The Business Canon

From the 18th century to the 21st, we now explore the modern method for building a business under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This brief focuses on the single most important concept from Eric Ries's The Lean Startup. Our hosts quickly unpack the "Build-Measure-Learn" feedback loop, the engine of progress for any new venture. You will learn why the goal of a startup is not to make stuff, but to learn what to build. We explain...

Are Adam Smith's classical economic theories sufficient for the fast-paced world of modern startups? In this Critique episode, we analyze the core tenets of The Wealth of Nations through the critical lens of The Lean Startup. Our hosts explore whether the slow, emergent, "invisible hand" of the market is compatible with the rapid, deliberate, "Build-Measure-Learn" feedback loop of today's innovators. We offer constructive feedback ...

Welcome to the Deep Dive. In this episode we pull out surprising insights: how foreign investment can create short-term trade deficits, the radical retail invention of Clarence Saunders and Piggly Wiggly, and an extreme leadership story about solving an “impossible” budget problem.

We explore why intuition can mislead and how questioning assumptions across economics, business history, and leadership reveals deeper truths that resha...

What is the primary driver of extraordinary business success: deliberate, disciplined action, or the unpredictable influence of luck? This episode stages a foundational Debate between the core ideas of two modern classics. One host champions the thesis of Jim Collins's Good to Great, arguing that disciplined people, thought, and action are the key ingredients that separate great companies from the merely good. The other host counte...

We begin our multi-part exploration of Jim Collins's Good to Great with a deep dive into its most famous and surprising concept: Level 5 Leadership. Our hosts unpack what separates the merely effective leaders from the truly great ones. The conversation explores the paradoxical blend of intense professional will and deep personal humility that Collins found in every single "good-to-great" leader. We analyze the stories of these oft...

How can your company find the one thing it is destined to be great at? In this focused Brief, we distill the simple but profound framework of the Hedgehog Concept from Jim Collins's Good to Great. Our hosts quickly explain the three intersecting circles that a great company must understand: what you are deeply passionate about, what you can be the best in the world at, and what drives your economic engine. You will learn why a deep...

The companies profiled in Good to Great were paragons of success, but how did they fare after the book was published? In this legacy Critique, we re-examine the book's famous case studies. Our hosts analyze the subsequent performance of companies like Circuit City, Fannie Mae, and Wells Fargo, many of which later stumbled or failed spectacularly. We offer a constructive critique of the book's methodology, questioning whether the pa...

What is the most effective style of leadership? This episode stages a Debate on the nature of executive presence. One host argues for the quiet, humble "Level 5" leader described in Good to Great, contending that ego and charisma are often liabilities that get in the way of building a great team. They champion the power of understated, servant leadership. The other host, drawing on the stories of figures like Steve Jobs, argues tha...

We begin our multi-part series on Stephen R. Covey’s monumental work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In this first installment, our hosts introduce the foundational principles of the book. The conversation explores Covey’s "character ethic" versus the "personality ethic" and his powerful model of the "Maturity Continuum." We unpack the fundamental paradigm shifts required to move from dependence to independence and ultima...

Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In this concise and powerful Brief, we focus on the first and most important habit from Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits. Our hosts quickly explain what it truly means to be proactive. You will learn the difference between the "Circle of Concern" and the "Circle of Influence," and why effective people focus their energy only on the thing...

Robert Cialdini's Influence is the foundational text on the psychology of persuasion, but where is the line between ethical influence and cynical manipulation? In this Critique episode, we analyze the "six weapons of influence." Our hosts acknowledge the book's brilliant and essential insights into the mental shortcuts that drive human behavior. We explore the power of reciprocity, scarcity, and social proof. However, we also offer...

Who has a greater impact on a company's long-term success: the storytellers or the operators? This episode stages a Debate on the locus of corporate power. One host argues, using the principles of Al Ries and Jack Trout's Positioning, that the battle for the mind of the customer is paramount. They contend that a powerful brand and a clear marketing message are the ultimate competitive advantages in a crowded world. The other host, ...

We begin our multi-part journey into the human mind with Daniel Kahneman's Nobel Prize-winning work, Thinking, Fast and Slow. In this first episode, our hosts introduce the book's central, groundbreaking concept: the two systems that drive our thinking. The conversation explores "System 1," our fast, intuitive, and emotional brain, and "System 2," our slow, deliberate, and logical brain. We analyze the interplay between these two s...

How can you ensure that the life you are living is the one you truly want? In this focused Brief on the second habit from Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits, we explore the power of personal vision. Our hosts quickly explain what it means to "Begin with the End in Mind." You will learn the importance of developing a personal mission statement that defines your values and your ultimate goals. This overview is a practical guide to the prin...

Michael Porter's Five Forces framework from Competitive Strategy is a cornerstone of business school education, but is it still a sufficient model for today's dynamic markets? In this Critique episode, we analyze this classic tool. Our hosts praise the framework for its enduring power in analyzing the structure and profitability of an industry. We acknowledge its brilliance in helping companies understand their competitive environm...

What is the more powerful driver of corporate success: a brilliant strategy or a healthy culture? This episode presents a classic Debate that pits two foundational ideas against each other. One host, drawing on the analytical rigor of Michael Porter's Competitive Strategy, argues that a clear, well-defined strategy for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage is the essential starting point for any successful enterprise. The o...

In part two of our series on Thinking, Fast and Slow, we dive into the fascinating and often-unsettling world of cognitive biases. Our hosts explore how the interplay between our fast and slow thinking systems leads to systematic and predictable errors in judgment. The conversation unpacks several of the most powerful biases that affect business decisions, including the anchoring effect, the availability heuristic, and loss aversio...

In today's crowded marketplace, it's not enough to have the best product; you must own a position in the consumer's mind. In this classic and powerful Brief, we distill the core idea from Al Ries and Jack Trout's Positioning. Our hosts quickly explain why marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products. You will learn the importance of being first in a category and the power of owning a single, simple word in your prospect's min...

Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne's Blue Ocean Strategy makes the compelling case for creating new market space, but is this strategy as repeatable and risk-free as the book suggests? In this Critique episode, we analyze this popular framework. Our hosts praise the book for its powerful and inspiring challenge to the conventional wisdom of head-to-head competition. We explore its useful analytical tools, like the strategy canvas. Howeve...