The hottest Strategy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics
Second Opinion 471 implied HN points 20 Nov 23
  1. In 2024, health-tech founders may face challenges due to market conditions like the difficulty of fundraising.
  2. It's okay to let go of a struggling company and start over; it can make you smarter for the next venture.
  3. Founders should practice ruthless prioritization, focus on achieving break-even, and be realistic about liquidity events.
The Beautiful Mess 1258 implied HN points 18 Jun 23
  1. A strategy should be a clear description of challenges, decisions on what to address, and specific actions to impact those challenges.
  2. Translating strategy into tangible goals and budgets is crucial for making it meaningful to people in the organization.
  3. Creating a safe space for hard discussions, dedicating time for strategy development, and focusing on deployment are essential for making a strategy effective.
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Askwhy: UX Research, Product Management, Design & Careers 50 implied HN points 04 Mar 24
  1. Understanding business strategy helps drive alignment and focus, ensuring products contribute to company goals and avoiding feature creep.
  2. Knowing consumer trends, markets, and competitive landscape aids in developing relevant products and making informed decisions to stay competitive.
  3. Engaging with business strategy leads to better decision-making through frameworks like second-order thinking and inversion, fostering alignment within the organization.
Zwischenzug 628 implied HN points 22 Jul 23
  1. In chess, 99% of the game is about taking your opponent's pieces and not hanging your own.
  2. For many players, improvement comes from mastering basic concepts like piece safety rather than advanced strategies.
  3. Efficiency matters, so seek out resources that help you practice and improve on keeping your pieces safe in chess.
Into the Hedge 1 HN point 01 May 24
  1. The PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) system, rooted in an anarchic ethos, is successfully used on a farm to manage work without needing authoritarian supervision.
  2. Despite challenges, PDCA can be effective in corporate environments, but it may require adaptation and a supportive workplace to thrive.
  3. Regular meetings following the steps of PDCA help the farm team review and plan their work, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability.
Have You Played? 78 implied HN points 30 Jan 24
  1. Mother of Frankenstein: Volume One is a tabletop puzzle game that feels weightier due to its subject and length.
  2. The game features puzzles that are well-designed and include elements of wordplay and narrative storytelling.
  3. There is a lack of urgency in the story's pacing and the game's marketing does not effectively explain why players should care about the secret being unearthed.
ASeq Newsletter 36 implied HN points 24 Feb 24
  1. Rumors about layoffs and nepotism at Oxford Nanopore are circulating, potentially impacting the company's share price.
  2. The company's delayed announcement of layoffs raises questions, with some seeing it as a strategic move and others as a demotivational tactic for employees.
  3. The overall strategy of Oxford Nanopore is being called into question, with suggestions that changes may be needed for the company to succeed.
Askwhy: UX Research, Product Management, Design & Careers 33 implied HN points 27 Feb 24
  1. Avoid unnecessary research by understanding when it's not appropriate, like for problem-solving issues instead of validation.
  2. Prevent overcommitting by scoping projects well, building in time buffers, and looking at historical data to manage workload effectively.
  3. Enhance visibility for your UX research work by selecting the right method for your audience, sharing updates in product meetings, and knowing your stakeholders.
Gad’s Newsletter 61 implied HN points 22 Jan 24
  1. Boeing's quality and safety issues are influenced by a culture prioritizing speed over quality.
  2. Poor supplier management practices contributed to Boeing's recent quality problems.
  3. Boeing's focus on short-term profits led to challenges with innovation, supplier management, and quality control.
Running Lean Mastery 412 implied HN points 01 Jul 23
  1. Unfair advantages are characteristics that can't be easily copied or bought, like insider information or network effects.
  2. Unfair advantages differ from competitive advantages in that they have exclusivity and defensibility, making them harder to copy.
  3. Differentiate between a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) for customers and an Unfair Advantage directed towards competitors.
MD&A 404 implied HN points 04 Jul 23
  1. Intellectual laziness can lead to catastrophic corporate failures, as seen in the case of GE and SVB.
  2. Managers who prioritize manipulating short-term earnings over creating long-term shareholder value are intellectually lazy.
  3. Intellectual rigor is essential in identifying underrated managers and avoiding overrated ones.
Austin's Analects 19 implied HN points 13 Mar 24
  1. The author shares their strategy and analysis for CrossFit Open Workout 24.2, achieving a high score and feeling proud of their performance.
  2. The workout consists of a 20-minute AMRAP involving rowing, deadlifts, and double-unders, with the author focusing on efficient transitions and pacing throughout the routine.
  3. By analyzing their execution in terms of time per round, movement, and transitions, the author reflects on areas where they excelled and areas for potential improvement, like quicker transitions for better performance.
Platform Papers 39 implied HN points 14 Feb 24
  1. Digital platforms have to decide between focusing on blockbusters or long-tail content strategics based on their benefits. Blockbusters can drive significant traffic and users but may also intensify competition by monopolizing user attention.
  2. On crowdfunding platforms, blockbusters can have positive spillover effects by attracting attention and increasing funding for other projects. Related blockbusters have a stronger effect on a project than unrelated ones.
  3. For platforms or businesses, promoting blockbusters strategically can lead to increased user participation, spillover benefits, and competitive advantages. Leveraging blockbusters can drive growth and attract new users to a platform.
MatchQuarters 255 implied HN points 04 Sep 23
  1. The Chiefs' success formula in the modern game includes having a great QB, elite offense, and a middle-of-the-road defense that produces timely turnovers.
  2. The Chiefs have drafted strategically, with over half of their starters and eight of their 11 defensive starters drafted within the past three years.
  3. Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been successful in creating a defense that leverages talent and uses MOFO coverages to play a bend-don't-break style.
Lessons 511 implied HN points 14 Apr 23
  1. Your calendar as a leader affects what gets done in the company and how you spend time and resources.
  2. Setting clear priorities and having a structured calendar system are crucial for spending time on strategic priorities.
  3. Create a calendar skeleton to lay out core activities and priorities, and regularly revisit and adjust your system.