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Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter Most new business ideas begin the same way. There is a flash of insight. A conversation that refuses to leave your head. A sketch on a napkin. A deck built late at night. For a brief moment, everything feels electric. Then the silence starts. Early excitement […]

Listen to an AI audio recording of this newsletter In a conference room towering over New York City, Josh Baskin looks confused. The character, played by Tom Hanks in the classic 1988 movie Big, is fidgeting in his chair during a product development meeting where suited corporate leaders unveil a new toy. The team had

This audio was recorded by AI.   AI is rapidly commoditizing information. If you want 30 strategic options, five market maps, a competitor teardown, a pricing hypothesis, and a set of board-ready slides, then you can get it in minutes. Strategy is becoming faster, cheaper, and more available than at any point in history. And

This audio was recorded by AI.   In hosting the Outthinkers podcast, I get to speak with some of the world’s most strategic minds. But few conversations have reshaped my own understanding of leadership the way my recent dialogue with Mark Thompson did. Mark is a CEO coach to many of the world’s highest-performing executives

This audio was recorded by AI.   Over the past few months, as I’ve worked with executives across sectors, from finance to healthcare, manufacturing to technology, the same quiet realization keeps emerging: we are approaching a rational inflection point in strategy. The ground beneath us is shifting. The levers we once relied on, such as

This audio was recorded by AI.   At Outthinker, we pride ourselves on our ability to identify the forces that are truly shaping competitive advantage today. Rather than relying on predictions or opinions, this year we began with a rigorous analysis of the 2025 Outthinker List: 45 companies that consistently outperform across growth, profitability, and

This audio was recorded by AI.   As I look back on 2025, I find myself reflecting on both personal milestones, like being named one of this year’s Thinkers50, and the ongoing conversations with strategists each year that continue to push my thinking forward. It was a year that invited reflection not just on what

This audio was recorded by AI.   The strongest companies do more than survive economic cycles. They design systems that turn volatility into momentum. Once again, my research for the Outthinker List surfaced an under-the-radar strategy giant: PulteGroup, better known as its main brand, Pulte Homes. It has grown sales faster than 90% of its

This audio was recorded by AI.   The morning after Thanksgiving in Philadelphia carried a lively, restless energy. We had spent the week with family, sharing meals, stories, and gifts that somehow multiplied in our suitcases. As we packed for our flight home, it became obvious we needed one more bag — a simple, collapsible

This audio was recorded by AI.   For decades, business leadership has been shaped by clear, established roles. A CEO leads. A CFO manages the financial engine. A COO runs the operational machine. But the chief strategy officer and the broader strategy function remain emerging and evolving parts of the organizational landscape. Through the Outthinker