Retail Media Networks, Part 2: Why the Hype?

Let’s talk about retail media.

More specifically, the reasons underlying all the excitement about – and investment in – retail media networks (RMNs) launched by major retailers, which is the focus of this article, Part 2 of a 4-part series.

In Part 1, I covered the origins and definition of RMNs; in Part 3, I will paint a picture of where different retailers stand in their journey of launching their respective RMNs; and in Part 4, I will offer my hypotheses on what needs to happen in the retail media space for RMNs to live up to their widely publicized potential.

Two-Way Street: Growing a Two-Sided Marketplace Through Supply and Demand Promotions

Let’s talk about two-sided marketplace promotions.

More specifically, the crucial marketing tactic two-sided marketplace platforms, such as Uber or Doordash, deploy to drive engagement and growth by stimulating both demand and supply among their network participants. 

The Talent Stack: Differentiating Between Values, Abilities and Skills When Evaluating People

Let’s talk about talent.

More specifically, how to identify and assess people who are best suited to ‘click’ seamlessly with your corporate culture, deliver meaningful impact and results effectively and quickly. The Talent Stack is a powerful framework that helps focus your attention on the right people attributes and candidate qualifications, and in the right order of strategic priority.

I was first introduced to the concept of “Values, Abilities and Skills” by Ray Dalio during my time at Bridgewater. One of his (now famous) “Principles” was that we should look at people as having these three very different tiers of qualifications or attributes that should not be commingled together, with values being most important and skills the least.

Life of a Coupon: The Industry Value Chain That Powers Manufacturer Coupons

Let’s talk about coupons.

More specifically, the full value chain of activities and industry players that constitutes the ‘Life of a Coupon’ – from the CPG manufacturer to the consumer to the retailer’s checkout register and back to the manufacturer.

The Strategy Checklist, Part 2: A Closer Look at Each Step of the Strategy Process

Let’s talk some more about strategic planning.

More specifically, the detailed steps comprising the end-to-end process of developing and executing a compelling and cohesive corporate strategy.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, I introduced The Strategy Checklist framework (see Figure 1). And in this article, I delve into each step of the process to demonstrate how it can be used by strategy executives and business leaders to orchestrate an end-to-end strategy process that connects a company’s values and vision with its strategic plan, and drives results that advance its long-term objectives.

The Strategy Checklist, Part 1: A Recipe for Running a Top-Notch Strategy Process

Let’s talk about strategic planning.

More specifically, the end-to-end process of developing and executing a compelling corporate strategy. Strategy is a process - from the highly personal, nebulous stage of defining a company’s values and vision, to the long-term planning stage of setting goals and priorities, to the unglamorous and overlooked stage of execution, coordination and results-tracking. And like every process, it has proven formulas, best practices and predictable flows that can be harnessed to develop winning strategies and deliver strong results.

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series. Here, I introduce The Strategy Checklist framework. And in Part 2, I delve into each of its steps to showcase its practical application.

The Growth Cube: A Practical Framework for Engineering Business Model Expansion

Let’s talk about growth.

More specifically, a practical framework (The Growth Cube) for developing a comprehensive growth strategy along three capability dimensions most relevant to realizing the full potential of a company’s business model: product portfolio, geographic presence, and vertical segment penetration.

The Value Tree, Part 2: Using Shareholder Value to Unite and Prioritize the Corporate Portfolio of Strategic Initiatives

Let’s talk some more about shareholder value.

More specifically, applying The Value Tree strategic framework, which I adapted from the popular enterprise valuation formula, to identify, coordinate and prioritize initiatives and investments that create shareholder value.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, I introduced the Value Tree framework (see Figure 1). And in this article, I delve into each element of the framework to demonstrate how it can be used by strategy professionals to organize corporate initiatives into a cohesive portfolio and assign them priority based on their quantifiable potential to create meaningful shareholder value.

  

The Value Tree, Part 1: A Corporate Strategy Framework Inspired by a Popular Valuation Technique

Let’s talk about shareholder value.

More specifically, a simple and practical strategic framework (The Value Tree) adapted from a popular enterprise valuation heuristic, which can be used to identify, coordinate and prioritize initiatives and investments that create shareholder value.

This article is Part 1 of a two-part series. Here, I introduce the Value Tree framework. And in Part 2, I delve into its elements to showcase its application. This series is not about valuation methodologies. Rather, it’s about adapting the simple valuation formula into a strategic framework that isolates the principal drivers of shareholder value, and using it to organize, prioritize and even quantify different strategic initiatives based on their potential to deliver measurable shareholder value growth. It’s a handy, and universally applicable, tool for strategy professionals to tie together the numerous, and often disconnected, corporate initiatives into a cohesive and coordinated portfolio. And tie everything back to (what should be) the number-one goal of every corporate executive: creating shareholder value.

Principal Axes: The Three Capability Dimensions That Propel Corporate Strategy

Let’s talk about strategy.

More specifically, corporate strategy as a functional discipline, the fundamental value it creates (or should create) for an organization and its people, and the capabilities it requires in order to succeed.

This article is the first in a series that looks at strategy pragmatically, from a business operator’s point of view, and explores some practical, proven recipes to create and utilize a corporate strategy function that drives meaningful value. It’s my humble contribution to introducing some standards, common frameworks and best practices for strategy as a functional discipline. In this piece, I focus on the fundamental purpose and value of strategy, and I introduce the 'Principal Axes' framework to showcase the capabilities that need to be in place to realize that purpose and value.