"...keeping you great"
HEADLINES: (Growth Summit Highlights continued)
Hermann Simon on Why the U.S. Lags in Exports -- Hermann outlined six strategies, from his research into 3000 "hidden champions", for dominating your industry -- strategies outlined in his book Hidden Champions of the 21st Century. Here's my 2-minute interview asking Hermann why the U.S. is getting crushed by the Germans and the Chinese in exports. Go to the right hand column of www.gazelles.tv and scroll down.
Very Deep vs. Broad -- my favorite case study in Hidden Champions is Winterhalter. Originally a manufacturer of commercial dishwashers, they decided to abandon dishwashers for hospitals, schools, companies, and organizations and JUST FOCUS on dishwashers for hotels and restaurants. And they've gone deeper within this niche by providing water conditioners, detergents, and other services focused around cleaning dishes in hotels and restaurants. As Hermann says "only focus and concentration lead to world class." Grab a copy of his book and read the Winterhalter case study.
Marketing and R&D -- it was also insightful when Hermann noted from his research that marketing and R&D were primarily led by the CEO in the hidden champions -- and this meant that the CEO spent a great deal of time face-to-face and on the phone with customers vs. "running the place." To Hermann's point, Niraj Balasaria, CEO of Virginia-based Petron Pacific, shared with me that he spent the entire day before the Growth Summit with his key distributor in Houston. From what he learned he figures sales for one of his divisions will triple. He?s also set-up a regular Thursday call with his distributors and reps, treating it like a weekly sales and marketing meeting as if they were directly employed by him (which they aren't). How much face time are you getting with your customers?
Israel's Innovation Powerhouse -- and more lessons for the U.S. and the developed world -- yesterday marked the publication of what has already become a best-seller, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle by Dan Senor and Saul Singer. Here's a link to an informative 6 minute interview of Senor who does a great job summarizing the main points in the book. Thank you to Rabbi Stephen Baars for bringing this interview to my attention
"Made it in..."series -- and for those wanting to venture out into some of the leading business hotspots around the globe like the Hidden Champions, entrepreneurs Graham Jeal (former president of EO China) and Simon Cann are authors of a new series of books entitled Made It In China, Made it in Vietnam, Made it in Kazakhstan, with more on the way. Graham is a British-born entrepreneur who has been building companies in China since 2001. Cann is a prolific writer and management consultant to companies spanning the music, entertainment, and broadcast industries. I met Graham and Simon on my last trip to China and was impressed by their enthusiasm and initiative to encourage others to leave the comfort zone of their own markets.
Made It In China -- in their first book they feature specific lessons learned from nine entrepreneurs including Graham, who have built manufacturing plants, launched internet businesses, started hotels and restaurants, and created large sales organizations within China. One of the entrepreneurs was even the first foreign participant on China's equivalent of "The Apprentice." In all cases, these entrepreneurs left their home countries and built businesses in a culture different from the own -- and their stories are both inspirational and instructive. I encourage you to go to their website to learn more.
HEADLINES: (Growth Summit Highlights continued)
Hermann Simon on Why the U.S. Lags in Exports -- Hermann outlined six strategies, from his research into 3000 "hidden champions", for dominating your industry -- strategies outlined in his book Hidden Champions of the 21st Century. Here's my 2-minute interview asking Hermann why the U.S. is getting crushed by the Germans and the Chinese in exports. Go to the right hand column of www.gazelles.tv and scroll down.
Very Deep vs. Broad -- my favorite case study in Hidden Champions is Winterhalter. Originally a manufacturer of commercial dishwashers, they decided to abandon dishwashers for hospitals, schools, companies, and organizations and JUST FOCUS on dishwashers for hotels and restaurants. And they've gone deeper within this niche by providing water conditioners, detergents, and other services focused around cleaning dishes in hotels and restaurants. As Hermann says "only focus and concentration lead to world class." Grab a copy of his book and read the Winterhalter case study.
Marketing and R&D -- it was also insightful when Hermann noted from his research that marketing and R&D were primarily led by the CEO in the hidden champions -- and this meant that the CEO spent a great deal of time face-to-face and on the phone with customers vs. "running the place." To Hermann's point, Niraj Balasaria, CEO of Virginia-based Petron Pacific, shared with me that he spent the entire day before the Growth Summit with his key distributor in Houston. From what he learned he figures sales for one of his divisions will triple. He?s also set-up a regular Thursday call with his distributors and reps, treating it like a weekly sales and marketing meeting as if they were directly employed by him (which they aren't). How much face time are you getting with your customers?
Israel's Innovation Powerhouse -- and more lessons for the U.S. and the developed world -- yesterday marked the publication of what has already become a best-seller, Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle by Dan Senor and Saul Singer. Here's a link to an informative 6 minute interview of Senor who does a great job summarizing the main points in the book. Thank you to Rabbi Stephen Baars for bringing this interview to my attention
"Made it in..."series -- and for those wanting to venture out into some of the leading business hotspots around the globe like the Hidden Champions, entrepreneurs Graham Jeal (former president of EO China) and Simon Cann are authors of a new series of books entitled Made It In China, Made it in Vietnam, Made it in Kazakhstan, with more on the way. Graham is a British-born entrepreneur who has been building companies in China since 2001. Cann is a prolific writer and management consultant to companies spanning the music, entertainment, and broadcast industries. I met Graham and Simon on my last trip to China and was impressed by their enthusiasm and initiative to encourage others to leave the comfort zone of their own markets.
Made It In China -- in their first book they feature specific lessons learned from nine entrepreneurs including Graham, who have built manufacturing plants, launched internet businesses, started hotels and restaurants, and created large sales organizations within China. One of the entrepreneurs was even the first foreign participant on China's equivalent of "The Apprentice." In all cases, these entrepreneurs left their home countries and built businesses in a culture different from the own -- and their stories are both inspirational and instructive. I encourage you to go to their website to learn more.