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By PASCAL FINETTE

The Heretic is a free dispatch delivering insights into what it takes to lead into & in the unknown. For entrepreneurs, corporate irritants and change makers. Raw, unfiltered and opinionated.

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Mar 14th, 2024 Share: Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

The Power of Simple Stories

In a world saturated with information and distractions, the ability to communicate a clear, compelling narrative is a superpower. As an entrepreneur or business leader, crafting the right story can make all the difference in winning over customers, investors, and the public.

This insight was pithily expressed by political consultant Arthur Schmidt in his advice to General Electric in the early 20th century: “Campaigns are won not by the candidate or company with the best character or product, but by the one with the simplest and most clearly told story.” Or as his colleague Comstock summarized it decades later: “Pick a simple story and tell it again, and again, and again.”

This principle has been wielded to great effect by master marketers and leaders throughout history. Steve Jobs made Apple an icon by telling a simple story of rebels and misfits who “Think Different” and challenge the status quo. Subway became the largest fast food chain in the US by hammering a simple message of healthy, low-fat meals.

The takeaway is clear: In a complex, noisy world, simplicity cuts through. Customers don’t have the time or attention span to absorb nuanced value propositions or complicated product pitches. They’re drawn to crisp, focused, emotionally resonant narratives.

As an entrepreneur, distilling your mission and message into a simple, sticky story is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make. A clear narrative acts as a focusing mechanism, guiding your team and shaping every customer touchpoint. It’s the foundation for viral word-of-mouth and the key to occupying mental real estate.

So ask yourself: What’s my company’s simple story? How can I boil down our essence and unique value prop into a clear, compelling narrative? What’s the tagline that captures it all?

Simplicity doesn’t mean dumbing things down or leaving out important details. It means stripping away the extraneous to reveal the essential. Finding the core, and telling that story again and again and again.

In a world of complexity, whoever tells the simplest story wins. Make yours unforgettable.


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Mar 6th, 2024

The Brainstorming Delusion

The beloved brainstorm. The darling child of corporate innovation. The magic bullet that will solve all our creative woes.

Or so we’ve been told.

Brainstorms are a colossal waste of time.

They’re the equivalent of trying to catch fish by throwing a bunch of hooks into the water and hoping something bites. It’s inefficient, ineffective, and frankly, a bit delusional.

So why do brainstorms fail so miserably? Let’s break it down:

Production Blocking: The Waiting Game

In most brainstorms, only one person can speak at a time. While others wait their turn, their ideas evaporate faster than a puddle in...

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Feb 26th, 2024

The Bozo Explosion Lives On

To the day a dozen years ago, Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki published a blog post lamenting the all-too-common phenomenon of what he called the “bozo explosion.” A company experiences a bozo explosion when a formerly brilliant team, consisting of A-players, makes the strategic mistake of hiring their first B-player (often in the name of growth… need those warm bums in seats!) and lets those B-players hire their own people.

The problem with B-players is not that they are “less than” A-players; the issue is that B-players, usually driven by the deadly combination of fear and ego, start hiring...

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Feb 20th, 2024

On Serendipity

Serendipity – that magical, almost mystical phenomenon that seems to lurk around corners, waiting to spring upon us when we least expect it. But what if I told you that serendipity isn’t just a happy accident but a process that can be dissected into three core characteristics?

First comes the serendipity trigger, that moment of stumbling upon something unusual or unexpected. Picture yourself walking through a forest and finding a rare flower you’ve never seen before – that’s your trigger. It’s the universe’s way of saying, “Hey, look here! There’s something worth your attention.” Kindle your curiosity, and you will...

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Feb 15th, 2024

We Stand for Each Other's Success

In a world that often feels like it’s every person for themselves, a recent conversation threw me a curveball that’s been bouncing around in my head ever since: “We stand for each other’s success.” This isn’t your garden-variety corporate platitude. It’s a philosophy, a mindset shift, a radical way of redefining success not as a solitary sprint but as a collective marathon.

Let’s face it, the default mode in many professional environments is to claw your way up the ladder, sometimes at the expense of others. But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of viewing our colleague’s...

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Jan 19th, 2024

Edison’s Paradox: It’s Not Just in Your Head

Thomas Edison, the genius inventor, threw a curveball when he somewhat famously said, “I never had an idea in my life.” Wait, what? The man behind the light bulb, phonograph, and a gazillion other things never had an original idea? Yes, that’s what he said…

Here’s what he meant: everything he invented was already floating around in the environment. He just connected the dots. Think about it. Edison, Mr. Innovation himself, basically said the whole concept of ideas popping out of thin air is hogwash. That’s like saying the secret ingredient in your grandma’s famous recipe is actually from a...

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Dec 20th, 2023

The Epidemic of Proving We Work

Let’s end this year with a bit of truth serum, shall we? I’ve seen a disturbing trend in companies lately. It’s like a virus, but no, it’s not the one you’re thinking of. This one’s called “Prove-I-Actually-Work-itis.” And, oh boy, is it contagious!

Here’s the deal: Too many folks are busy creating work to prove they’re working. It’s like watching a dog chase its tail – entertaining but ultimately fruitless. For instance, take our friend, the social media manager. They’re knee-deep in analytics, drowning in PowerPoint slides, just to show that their latest tweetstorm brought in some eyeballs. The irony?...

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Dec 14th, 2023

Daring to Dream: Why Betting on Optimism Wins

In the realm of entrepreneurship and leadership, a battlefield of ideas and ambitions, a quote by Andrew Ng resonates deeply: “I’d rather side with the optimist who wants to give it a shot and might fail than the pessimist who doubts what’s possible.” This statement isn’t just a feel-good aphorism; it’s a strategic choice, a lens through which we can view potential and progress.

The Courage to Fail

Optimism in business isn’t about wearing rose-colored glasses. It’s about having the courage to fail. Yes, the courage to embrace the messiness, the uncertainty, and the sheer thrill of the unknown. Entrepreneurs...

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Dec 8th, 2023

“Why” – The Key to Innovation and Startup Success

Welcome to another day in the life of a startup heretic, where we toss the conventional playbook out the window and thrive on the audacious. Today, let’s dive into a lesson from an unexpected source – a scene from the BBC show “SAS Rogue Heroes.”

Picture this: In the scorching heat of the desert, Paddy Mayne, a character known for his unconventional methods, challenges the Free French to build two 30-foot scaffolds with no plan, just raw materials. As they scramble, confused and unguided, Mayne throws a curveball – why are they doing this seemingly nonsensical task? The revelation is...

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Nov 15th, 2023

Knowledge & Productivity: The Compounding Force

Imagine you’re planting a tree. Initially, the growth seems slow, almost imperceptible. But as time goes on, each new branch gives rise to more branches. This isn’t just growth; it’s exponential growth. This is the essence of how knowledge and productivity work - like compound interest.

Consider two people of similar ability. One works just 10% more than the other. It doesn’t seem like much at first glance, but this slight edge can result in the more diligent individual producing more than twice as much as their peer over time. Why? Because the more you know, the more you learn....

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