Notes from the East Woods

Category: Strategy

October Snow and Growing Pains

November 4, 2011 | Forecasting, Life Sciences, Operations, Strategy |

We’re not supposed to get a foot of snow in October, but that’s what greeted me the other morning – along with no electricity… The transition from summer to winter (aka fall) is supposed to happen a little smoother – some cool crisp days, maybe a frost or two, then a few flurries in [...]

Squirrels, Hysteria and Markets

October 6, 2011 | Competition, Forecasting, Life Sciences, Marketing, Strategy |

The squirrels are all going crazy. Their once-dependable fall staple of acorns is no where to be seen, and they are in a frenetic state. The abundant supply of carbohydrates, fats and proteins has simply not shown up this year. This hysteria is what some companies experience when they awaken to the [...]

Tomatoes and Tasty Products

August 16, 2011 | Competition, Life Sciences, Marketing, Product Development, Strategy |

For me, a homegrown tomato is the pinnacle of summer – supremely tasty, available any time, and the fruits of my efforts. I bet you wish you thought the same way about your latest products – loved by customers, demanded constantly, and the result of your hard work. Maybe you have this perfect [...]

Airplanes, Storms, and Agendas

June 24, 2011 | Competition, Innovation, Life Sciences, Operations, Strategy |

As we were taxiing down the runway at Denver airport recently, the pilot gently glided the plane over to the side and stopped. A collective sigh was heard as we all anticipated the usual explanations for the delay. The pilot came on to tell us that a series of storms in the Midwest was preventing [...]

Market Entry at 100MPH

May 20, 2011 | Competition, Life Sciences, Marketing, Operations, Strategy |

Stepping into the flight chamber, I was astonished at the unexpectedly strange sensations. As I attempted my first indoor skydive, my mind was trying to reconcile the noise, the wind, the pressure on my limbs, and the hand signals from my instructor. A similar cacophony of signals often occurs when you are bringing new products [...]

Windmill Revenue

April 1, 2011 | Innovation, Life Sciences, Operations, Strategy |

It amazes me that the windmills over in Princeton have never stopped turning. Every time I gaze across the Wachusett Reservoir to the ridge in Princeton, the big white blades are lazily spinning. Maybe they do stop once in a while, but I’ve never seen it. Many companies would love this type [...]

Sticky Snow Marketing

February 15, 2011 | Business Development, Life Sciences, Marketing, Strategy |

I’ve seen so many snowstorms this year that I have lost count. However, the one the other day was the most impressive, not for the drifts or the depth or the wind, but for how it covered every surface with white. The entire landscape was blanketed, much like the methods some companies use to market [...]