The Business Canon

Episode 50 - The Three Generic Strategies

According to Michael Porter, there are only three ways to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. In this essential Brief, we distill the core strategic choices from Competitive Strategy. Our hosts quickly explain Porter's three "generic strategies." You will learn about the disciplined path of "Cost Leadership," the creative path of "Differentiation," and the focused path of "Focus" (which itself can be based on either cost or differentiation). This overview is a powerful tool for strategic clarity, forcing you to make a clear choice about how your business will compete. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a foundational framework for thinking about your company's unique position in the market.

Episode 51: A Critique of Porter: Is Strategy Just About Being Different?

Michael Porter's frameworks in Competitive Strategy are analytical cornerstones, teaching us to find a defensible position against industry forces. This Critique episode, however, questions the core premise from a modern perspective. We praise the rigor of Porter's models but challenge whether strategy is solely about analyzing and reacting to an existing industry structure. Our hosts explore if this view is too static for today's markets, where companies like those in Blue Ocean Strategy don't just compete, but create entirely new industries. We discuss the limits of analysis in a world that often rewards radical, category-defying creation over defensible positioning. This is a critical look at whether classic strategy is built for a world that no longer exists.

Episode 52: Strategy as War vs. Strategy as Creation

Is the goal of strategy to vanquish your rivals in a battle for market share, or is it to make them irrelevant by creating something entirely new? This episode stages a fundamental Debate on the nature of strategy itself. One host, drawing on the conflict-oriented frameworks of Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy, argues that business is inherently a zero-sum game of war where you must build defenses and defeat competitors. The other host, channeling the ideas of W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne's Blue Ocean Strategy, argues that the greatest successes come from avoiding the "red ocean" of competition entirely. They believe true strategy is the art of creation, not conflict.

Episode 53: The Hard Thing About Hard Things (Part 1): The Struggle

We begin our series on Ben Horowitz's modern classic, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, by focusing on its most visceral and important concept: "The Struggle." This episode goes beyond management theory to explore the brutal, lonely, and often terrifying reality of being a CEO when everything is going wrong. Our hosts unpack Horowitz's unflinchingly honest advice on navigating the moments when there are no good answers. We discuss the psychological toll of leadership and why the most important skill is managing your own mind. This is not a guide to preventing problems; it is a guide to surviving them when they inevitably happen.

Episode 54: The Peacetime CEO vs. The Wartime CEO

Are you leading in a time of peace or a time of war? In this essential Brief, we distill one of the most powerful management concepts from Ben Horowitz's The Hard Thing About Hard Things. Our hosts quickly explain the critical difference between a "peacetime CEO," who focuses on expanding the market and creativity, and a "wartime CEO," who is obsessed with survival and defeating a mortal threat. You will learn why the skills required for each are completely different and why a great peacetime leader can be a terrible wartime one. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a powerful framework for diagnosing your company's situation and adapting your leadership style accordingly.

Episode 55: The "CEO" Title: A Critique of Founder Worship

Our business culture lionizes the visionary founder and the all-powerful CEO, but is this focus on a single leader a healthy or accurate way to view a company? In this Critique episode, we analyze the modern cult of the CEO, using the intense narratives of books like The Hard Thing About Hard Things and Steve Jobs as a starting point. Our hosts question whether this "Great Man" theory of business obscures the reality that success is a team sport. We offer a constructive critique of founder worship and the unrealistic expectations it places on leaders, exploring the dangers of creating a culture that revolves around a single, heroic figure instead of a resilient, collaborative system.

Episode 56: Founder vs. Professional CEO

Who is better equipped to lead a company to long-term greatness: the passionate, visionary founder, or the experienced, professional CEO brought in to scale the organization? This episode presents a classic Debate on the nature of leadership. One host, drawing on the raw, founder-centric wisdom of Ben Horowitz, argues that only a founder has the deep moral authority and long-term vision to make the truly hard, company-defining decisions. The other host, channeling the research of Jim Collins in Good to Great, argues that the greatest successes often come from humble, internally promoted CEOs who bring a disciplined, systematic approach that the chaotic founder often lacks.

Episode 57: The 7 Habits (Part 4): The Habit of Renewal

In the final part of our series on Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits, we explore the single habit that makes all the others possible: Sharpen the Saw. Our hosts do a deep dive into Covey's holistic model for self-renewal. The conversation unpacks the importance of making consistent, balanced investments in the four key dimensions of your life: the physical, the social/emotional, the mental, and the spiritual. We analyze why neglecting any one of these areas will inevitably lead to burnout and a decline in effectiveness. This episode is a powerful guide to creating a sustainable upward spiral of growth, learning, and contribution for a lifetime.

Episode 58: Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

What is the single most important investment you can make? It's you. In this vital Brief, we distill the final habit from Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits: Sharpen the Saw. Our hosts quickly explain why you are your greatest asset and why you must take the time to preserve and enhance yourself. You will learn about the four dimensions of renewal—physical, mental, social/emotional, and spiritual—and why a balanced approach to all four is the key to sustainable high performance. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a powerful reminder that taking time for renewal is not a luxury; it is an absolute necessity.

Episode 59: A Critique of "Self-Help": Does It Create Real Change?

The self-help industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth, but does it actually help? In this Critique episode, we analyze the genre itself, using classics like The 7 Habits and How to Win Friends as examples. Our hosts explore the powerful appeal of self-help books and their ability to provide motivation and a sense of control. However, we also offer a strong critique. We question whether these books often sell simplistic formulas for complex problems and whether the temporary inspiration they provide can become a substitute for the difficult, sustained action that is required for real, lasting change.