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What’s the weak spot in your model that would be the first to fall if the market shifted?

How does your thinking go against the grain of the category?

What value exists in other categories but not yours? What would it look like if it did?

If you had to double your prices tomorrow, what would you do differently to justify it?

Why should people buy from you without saying you’re ‘better’ than the rest?

What else might people buy or do instead of choosing you?

How deeply does innovation factor into your plans for scaling up?

How are you balancing what works now with what you’ll need later?

What aspect of your team’s collective talent is the world in danger of overlooking?

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For this trick, the crux is recognising that different product categories have different levels of innate interest.

Smartphones or surfboards are captivating, AA batteries simply are not. In high-interest categories, brands can land complex, knotty, immersive strategies because consumers are willing to go deep, and explore every facet of what the brand has to say. In stark contrast, low-interest categories need a blunt, direct strategy because consumer engagement is minimal – these products or services must seize attention. 

Quickly. And with aplomb.

Duracell, for example, nails this by focusing on longevity, encapsulated crisply by the enduring Duracell Bunny— which symbolises stamina. This clear, straightforward message fits perfectly within the low-engagement realm of batteries. Compare that to high-engagement brands like Tesla or Patagonia, which craft rich, detailed, lofty, brand narratives.

High-interest areas can sustain sophisticated value propositions; low-interest ones cannot.

The wheels fall off when low-interest products are burdened with complex, value-laden strategies that don’t resonate, due to a stark misalignment of consumer attention. So for brands in low-interest categories, the strategy must be clear and concise, creating an immediate, unmistakable presence.

Like in all brand strategies, the key thing is respect for the consumer – their time, priorities, and biases. What you assume they should care about is insignificant; what truly matters is what they actually care about. Operate realistically within these guardrails and you’ll set yourself up for success.

Here is a (very) scientific diagram to help you visualise this:

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In 3 concise ‘floors,’ we will span the full scope of a strategically robust business.

Strategy: What is the unique edge your business brings to the table? Here, I want you to pinpoint the singular value that sets you apart in your marketplace.

The How: Define your delivery. How do you bring your strategic edge to life? This floor is about the tangible actions, products, or services that embody your business’s core strategy.

Brand Wrap: Communicate it with impact. How do you ensure your message resonates powerfully and clearly with your audience? This final floor is about wrapping your value in a narrative that’s both magnetic and straightforward.

In short: What you offer > How you offer it > And the brand wrap you use to communicate it.

Thats’s it. 

I use this model as a starting point for launching projects when helping high-growth startups express their value. By defining these three key areas, companies can make sure their strategic objectives are not only clear but also communicated and put into action effectively.

This clarity turns broad strategic ideas into specific, practical steps that connect well, making everything clear from the get-go.

A few examples so you can see this in action: 

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It asserts that missing any one of these components can lead to detrimental outcomes—confusion, anarchy, bankruptcy, or worse, frustration.

It underscores the necessity of a balanced approach, with each component being integral to forging a cohesive and productive business structure. Founders can use this checklist as a quick strategic tool to align all fundamental aspects of their ventures, fostering enduring growth and success.

It compels you to identify any pieces of the puzzle that may be missing. Or, better still, identify weaknesses in any given pillar before pitch day.

Purpose: Every business needs a clear reason for existing – beyond making money. Purpose drives everything from your strategy to how your team executes on a daily basis. Without it, there’s no focus, leading to confusion and wasted energy.

People: A great idea means nothing without the right people to bring it to life. You need leaders who can guide, teams that are motivated, and a culture that supports innovation. Hiring the right people and fostering the right culture from the start is key.

Product: Your product must solve a real problem for your customers, and it needs to be adaptable. No amount of marketing will save a product that doesn’t meet market needs.

Process: Scalable, repeatable processes are what separate chaotic startups from businesses that can grow sustainably. Processes allow you to maintain quality and efficiency even as you expand.

Examples for each of these in action: 

WeWork: A case of a company with a questionble purpose, growing at break-neck speed with no clear mission beyond expansion. It’s purpose swiftly collapsed under the weight of it’s own insincerity resulting in financial collapse.

OpenAI: Faced challenges when its people struggled to balance fast growth with ethical decision-making, causing internal discord.

Slack: A company that nailed product-market fit by evolving from a gaming company tool to the communication platform used by millions.

Uber: Scaled globally at an unprecedented rate because it had operational processes in place to replicate its success across cities while minimising inefficiency.

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A note of caution: these are quick fixes, best suited for emergency use. And hypothesis scenarios.

When using them, it helps to have:

– The ability to put a number of lenses on the problem.
– Access to ground-level, practical insights.
– Knowledge of the category the brand operates in.
– Knowledge of the brand you’re working with.
– A way with words.

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While it mostly had a positive impact, it also had some unintended consequences. Revised roles needed less of everything—less brains, less independence. And when the Russians, for example, adopted the fad, failure to achieve Taylor-like efficiency targets led many Soviet workers to the Gulag. Uff.

Interesting stuff.

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