Strategy and Digital Transformation

When we embarked on the journey of creating Kinetic and developing the Trackboard.app, our vision was clear – to build a platform that truly catered to the needs of our customers. From the outset, we understood the importance of aligning our product with the real-world challenges faced by businesses. Our Minimum Viable Product (MVP) wasn't just a prototype; it was piloted with a paying customer. Initially, our goal was ambitious: to integrate program management, performance management, and talent management into one cohesive platform. However, the reality of being a bootstrapped company hit home, and we had to confront the luxury of time. Recognizing the need to prioritize and deliver value sooner, I engaged with potential customers and partners to identify where the pain points were most acute. To my surprise, and perhaps not-so-surprisingly, given my prior experience as a consultant, we uncovered a substantial gap in corporate strategy planning, programming, and execution. It was...

In B2B product development, partnerships are more than just beneficial; they're often the key to successful product launch. Our journey with Trackboard.app by Kinetic illuminated the profound importance of forging strong partnerships when launching a B2B product. Here are the essential lessons we've learned: 1. Access to New Markets: Partnerships open doors to new markets and customer segments. Collaborating with established entities provides access to their existing clientele and networks, giving your product a head start. 2. Industry Expertise: Partnering with organizations that have industry-specific expertise can be a game-changer. Their insights into the unique challenges and needs of your target market can guide your product's development. 3. Credibility and Trust: Established partners bring credibility and trust to your product. Their endorsement can significantly boost your reputation and validate your offering in the eyes of potential customers. It would have ...

Welcome to Day 2 of our 30-day journey into the world of strategy execution. Today, I want to share with you my personal experiences and insights on how I overcame challenges and mastered the art of strategy design. Building upon the foundation of my engineering background, I discovered the power of strategic thinking and its impact on successful strategy execution. The Importance of Strategy Design: Strategy design lays the groundwork for effective execution. It involves crafting a clear vision, defining goals, and outlining the steps required to achieve them. However, designing a robust strategy has its challenges. It requires a deep understanding of the business landscape, anticipating future trends, and aligning resources to maximize outcomes. My Journey to Mastery: Early on in my career, I realized that strategy design was an area where I could make a significant impact. I delved into research, studied best practices, and  sought mentorship from industry experts. Thi...

As an engineer by training, my journey to building and leading a Strategy Execution platform has been fascinating and transformative.  Throughout my college years, I immersed myself in the world of mechanical engineering, honing my technical skills and developing a deep understanding of complex systems. Little did I know that this foundation would serve as the launching pad for my future endeavors in the realm of strategy execution. My early career was dedicated to applying my engineering expertise to various projects, from designing innovative machines to optimizing production processes at Kia Motors. It was during this time that I first encountered the challenges organizations face when it comes to executing their strategic plans. I became increasingly intrigued by the gap between strategy formulation and its successful implementation. This gap often resulted in missed opportunities, unrealized potential, and, importantly, wasted human and capital resources. "It is estimated...

YouTube Stories, a feature introduced in 2017, will be discontinued on June 26th, 2023. The platform, resembling Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories, allowed users to share short-lived videos that disappeared after 24 hours. Initially available to a select group of creators with over 10,000 subscribers, YouTube later expanded the feature to include those with over 1,000 subscribers. However, Google has now chosen to phase out YouTube Stories, redirecting its focus towards enhancing creator tools like Community posts, Reels, and Shorts. Community posts empower creators to interact with their audience using various mediums, including text, images, and polls. Meanwhile, Shorts represents YouTube's response to the rising popularity of TikTok, providing users with the ability to create and watch short-form videos. In an official support post by YouTube¹, it was confirmed that starting from June 26th, 2023, users will no longer have the option to create new YouTube Stories. Existing s...

Strategic business goals provide direction and focus for a company, ensuring that every effort contributes to long-term success. In this article, we'll explore 10 strategies that will help you achieve your business goals. An Overview of Strategic Business Goals What are Strategic Business Goals? Strategic business goals are specific objectives that a company sets for itself to define its long-term direction. They help companies allocate resources, stay focused, and measure success. Why are Strategic Business Goals Important? Without well-defined business goals, companies may become unfocused and directionless, wasting valuable resources without achieving meaningful results. By defining clear business goals, companies can pursue profitable growth in a focused way. Strategy 1: Define Clear and Measurable Goals To achieve your business goals, you must first define them clearly and make them measurable. This allows you to track progress, adjust your plan accordingly, and celebrate your...

Tesla, the leading electric carmaker in the world, has recently announced its plan to build a new battery factory in Shanghai, China. The factory will produce Tesla's Megapack, a large-scale energy storage product that can store renewable energy and supply it to the grid during peak demand. The Megapack is aimed at utility companies and commercial projects that need reliable and clean power solutions.    Photo by Austin Ramsey on Unsplash                                    According to Tesla, the new factory will have an initial output of 10,000 Megapacks per year or about 40 GWh of energy storage. The construction is expected to start in the third quarter of 2023, and the production is slated to begin in the second quarter of 2024. Tesla said that the products from the Shanghai factory will be sold worldwide. This is not the first time that Tesla has invested in China, the largest elect...

Once upon a time, there was a young entrepreneur named Lily. She was passionate about creating innovative products that would improve people's lives. After years of planning and hard work, Lily finally launched her startup. Excited to see her dream come to fruition, Lily invested all her resources in marketing campaigns, hiring, and other initiatives. She wanted her business to proliferate, believing that more funding was the key.                                                                       Photo by David Ballew on Unsplash But things didn't go as planned. Despite a strong start, Lily's business started to falter. Sales were slowing down, and she struggled to attract new customers. She soon realized that her approach to growth had been flawed. She had focused too much ...

Two factors can make or break a company in the business world: force and time. These two elements work together in a delicate balance, and when one is lacking, it can spell disaster for a business. Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash The Force The force refers to the power a company has in its market. This could be the brand recognition it has built up over the years, its products or services' quality, or its pricing strategy. A company with a strong market force is seen as a leader and has a competitive advantage over its rivals. However, the force can be fleeting. New competitors can emerge, technology can disrupt the market, and customer preferences can shift. If a company does not continue to innovate and adapt, its force can quickly erode, leaving it vulnerable to competitors. Take Blockbuster, for example. At one time, Blockbuster was the force in the movie rental market. It had a vast network of stores and a recognized innovation with new products like the iPhone an...

  Birds have a strange way of feeding their chicks. They pick food droplets directly into their mouth until they are ready to fly and get their food. Over the weekend, I saw a video of a chick that kept opening its mouth to a caterpillar, hoping for the caterpillar to jump into it. It ran after the caterpillar; instead of striking and picking it with its beak, It didn't know how to feed. Photo by Vincent van Zalinge on Unsplash This phenomenon resembles how some businesses run their operations by micromanaging their employees. Micromanagement naturally truncates innovation, a sense of ownership among employees and employee growth. It is why many organizations would bring someone from outside to take over a role instead of empowering the people within their organization. While Mircomanageemnt is not a new terminology, It's a big hassle for a team that wants to innovate. What is Micro Management? If you look at Oxford Dictionary, Micromanagement is the "control ...

Strategic planning is an essential part of any business, big or small. It helps you define your mission, set achievable goals, and map a roadmap for success. But even the most well-intentioned plans can go awry if you are not careful. In this post, I summarized the top five strategic planning mistakes and how to avoid them.                                                                       Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash Not Defining Your Mission: Your mission statement is the foundation of your strategic plan. It provides direction and purpose and helps you stay focused on what's important. But if you don't take the time to define your mission, it's like trying to navigate a road trip without a map. You might end up somewhere but won't get where you want to go. To avoid this m...

So, I love action movies; I hope you do too. I have seen a couple of war or mission scenes where a sniper actively plans their target. Sometimes, they actively go to the potential location days ahead to map out the best and most effective location and understand how the distance to the target can affect the result. If you have seen such a scene, then you have an Idea of "what strategic planning" is. Learn more here : Strategic mission planning is a high-level organizational objective that they intend to achieve considering every variable(the resources at their disposal and external factors they don't have control over) by effectively aligning the everyday actions of their team/employees to count towards achieving the set objectives

Hello, 2023. Almost every forward-looking person at this time must have asked themselves this question. What is the plan? It is a new year, so what is the plan? It is a challenging question; it is a critical question. What is the plan? So, I asked myself this question the last week of 2022, what can I ultimately focus on in the new year that is worthwhile for my family and me? Sitting to think about it was flustering, multiple stuff juggling my mind. After some contemplation and self-reflection, I focused on personal and professional growth. I thought of clear, measurable goals that are important to me, such as career, finances, and health. I did check my BMI lately, and it shows I am a little overweight for the first time in my life, so it will take a real effort to bring it under control. I did travel a lot in the last four years, and unfortunately, I missed some significant family milestones while stuck in Australia, away from my family. So, I plan to prioritize spending quali...

In the world of throughput noise, alignment makes sense of chaos,  Zappos Family of Companies  aligns its team's goals with its mission to "Deliver WOW through service." by training its customer service representatives to go above and beyond for their customers. With that kind of mission, you can expect high customer loyalty, word-of-mouth evangelism, and importantly reduced CAC which obviously translates to sales! No wonder Zappos was snapped by a company with similar value, you guess right by  Amazon  in 2009 for $ 1.2 billion. It is not easy, but it is indeed very important that business, their leaders, and their teams take time to reflect on their mission and operational alignment with their strategic goals as often as possible. Aligning the team's goals with your organization's mission is very essential for success and brand differentiation! Companies looking to succeed and differentiate themselves can take note of Zappos' customer-centric strategy.