Not all business advice is equal. Allow me to take you through handpicked, curated advice that’s not only timeless but equally relevant for a vegan business of any size, whether stand alone or from a legacy brand’s portfolio.
1. Why great leaders take humor seriously– By Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas
Must must must watch. Enough said.
I am not really surprised that humor is considered critical for leadership of a person or a brand.
You might also want to check out why humor works and 4 ways plant-based brands can inject humor in their communication to make it stand out.
2. Making any business crisis proof- TEDx talk by Jinal Shah
About 90% of the startups in India fail within 5 years. The number might be slightly more perhaps for the plant-based startups considering the typical challenges minus governmental and regulatory support.
In such a scenario, what can a business do to not only survive but thrive? To have a fighting chance at blossoming from a startup into an enduring legacy business?
The TELCoS Model of Business Immunity might help.
Read it here or watch the TEDx talk above.
3. Perspective is everything– Rory Sutherland
Rory’s talk is filled with practical examples that shock you with their simplicity and lateral thinking.
4. 10 ways to grow a bootstrapped business– by Matthew Gira
The infographic given above is a handy summary of what can help you grow your business without investor funds. You can download the entire report describing learnings from bootstrapped businesses here.
5. Josh Spector’s 100x method
This method saves you from starting projects you shouldn’t.
For those exploring new business opportunity or new growth opportunity, the single most important question you need to answer is “Are you willing to commit to doing this or working at it a 100 times?”
Particularly useful for solopreneurs, small businesses or new ideas within larger businesses.
Read details on this method here.
6. The secret to becoming a beloved brand– Jinal Shah for ET Brand Equity
The conventional USP is Unique Selling Proposition. It is a critical element of marketing. But aren’t there enough times, when despite a distinct and clear USP, the brand is just not getting the customer love it is hoping for? This is where USP 2.0 comes in. It is Universal Sore Point. You can read all about it here.
7. Using small gestures and empathy to become unforgettable – Jinal Shah
Sometimes unspoken efforts and actions leave a far greater impact than grand sweeping gestures. Small gestures can take a brand experience from “Meets expectations” to “Surpasses expectations”.
- Read the story of how hospitality brand Stayvista surpassed guest expectations without doing anything grand.
If the customer facing team members in a business have empathy, thoughtful gestures and proactive service automatically happen, “delighting” customers without fail.
- Read the story of how Courtyard by Marriott’s empathetic and thoughtful service across teams left a lasting impression.
If you know anyone who would enjoy this curated set of content, don’t hesitate to forward this newsletter email to them 🙂
Question to think about: 💡
Generally, there are two approaches to brand and business building:
- Slow and steady approach: Laying down each brick of the brand foundation with care and thought, even if it takes time, so as to build a brand that can endure for a century.
- Fast and agile approach: Do what will give results in the short term, earn money to sustain and work on long term sustainability later.
Which one is better?
Should you want to talk, I am just an email away. You know that, right?
