talent in three key disciplines: marketing, product/engineering, and understanding of margin profile and cash flow. In terms of marketing, it is important to have a strong function that can acquire new customers through various channels, build communities, and leverage partnerships. For product and engineering, companies should focus on leveraging existing tools to deliver experiences quickly and efficiently. Additionally, understanding the margin profile and cash flow of the business is crucial, as companies need to charge appropriately for their solutions in order to maintain healthy gross margins and positive cash flow. This may require expertise in pricing and a willingness to have some customers say no due to pricing. Neglecting to do so can lead to giving away too much and increased customer service costs. Developing these disciplines is especially important as capital becomes more scarce.