Category Archives: Positioning

Manage your mantra.

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Dave Berkus

I am constantly surprised when speaking with entrepreneurs and CEO’s who act puzzled and a bit flustered when I ask, “So what is your mantra?  Tell me about your company in ten words or less.”  Almost every one begins a … Continue reading →

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Demand pull – cost push.

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Dave Berkus

Place your cash bets behind proven demand. The term, “demand pull – cost push” was created by the great economist, John Maynard Keynes, to describe the two primary drivers of economic inflation.  Demand pull: too much demand for a product … Continue reading →

Posted in Growth!, Positioning | 2 Comments

Good tax planning is both legal and smart.

Posted on August 23, 2010 by Dave Berkus

When do you cross the line between honesty and dishonesty in tax planning?  Is it ethical to allocate income between periods to take advantage of tax breaks?  Can expenses be put off until the next period to increase income, or … Continue reading →

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Know and avoid “time bankruptcy.”

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Dave Berkus

Time bankruptcy results from the deliberate over-commitment of core resources.            I created the term “time bankruptcy” almost thirty years ago when the computer software business was young, and I was a software developer building a young company based upon … Continue reading →

Posted in Growth!, Positioning, The fight for quality | 2 Comments

Find your “teacher-customer.”

Posted on March 10, 2010 by Dave Berkus

Your customers know what they want more than you do.  Find one to teach you.                   This insight came from personal experience and from a good friend who advanced the notion of the “teacher-customer” years ago.  I internalized this phrase, … Continue reading →

Posted in Depending upon others, Finding your ideal niche, Growth!, Positioning | Leave a comment

Everything changes from concept to release! (And another story…)

Posted on March 3, 2010 by Dave Berkus

                  You can take “everything changes” as a rule, not an exception.  You’ll recognize the truism, “No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy” first stated by German Field Marshall von Moltke in the 19th century.  This variant of … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Growth!, Ignition! Starting up, Positioning | Leave a comment

New idea or product? Don’t rest until you test!

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Dave Berkus

     So you have a great new product or service that you and your associates love.  Early adopters should climb all over each other for a look.  But what have you done to test the concept against the realities of … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Positioning | 1 Comment

What I learned from losing a million…Market knowledge comes FIRST.

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Dave Berkus

Know your market and competition, or don’t spend a dime on anything else.                 I have stated previously that I love absolutes – statements with no wiggle room for gray-area responses.  Well, here is one of those, and it deals … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Growth!, Positioning | 3 Comments

Use metrics and a dashboard. ACT upon variances.

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Dave Berkus

                 Have you ever driven a car that had no speedometer?  I had that thrill when a student at the Richard Petty Stockcar School of Driving recently at a motor speedway in California.  With a wide track, angled aggressively at … Continue reading →

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Strategic planning: Strategies and tactics

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Dave Berkus

                In past insights, we explored the need for a tangible goal and strategies that are measurable as steps toward achievement of the goal.  This insight calls to account tactics to accompany each strategy, and even suggests a number for … Continue reading →

Posted in Finding your ideal niche, Positioning | 2 Comments