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This week’s podcast is about Shein, which is about to go public.

It has had a lot of success as a specialist in cross-border fashion ecommerce. But it needs to move beyond this going forward.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are my 5 questions (thus far) for assessing the viability of a specialty ecommerce company.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in logistics or infrastructure without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market? No
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major ecommerce companies?

I spoke about this in a past podcast.

• Early Etsy Was a Great Example of Specialty Ecommerce. But Things Are Changing. (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy)

The future of Shein depends on what business you think Shein is in:

1. Connecting China manufacturers with foreign consumers.
   1. China manufacturing gets you low cost and big variety.
2. Ultra fast fashion.
   1. This is about speed and flexible production. Test, learn, restock.
3. Digital-first fashion. This is a compelling future position.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about rising robot companies that I have found compelling. That have clear use cases that scale. And that have indications of competitive advantages. They are:

• AgiBot (discussed in last podcast)
• Galbot
• Booster Robotics
• DEEP Robotics

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about AgiBot, a fast rising full stack robot business in Shanghai.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Why I like AgiBot:

• Has rapidly expanded into a full suite of robots
• Going after all the humanoid industries and use cases
• Building an almost full AI tech stack. Everything except chips.
• Founded and run by Huawei executives. Moving very fast.
• A good strategy. It appears similar to Huawei.
  • AgiBot’s strategy is to flood the market with affordable humanoids while growing the entire ecosystem with open datasets and open models. They are scaling fast in manufacturing, usage and training.
  • They mass-produce the hardware at scale so thousands of identical robots can collect real-world data in homes and factories.
  • At the same time they open-source the entire stack: the million-trajectory AgiBot World dataset, the GO-1 foundation model, the training tools, and the GenieSim simulation twin—so researchers and developers can build skills and applications on top without paying anything.
  • AgiBot’s affordable humanoid platform as infrastructure. Hardware sales and ecosystem services become the revenue, not software licensing.
• Now in the top 1-2 in humanoid sales.
  • AgiBot shipped approximately 5168 humanoid units in 2025.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to WAIC 2026 in Shanghai.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Take-Aways:

1. Robots and AI are converging rapidly
2. There is a convergence of world models / building, video generation and 3D model generation
3. Tencent has a very rapid product cadence. "Choose Your Buddy" is a user-friendly approach.
4. We are seeing lots creativity and combinatorial innovation. A Cambrian explosion,

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about the development and launch of Meituan's LongCat 2.0 LLM. This 1.6T parameter, frontier model was trained entirely on domestic hardware. That's a big milestone.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about the emergence of agentic commerce. This is a big change to traditional omnichannel.

Plus, there is a bit more of a rant about the recent Anthropic and OpenAI ban. My prediction is the future of AI outside of the USA is now:

• Open source, downloadable and non-embargoable models plus
• Low cost, tech agnostic AI architecture

Which probably means China. And probably Nvidia.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

The 5 steps to get into agentic commerce are:

1. Start building a council of LLMs.
   1. This means a couple of frontier models and lots of open source (a symphony of models). The net is a composable model with a router than directs all queries.
2. The key AI and agents need to be able to code. That is their superpower.
3. Get to the tipping point where an end-to-end workflow has agents and AI, with no humans in the loop. Then you can scale up to 100-200 agents.
   1. This means fixing the quality problems before you scale.
4. Get to the tipping point where agents create agents (an agent factory). This gest you to thousands of agents.
   1. This includes onboarding, training and oversight of agents.
5. Centralize enterprise data and context for AI and agents.
   1. You need updated centralized data that your enterprise AI can access.
   2. A lot of data is born somewhere else. Salesforce. System of record. ERP systems.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about my recent visit to the CATL headquarters in Ningde, Fujian.

Plus, there is a bit of a rant about the recent Anthropic ban. My prediction is the future of AI outside of the USA is now:

• Open source, downloadable and non-embargoable models plus
• Low cost, tech agnostic AI architecture

Which probably means China.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about the recent S-1 IPO filing of SpaceX. It has some pretty good lessons in both AI and tech strategy.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the 3 mentioned steps in Elon's approach (in my opinion). This is an interesting example of a Shaping Strategy.

• Step 1: Identify a huge TAM. Ideally over $1T. Ideally with a weak incumbent.
• Step 2: Solve the problem with world-class engineering.
• Step 3: Run an innovation marathon focused on rapid improvements and cost reductions. Vertical integration and repeatability are key to this.

Here is the book by Chris Zook on Repeatability.

I am a consultant & keynote speaker on how to increase digital growth and strengthen digital AI moats.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in increasing digital growth and strengthening digital AI moats. Get in contact here.

I write (a lot) about digital growth and digital AI strategy (3 best selling books, +2.9M followers on LinkedIn). There is a free book and email newsletter below.

My Moats and Marathons book series is a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is a plan for building an Agentic AI operating model.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the mentioned articles. A lot of this thinking is from these McKinsey articles.

• The agentic organization: Contours of the next paradigm for the AI era
• The change agent: Goals, decisions, and implications for CEOs in the agentic age

Here are the building blocks for an Agentic AI Operating Model:

• Operating model. Based on AI-first work flows. With agent teams as the building blocks. Plus orchestration of agent teams.
• Hybrid workforce, with new talent profiles.
• Technology and data
• Governance

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is a summary of my visit to the Tencent Cloud Data Ecosystem Summit in Shenzhen.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is a quick summary of how to use data in operations.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here is my data playbook.

1. Sell data as a product. Or part of the product itself. But you are selling data. This can expand into selling services.
2. Analytics use cases are valuable. Think analytics vs insights vs predictions.
3. Data can increase the speed of management decisions. Think dashboards.
4. Rate of learning and adaptation is more powerful version of this. This can be a big strength in some businesses.
5. Data products supporting agile teams are important.

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about why bundling (and cross-selling and upselling) are so powerful in digital. Plus, some thoughts on why data moats are mostly not real.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here is the article on bundling by Chris Dixon.

• How bundling benefits sellers and buyers

A lot of thinking on data as a moat comes from these articles by Martin Casado, Julian Wright and Andre Hagiu.

• The Empty Promise of Data Moats
• When Data Creates Competitive Advantage

Here are 7 complications I mentioned about bundling.

1. Bundling requires a a robust product suite.
2. You want a low attach rate. So you don't cannibalize products by bundling.
3. Bundling can complicate the customer experience and buying journey.
4. Bundling works best when all customers have similar total willingness to pay. But different tastes.
5. Unlimited bundles (subscriptions) can have problems if there are non-zero product costs.
6. Unlimited bundles (subscriptions) do limit revenue per user. This is a problem when willingness to pay is positively correlated with demand for variety.
7. Subscription models do not reward superstar creators very well.

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about digital growth, which is really a process. It's a weekly grind to capture incremental growth as well and new waves.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Much of this thinking is by Chris Zook and Bain’s strategy practice. I am citing these books:

• Profit from the Core
• Beyond the Core

Here is my favorite summary quote.

Here's a quick summary of core vs. adjacency.

Most all sustainable growth is based on 1-2 strong cores.

A profitable core is centered on the strongest position in terms of loyal customers, competitive advantage, unique skills, and ability to earn profits.

Growth adjacencies include:

• New customer segments:
  • Micro-segmentation of current segments
  • Unpenetrated segments
  • New segments
• New geographies
  • Global expansion
  • Local expansion
• New channels
  • Internet
  • Distribution
  • Indirect
• New products
  • New to world
  • Complements
  • Support services
  • Next generation
  • Just new products / services
• New Businesses
  • New to world needs
  • New substitutes
  • New models
  • Capability adjacencies
• New value chain steps
  • Forward integration
  • Backwards integration
  • Sell capability to outside

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about habit formation. And Gmail is a good example of a moderate version of this that can be copied.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the 4 psych hacks:

1. Gmail is Habit Forming via a High Frequency Utility Over a Long Time
2. Gmail is Internally Triggering. That’s the Gold Standard.
3. Gmail Has Task Completion Rewards. Ok But Not as Good as Variable Rewards.
4. Gmail has Infinite Variability. But This Is More Powerful in Entertainment than a Utility.

A lot of this is from the book Hooked: How to Build Habit Forming Products, by Nir Eyal.

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about generative AI strategy. And it's my summary of some key points of Sangeet Choudary's book "Reshuffle: Who wins when AI restacks the knowledge economy".

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

My take-aways are:

1. GenAI’s Biggest Impact Will Be as a New Technology for Coordination.
2. GenAI Coordination Happens at 3 Levels (Shipping Container Example).
3. GenAI is Dramatically Increasing What Can Be Coordinated. And How (OTA and Construction Examples).
4. GenAI Will Impact How Firms Coordinate Knowledge. And Will Create Brains for Organizations.

Photo by Sanket Mishra on Unsplash

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about Cainiao's rapid rise from 2014-2022. Despite having a pretty unclear strategy. It's another example of Alibaba's Management Playbook.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here is the case study from CEO Wan Lin.

• Wan Lin: My Practice On Strategy

——–

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about search-focused vs. interaction / engagement focused ecommerce. And a lot about Pinduoduo.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Interaction / engagement-focused product has three dimensions:

• Recommendations. This is passive consumption, not active searching. So that means machine learning-powered newsfeeds. Basically, just like TikTok and Instagram.
• Entertainment. That means features, games, and videos.
• Community. This is about tapping into group behavior. You want active communication and sharing between users. And on social networks. You also want livestreaming with friends. And, if possible, you want group buying.

I think there are two archetypes for interaction-focused ecommerce.

• Type 1: Newsfeed based. That’s TikTok. That’s the sushi train restaurants. This is TikTok Shop is a good example of this. With lots of little purchases. Mostly based on whose videos you like to watch and what surprises show up in your feed.
• Type 2: Carnival based. That’s early PDD. It’s lots of games. Which is very different than TikTok Shop.

Alibaba has three interesting use cases for ecommerce.

1. The Power of Livestreaming in Ecommerce
2. Image-Based Search Changes the Way We Find Products
3. Conversational Search

Photo by Hugh Han on Unsplash

——--

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to Tencent AI Cloud in Beijing.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

My are my 3 take-aways:

1. Take-Away 1: Tencent Cloud is Doing “Fast-Follower with Advantages” in AI.
2. WeChat and Tencent Cloud Are Going International Leading with Tech Services.
3. I Expect Tencent Cloud to Be One of the World’s Top 5 AI Cloud Companies.

I am a consultant and keynote speaker on how to accelerate growth with improving customer experiences (CX) and digital moats.

I am a partner at TechMoat Consulting, a consulting firm specialized in how to increase growth with improved customer experiences (CX), personalization and other types of customer value. Get in touch here.

I am also author of the Moats and Marathons book series, a framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about how Alibaba.com restructured its business and re-ignited growth in 2017-2018.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

My summary of the Alibaba Management Playbook:

• Diagnose the problem:
  • What is the chief complaint?
    • Stagnant growth? Low NPS?
  • What is the differential diagnosis?
• 1-Re-clarify and re-focus customer value. This includes:
  • Customer segmentation. Who are you targeting? What are you after (revenue)? Traffic? Data?
  • What do they most care about? Map out the process.
  • Is what customers want changing? Tech change? PC to mobile changed what maps could do.
  • What is the competitor offering and how you are going to take their customers?
• 2-Launch 2-3 key strategic initiatives to increase refocused customer value.
• 3-Improve production. Fix the big pain points of customers, staff, suppliers, etc.
  • Requires data-driven decision making and iteration.
• 4-Change the org structure, talent and culture. Improve production relations.
  • Increased communication and coordination.
• 5-Have early wins (small phased victories). Important to test the strategy and get data. And to re-enforce culture and org changes.
• 6-Agile tactics and speed are key.
  • You win chess with 2x the moves.
  • Tactical brilliance and guerrilla execution.
• 7-Build a powerful biz model or operating flywheel. Maybe access multi-growth curves.
• Measure Outcomes
  • Financial and operational
  • Strategic

——--

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about how Alibaba's Amap quickly dethroned market leader Baidu Maps.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here is the Amap case study.

My summary of the Alibaba Management Playbook:

• Diagnose the problem:
  • Stagnant growth? Negative NPS? Low engagement?
• 1-Unwavering focus on customer value. Re-clarify customer value. This includes:
  • Customer segmentation. Who are you targeting? What are you after (revenue)? Traffic? Data (Amap)?
  • What do they most care about? Map out the process.
  • Is what customers want changing? Tech change? PC to mobile changed what maps could do.
  • What is the competitor offering and how you are going to take their customers?
• 2-Fix the Big Pain Points. Requires Data-Driven Decision Making and Iteration.
• 3-Do cultural change and increased communication and coordination.
• 4-Agile teams and tactics are key. Tactical brilliance and guerrilla execution.
• 5-Have early wins.
• 6-Build a powerful biz model or operating flywheel.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about scale advantages. Which are different than economies of scale.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

5 Things People Get Wrong about Scale Advantages, Economies of Scale and Moats

1. There are lots of absolute (not relative) scale advantage. Growth is the default business strategy.
2. Scale advantages are bigger (and more vague) than economies of scale
3. Scale advantages can cascade
4. Scale disadvantages (diseconomies of scale, big company disease) are under-rated and under-measured
5. You need to separate barriers from competitive advantages. And measure each specifically.

I want to know 3 things:

1. Barriers to entry against new entrants.
   1. What specific CRAS to reproduce?
   2. What is the cost, difficulty and timing to enter?
2. Competitive advantage against rivals
   1. Which CAs specifically? With measurements.
3. The incumbent or rival response

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about fragmented industries. And other industry structures that are overly competitive. It summarizes a lot of Michael Porter's writing on this subject.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visits to Tencent. Which is becoming much more about AI.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

My 3 take-aways:

1. WeChat Has Way More Functions That I Knew. They Have 26 Years of Experience Messengers.
2. Tencent Is “All In” on Yuanbao, Hunyuan LLM and AI Cloud.
3. Merchant and Enterprise Services Are Expanding and Upgrading. Think Microsoft meets OpenAI.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about learning and adaptation as a core capability. Which is becoming much more important with AI.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

6 Levels of Rate of Learning and Adaptation.

• Tactics: Such as marketing, inventory and assortment, store layout, pricing, churn
• Customer retention, customer segmentation and other more complicated questions.
• Adapting current products and services. Such as personalization.
• New products and services. And technologies.
• Internal processes.
• Business models.

4 Rate of Learning and Adaptation Capabilities:

• Signal Capability
• Experimentation Capability
• Organization Capability
• System Capability

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Huawei's AI strategy. Specifically it's "Cloud for AI" approach to hardware and infrastructure.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

—–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about audience builder platforms.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the main points:

• Misconception 1: Audience Builder Platforms Are Just Content Hubs with Libraries
• Misconception 2: Audience Builder Platforms Are Highly Profitable
• Misconception 3: Audience Builder Platforms Get You “Winner Take All” Dynamics
• Misconception 4: Audience Builders Have Two Main User Groups – Creators and Viewers
• Misconception 5: A Content Library Is a Barrier to Entry

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to Alibaba Cloud headquarters in Hangzhou.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the main points:

1-Social and community platform commerce.

• Livestreaming (entertaining plus impulse shopping)
• Community platforms. Interest based social commerce.

2-Discovery-driven customer experiences and conversational search. Not keywords.

• Focus on discovery phase and impulse purchases.
• AR/VR (image search is easy version)
• Hyper personalization
• AI0driven browsing and conversational search

3-Tools to level the playing field

• Chatbot for CSR
• LLMs
• Content generation for marketing

——–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to Baidu.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visits to Xiaomi and Horizon Robotics.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Lessons from Xiaomi

• Consumption ecosystem. Car, person, home
• High performance management
• Rapid manufacturing build out as a capability. Cheap. But also fast and flexible. Upgrades. Increasing combined with software and AI

Lessons from Unitree

• Big jump in agility.
• Limited use cases for them today.
• Programmed in simulation and downloaded. Sim to Lab. ML at edge, vs download vs connectivity

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about WeRide. And about real-world AI.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Major Factors:

• Tech capabilities and progress
• Commercialization and adoption of products
• Economies of scope
• Management performance

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Horizon Robotics. And about real-world AI. Especially when coming out of China.

I am also trying to figure out how ecosystems of developers can become strengths for business. Especially when amplified by open-source.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Huawei's next products. And why they are so much more innovative than Apple.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about what businesses should know about AI Agents.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the recent wave of Chinese tech companies that is shocking Western businesses and politicians.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

The mega-trends that matter here are:

• Rising Chinese consumers
• Manufacturing scale
• Brainpower behemoth
• Money

Here is DeepSeek. You can try it for free here:

• chat.deepseek.com

And you can try Alibaba's Qwen here.

• https://chat.qwenlm.ai/

You can try Kling AI here.

• https://klingai.com/

———-

Related articles:

• BYD Is Going for Global EV Leadership (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• A Strategy Breakdown of Arm Holdings (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• EV AV Auto
• Robotics
• GenAI

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• BYD
• Unitree
• Kuaishou / Kling AI
• Huawei
• Baidu AI Cloud
• Alibaba Cloud
• MiniMax / Hailuo AI
• DeepSeek

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Alibaba.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the 4 engines:

1. Re-Igniting Growth in Their Now Re-Organized Ecommerce Business
2. Accelerating the Build Out of their Global Smart Logistics Network – Starting with Cross-Border Express Delivery
3. Big Investments in Alibaba Cloud. With Price Cuts to Push Adoption.
4. Pioneering New and Game Changing GenAI Services

---—

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about economies of scale.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are the 5 things everyone gets wrong:

1 - Not breaking economies of scale into its multiple types

2 – Overlooking the Negative Impact of a Non-Circumscribed and / or High Growth Market

3 – Not Understanding Minimum Efficient Scale, Indivisibility, and Scale Differentials

4 - Impact of Digital Disruption

5 – The Need for Demand Side Competitive Advantages

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to Trip.com in Shanghai.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Threads (Meta Facebook) vs. X (Twitter).

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

——

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my interview with Dongliang Guo, Head of International at Alibaba Cloud.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here are my 3 take-aways:

• Take-Away 1: Alibaba Cloud is Focused on the Infrastructure and Model Layers. It Is Differentiating its GenAI with an Open-Source Ecosystem (i.e., ModelScope) and Model Building Tools.
• Take-Away 2: Southeast Asia Cloud Computing is Being “Fixed”. And Also Reshaped for GenAI.
• Take-Away 3: GenAI Has Surprising High Impact Use Cases Everywhere.

Cheers, Jeff

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is my playbook for Extreme Personalization. And how generative AI can supercharge never-ending customer improvements.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our Tech Tours.

Here is more on 4 stages.

• Unlock the Secret to Customer Obsession: The Extreme Personalization Playbook (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy)
• Extreme Personalization Playbook Stage 2: Build Your Repeat and Retain Machine (2 of 3) (Tech Strategy)

————-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is what I learned about ecommerce from my visits to China's leading players.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tours.

**Lesson 1: GenAI Is accelerating and intensifying the fight for attention and ecommerce

Lesson 2: Cross-Border ecommerce is a big opportunity that is growing. Chinese companies are leading.

Lesson 3: Discounts and promotions are still king in ecommerce. Ctrip is awesome at this.**—–—-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about how Cainiao is expanding internationally with smart logistics.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about why I like beauty ecommerce. And beauty tech.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tours.

There are five points.

• An attractive space. With lots of interesting consumer behavior.
• Premiumization
• Fragmentation and changing competition
• Innovation and Digital Disruption
  • Lots of dimensions for digital to impact.
    • Content (think TikTok). Also education.
    • Experiential
    • Social
  • Plus hardware and science innovation
• Data driven Personalization

—–—-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about personalization and never-ending customer improvements. This is a key operating activity. And sometimes it is a digital marathon that can create an operating advantage.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are the 4 steps to start personalizing.

• Step 1 is DOB3 (Digital Core) and DOB 6 (people, culture, teams). Do organizational change.
• Step 2 is to identify 3-4 Use Cases:
  • These will impact different functions differently.
• Step 3 is to have an ROI within 6 months.
• Step 4 is to get the process to 5-7 days.

Here are the 6 types of customers (from BCG).

1. Brand advocates
2. Multicategory
3. Single-category regulars
4. Deal seekers
5. Disengaged
6. Lapsed

Here are the 4 stages of extreme personalization and customer improvements.

Stage 1 - Personalization Marathon

Stage 2 - Repeat and Retain Machine.

• Also move beyond just sales transactions. Do experience management.

Stage 3 - Surround Customers with Value. Add complementary services. Bundles. Consumption ecosystems.

• Including AI services. This is where the Rate of Learning Marathon really matters. Watch for machine learning operating flywheels.

Stage 4 - Build a Moat

————–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about how non-rational behavior plays out products / services, consumer behavior and network effects. Digital tools are making tribal and belief network effects more sophisticated, surgical and powerful.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

**Point 1: Digital is super-charging consumer products, experiences and behaviors. Especially when it is about psychology and emotion. And not just utility.

Point 2: The most powerful version of digitally supercharged consumer products rise to the level of share of the consumer mind. A competitive advantage.

Point 3: Products / services are increasingly being boosted by a degree of connectivity. This is usually described as community. Or interactivity.

Point 4: Tribal and belief behavior can have a big impact on consumer experience. Sometimes rising to the level of SCM.

Point 5: Tribal (shared identity) and shared belief behavior can increase retention. Sometimes rising to the level of Switching Costs.

Point 6: Tribal (shared identity) and shared belief behavior can Sometimes rising to the level of Network Effects.

Final Point: Digital tools are making tribal and belief effects more sophisticated, surgical and powerful. That is why it is showing up in everything.**--------------

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about network effects. And my 6 questions to look for.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are the 4 network effects questions:

1. What is the asymptotic scale?
2. What is the minimum viable scale?
3. What is the shape of the curve?
4. What is the scale differential with rivals?

Here the 4 network effect effects:

1. Network effects can cause rapid increases in the real or perceived value and/or utility to customers. A product or service that increases in value TO THE USER is great. And this is usually what we are talking about with network effects.
   1. This is usually thought of as consumers. Or business customers. But it can also be for other user groups, like content creators and developers.
   2. This doesn’t necessarily mean growth. You can have a great and improving service in a small or flat market.
2. Network effects can increase economic value. This is not the same thing as customer value (real or perceived). If a platform business model has attractive unit economics and growth potential, then you can see increasing economic value and shareholder returns with network effects. But not always. You can have a fantastic service with increasing customer but not economic value (by network effects)
3. Network effects can create a competitive advantage. This is demand side economies of scale as a moat. This is what collapses the market to a monopoly or oligopoly. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the creation of economic value. You can dominate an unattractive business. And it doesn’t necessarily mean growth. You can dominate a stagnant business.
4. Network effects can create a barrier to entry. In digital, this is mostly by indirect network effects, which have a chicken and egg problem. That is hard for new entrants to overcome with an incumbent present. There is less of a barrier to entry with direct network effects. We also see barriers to entry in physical networks which require lots of tangible assets. Replicating a railroad is almost impossible in a developed country.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Photo is AI generated

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This week’s podcast is about TikTok vs. Netflix. And how consumer behavior combines with digital tools in the video space.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here is the interview with Jonathan Haidt. And his book the Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion

Here are the 5 lessons:

**Lesson 1: High Frequency Video MTV Was More Powerful Than Long-Form TV Stories

Lesson 2: Digital-First Netflix Crushed Cable TV with Selection, Price, and Convenience

Lesson 3: Interactive YouTube and Streaming Was More Powerful than Passive Videos

Lesson 4: TikTok Trumped Netflix Using “Endless Dopamine”

Lesson 5: Machine Learning-Centric Video TikTok Was Also Superior for Consumers and Creators**Here are the 5 mentioned content types

• Education
• Story telling
• Mindless entertainment. Including things like comedy.
• News / Politics
• Sports

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I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Photo is AI generated

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This week’s podcast is about Coinbase, which has been coming back in terms of share price and revenue.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are the three lessons:

**Lesson 1: Don’t get seduced by stories and cool business models.

Lesson 2: You live and die with the customer. Bitcoin + Coinbase was a 10x solution to a massive problem.

Lesson 3: You can’t disrupt the government. Or State Owned or State-Directed Enterprises. Unless they approve.**

• Coinbase and the Tech Uncertainties of Platform-Protocol Hybrids (3 of 3)(Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• After the Fall of Crypto, Is Coinbase an Opportunity? (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about CloudKitchens, the new venture of former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. And why I think it is a better business model than Uber. In theory.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here is the interview with Travis on the All in Podcast about this business.

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I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Kuaishou. And the key questions that determine its future.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are my three longer-term questions for Kuaishou.

• What is the future relationship with Tencent? As it relates to users and engagement?
• Economies of Scope. Does it need to move beyond video to other content and attention types. Like TikTok and Tencent have done.
• Economies of Scale. Is it subscale in video and entertainment? As a China-only business?

Here is a past article on this.

• Kuaishou Is Finally Profitable. But Is It Too Small to Win Long Term? (Tech Strategy)

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This week’s podcast is about Ruhnn Holding, KOLs / Influencers and Michael Porter's Five Forces.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are some factors to consider when assessing the bargaining power of buyers.

• Concentration of buyers:
• Purchase size:
• Differentiation of products or services:
• Switching costs
• Price sensitivity:
• Informed buyers:

Here are some factors to consider when assessing competitive rivalry.

• Number of competitors:
• Industry growth rate:
• Fixed costs:
• Exit barriers:
• Undifferentiated products / services:

Here are some factors to consider for New Entrants.

• Economies of scale:
• Product differentiation:
• Capital requirements:
• Access to distribution channels.
• Government regulations:
• Switching costs:

Here are some factors to consider for assessing the Threat of Substitutes.

• Availability of substitutes
• Availability of close substitutes (i.e., “the sense that products are similar”):
• Relative price performance:
• Customer willingness to go elsewhere:

Here are some factors to consider for Supplier Power.

• The number and concentration of suppliers:
• Uniqueness and differentiation:
• Switching costs:
• Forward integration:
• Industry importance:

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about Bilibili and its choice between staying with specialty video or going mass market video service.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Related articles:

• When Microsoft’s Bundles Are Good vs. Bad for Customers and Markets (Tech Strategy)
• Microsoft’s 3 Big Upgrades to its 2 Platform Business Models (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• What is Elon Musk’s Plan to 10x Twitter? (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Audience Builder Platform
• Digital Attacker Strategy
• Videos

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Bilibili

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Lazada and the current state of ecommerce in Southeast Asia.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about Pop Mart and its ability to tap into really interesting consumer behavior.

• Fan and enthusiast behavior
• Collecting behavior
• Gambling and rewards behavior

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our management sessions with the latest consumer-facing innovations by China’s digital leaders (here).

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here’s my summary of Pop Mart in one graphic.

———-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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Today’s podcast is part of a new series on Growth Tactics, where we talk to digital businesses that are winning. And dig into what worked and what didn’t.

This episode (located here) is an interview with Ashley Dudarenok, the founder of Alarice (China-focused digital marketing agency) and ChoZan (China digital transformation consultancy.

Ashley (www.ashleydudarenok.com) is a naturalized Chinese serial entrepreneur, award winning digital expert and book author, recognized by Thinkers50 as a “Guru on fast-evolving trends in China”. Ashley and her team help world's top companies and brands to learn for and from China. She’s also a sought after professional speaker covering topics around customer centricity, the future of retail, technology in action. Ashley is the author of 11 books on digital China.

Here are some contact links:

• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleydudarenok/
• YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/ashleydudarenok
• Twitter/X https://twitter.com/AshleyDudarenok

It was a fun discussion with quite a few valuable lessons.

Here is an article summarizing my 5 lessons from the conversation.

• 5 Lessons in Digital Growth from Serial China Entrepreneur Ashley Dudarenok (Growth Tactics)

——

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about HubSpot and the really cool aspects of its business model.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are the 5 things I like about the business model:

1. Software bundles. Especially integrated. Especially with freemium pricing.
2. Recurring revenue
3. Switching Costs: Financial, Procedural, Relational and Risk
4. The ecosystem with network effects (in theory). A Developer Flywheel in practice.
5. Sales and Marketing Flywheel

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about Salesforce and how generative AI is going to impact its business.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are my 3 working conclusions.

• GenAI is going into their existing services, which are used by teams at their clients. Salesforce is well positioned for this.
• GenAI is going to get incorporated into the workflows of their clients. This requires an AI tech stack, which Salesforce does not have. AI Cloud companies are building this and offering it as a service. This is a problem.
• AI Agents are emerging and this will change the workforce of CRM within companies. This is a big problem for Salesforce. Competitor Microsoft is well positioned here.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about a common playbook for a digital attacker (whether a digital native or incumbent).

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here are the 3 steps of the digital attacker strategy.

• Step 1: A new digital tool enables a superior service to emerge. This is used to break into an existing business. This often causes an unbundling of the existing offerings.
• Step 2: Existing value chains get transformed. Everyone scrambles to grab the valuable positions.
• Step 3: The new leaders add services, complements and bundles.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about Constellation Software. And their approach to software investing.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

On the Constellation webpage, they actually list their criteria for both “exceptional” and “good” companies. Here’s what they say.

• Exceptional businesses
  • Mid-to-large vertical market software businesses. With greater than $1M EBITDA.
  • Consistent earnings and growth. Constellation has a good equation for this:
    • EBITDA/Revenue + Revenue Growth = 20%
  • Experienced and committed management.
• Good businesses

  • 1 or 2 in a niche vertical market

  • Revenue over $5M
  • Hundreds or thousands of customers
  • “Unimposing” competitors

Constellation is an interesting company to follow if you invest in tech companies. Just follow their transactions. They do lots of them and you can learn a lot.

Cheers, Jeff

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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Today's podcast is part of a new series on Growth Tactics, where we talk to digital businesses that are winning. And dig into what worked and what didn't.

Our first episode is an interview with Alex Lee, the CEO and co-founder of beauty brand and DTC ecommerce site Depology.

After years of struggle a small ecommerce site, Alex pivoted the business into beauty in 2019. And then grew to $10M in revenue in ten months. Within 3 years, Depology had grown to $20M in sales.

I talked with Alex about how they did it. What worked? What didn't?

It was a fun discussion with quite a few valuable lessons.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about Microsoft and how they use bundles to beat competitors. As Slack found out.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

Here is the link to the All In Podcast mentioned. The Microsoft discussion happens at 1 hour and 3 minutes.

—–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about where GenAI and intelligence capabilities can create barriers to entry (not competitive advantages).

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the Tech Tour.

—–--

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is Step 2 in my playbook for CEOs and investors in Generative AI.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

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I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about iQIYI's tech strategy.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Cheers, Jeff

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about our Beijing Tech Tour. And my 3 main lessons.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

My lessons are:

• JD is flooding money into logistics tech. Increasingly globally.
• Huawei is showing the future for turnkey digital infrastructure.
• iQIYI likely the future business model for movies and tv.

Cheers, Jeff

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about Alibaba and what they are doing in Generative AI.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Cheers, Jeff

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about ownership vs. access business models. It's a good framework for thinking about digital disruptors such as Airbnb, Uber and Mobike.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

———-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about two interesting parts of the new GenAI Tech Stack.

• The data infrastructure layer. Where Huawei is a leader.
• Agent and model building. Where Baidu is a leader.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

——-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is Part 2 on my framework for AI Strategy. Part 1 was in Podcast 203.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting. Which has the details for the Beijing Tech Tour.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is a framework for thinking about AI Strategy. And an intro to the AI Tech Stack.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

——-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is about how auto companies are changing into digital business models. Specifically, it is about three archetype business models we can see in BYD, Xiaomi and Tesla.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

The 3 EV business models are:

• EV Business Model 1 (i.e., BYD) is “Manufacturing Plus Services”. That’s Autos Plus Auto Services. Plus Linked Battery Manufacturing.
• EV Business Model 2 (i.e., Xiaomi) is a “Manufacturing Plus a Consumption Ecosystem”. That’s Auto (Plus Auto Services) Plus Digital Services”.
• EV Business Model 3 (i.e., Tesla) is “Manufacturing Plus AI Services”

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This week’s podcast is Part 2 of Capabilities, Resources and Assets (CRAs). They are a key part of strategy. And link operating performance with structural advantages. Here is Part 1.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Key points:

**Point 1: Operating performance and structural advantage are separate parts of strategy and management.

Point 2: But they are also linked. By a select list of capabilities, resources, and assets (CRAs)

Point 3: Operating activities create and maintain CRAs, which can be tangible and intangible.

Point 4: Sometimes CRAs can manifest as competitive advantages and barriers to entry.

Point 5: CEOs need to identify moats. And then chart a path of critical CRAs to build and rebuild them.**McKinsey’s Framework for Intangible Assets

• Innovation / Creative Assets.
• Digital and Analytics Assets.
• Human and Relational Assets. This has two sub-types. This is any time, effort or money spent on:
  • Building individual or organizational skills through training within an organization.
  • Building ecosystems and networks external the organization is also important.
• Brand Assets.

——–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is part 2 of a deep dive into Baidu Cloud, a leading provider of cloud and intelligence services. And arguably China’s AI leader.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here are the four pillars:

• Pillar 1: Baidu AI Cloud Is an Innovation Platform Pushing to Reach Critical Mass
• Pillar 2: Baidu AI Cloud Is Also Moving to Become a Technology Standard Deeper in the AI Tech Stack
• Pillar 3: Baidu’s AI-Focused Cloud Has 2 Advantages Over Other Innovation Platforms
• Pillar 4: Baidu's AI Cloud Is a Flywheel in Industry-Specific Intelligence

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into iQIYI's activities in generative AI, which is a natural evolution from their long focus on digital transformation.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

———

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Reddit, the "community of communities, driven by interests and passions".

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the Show.

View Details

This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Baidu Cloud, a leading provider of cloud and intelligence services. And arguably China's AI leader.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

———–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Alibaba Cloud, a leading provider of cloud and intelligence services. They recently had an AI and Big Data Summit in Singapore.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

———–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Automatic Data Processing (ADP), a leading provider of software and services for human resources.

ADP is a company that is surprisingly well positioned to use AI to better manage human capital and build non-human workforces.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Etsy. And how it is leaning into the creativity and human connection aspects of marketplaces.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here are my 5 questions (thus far) for assessing the viability of a specialty ecommerce company.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in logistics or infrastructure without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market?
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major ecommerce companies?

Here are the mentioned articles and podcasts:

Etsy and How to Predict the Winners in Specialty Ecommerce (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

Pinduoduo, Etsy, and OTC: How Specialty Ecommerce Can Thrive Against the Giants. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 97)

———–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Facebook Meta. And how I break down the business model and the key factors.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

The 5-6 factors mentioned are:

• People networks
• Audience-builder platforms
• Limited ecosystems
• Profit vs engagement products
• Hierarchies of control
• Substitutes

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

———–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is a deep dive into BYD. And about how Chinese manufacturers go international.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the article on the AI influencer.

———–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Photo by P. L. on Unsplash

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Verisign, Inc (Nasdaq: VRSN). It focuses on the biggest factors for the future of the company.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

——–

Related articles:

• A Digital Strategy Breakdown of Salesforce. Spoiler: It’s Awesome (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• A Strategy Breakdown of Arm Holdings (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Digital Concepts Powering ARM Holdings (2 of 4) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• CA16: State-Granted Competitive Advantages
• Standardization Network Effects
• Substitutes

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Verisign Inc

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is Part 1 of Capabilities, Resources and Assets (CRAs). They are a key part of strategy. And link operating performance with structural advantages.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to our China Tech Tour.

Key points:

**Point 1: Operating performance and structural advantage are separate parts of strategy and management.

Point 2: But they are also linked. By a select list of capabilities, resources, and assets (CRAs)

Point 3: Operating activities create and maintain CRAs, which can be tangible and intangible.

Point 4: Sometimes CRAs can manifest as competitive advantages and barriers to entry.

Point 5: CEOs need to identify moats. And then chart a path of critical CRAs to build and rebuild them.**

—---–

Related articles:

• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Capabilities, Resources and Assets
• Intangible Assets
• Serial Moats

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

——-----

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is a deep dive into Salesforce, Inc. It focuses on the biggest competitive strengths of the company.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here are the comments by Eddie Wu at Alibaba:

• Aliviews: Eddie Wu on Alibaba’s Q2 Earnings

——–

Related articles:

• A Digital Strategy Breakdown of Salesforce. Spoiler: It’s Awesome (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• A Strategy Breakdown of Arm Holdings (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Digital Concepts Powering ARM Holdings (2 of 4) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• SaaS
• Switching Costs: Financial, Procedural, Relational and Risk
• Economies of Scale: Fixed Costs: Specialized, Cumulative and Niche
• Enterprise Software: CRM

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Salesforce Inc

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is part two of a deep dive into Arm Holdings. About how China and AI are external factors impacting its future trajectory.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

——–

Photo by Vishnu Mohanan on Unsplash

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is part of a company deep dive into Arm Holdings.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is my summary of the 4 big digital concepts behind Arm Holdings:

• Standardization and Interconnection Network Effects
• Indirect Network Effects by linkage with Operating System Innovation Platform
• Economies of Scale in R&D
• Switching Costs, including Criticality with Semiconductor and OEM Companies

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is Part 2 of an introductory explanation for the Digital Operating Basics. This is a very useful framework for thinking about digital transformation.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is my summary of digital operating basics (Dr. Ram’s book combined with some of my own thinking):

1. Rapid Growth at Small Incremental Cost. And Without Constraints.
2. Never-Ending Personalization and Customer Improvements.
3. Digital Core for Management and Operations.
4. Connectedness, Interoperability and Coordination-Based Operating Models (Including Platforms and Ecosystems).
5. Leadership and Management.
6. People, Culture and Teams.
7. Sustainable Cash Engine that Scales

——–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is Part 1 of an introductory explanation for the Digital Operating Basics. This is a very useful framework for thinking about digital transformation.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is my summary of digital operating basics (Dr. Ram’s book combined with some of my own thinking):

1. Rapid Growth at Small Incremental Cost. And Without Constraints.
2. Never-Ending Personalization and Customer Improvements.
3. Digital Core for Management and Operations.
4. Connectedness, Interoperability and Coordination-Based Operating Models (Including Platforms and Ecosystems).
5. Leadership and Management.
6. People, Culture and Teams.
7. Sustainable Cash Engine that Scales

Related articles:

• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is an introductory explanation to Rate of Learning (and Adaptation). This is an increasingly important concept in digital strategy.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Big tech events from this week:

• Expanded export ban for GPUs to China (here)
• Eureka AI training robots in advanced tasks (here)
• iQIYI signs deal with Thailand's Tourism Authority (here)

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

——------

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Singles Day, which is coming up fast. Lots of stuff gets reported. But I am looking for 3 main things.

1: What is the fastest growing and most innovative frontier of ecommerce?

2: What are the big new bundles for consumers and the new products / services for merchants?

3: How did the company do in the stress test?

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

–—-

Related articles:

• AutoGPT and Other Tech I Am Super Excited About (Tech Strategy – Podcast 162)
• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Singles Day

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about 5G and 5.5G (also called 5G-Advanced). This is a short-list of scenarios where they are going to have a big impact.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here are the 5 scenarios:

• Glasses Free 3D
• Self-Guided Vehicles
• Next Gen Manufacturing
• Cellular IoT
• Intelligent Computing Everywhere

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about digital and AI agents. This will lead to the emergence of non-human platforms and business models.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is the podcast mentioned.

—–--

Related articles:

• AutoGPT and Other Tech I Am Super Excited About (Tech Strategy – Podcast 162)
• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• GPT and Generative AI: AutoGPT
• Digital Marathon: Zero human operations
• Digital vs. Human Agents
• Platform Business Models: Non-Human Platforms and Business Models

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI / ChatGPT
• AgentGPT

——–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Huawei's new AI tech stack, which is impressive in its ability to provide end-to-end solutions. Also their new "All Intelligence" Strategy.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

———

Related articles:

• What TikTok Can Learn From Huawei About the Role of the State (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 39)
• How Tsingtao, CR Snow and the Other Beer SOEs Won Big in China (Pt 2 of 2)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Cloud
• Digital and AI Transformation

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Huawei

———-

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my interviews with Lazada CEO James Dong and CTO Howard Wang. Here are my 3 three take-aways.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

————

Related articles:

• JD’s Emerging Competitive Advantages? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• JD’s Is Making a Big Strategic Move into the Low-Cost Market (2 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Southeast Asia
• Ecommerce

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Lazada

————

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the high profile events at both Apple and Huawei in China this month. Here’s my breakdown on what it means.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

Related articles:

• What TikTok Can Learn From Huawei About the Role of the State (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 39)
• How Tsingtao, CR Snow and the Other Beer SOEs Won Big in China (Pt 2 of 2)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State
• China

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Apple
• Huawei

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about some big moves at JD.com - especially their big strategic move to go after the low-cost market of China. Here's my breakdown on what it means.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting

—-

Related articles:

• JD’s Emerging Competitive Advantages? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• JD’s Is Making a Big Strategic Move into the Low-Cost Market (2 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Marketplace Platforms
• Digital Physical Hybrid

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• JD.com

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about the current hyper-politicization of all things China. It's my take for assessing what it means.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

—-

Related articles:

• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about digital transformation, which is a long-term and complicated effort by established companies. This podcast is about what really matters.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

Here are the three rules:

**Rule 1: The Need for Speed

Rule 2: Intangibles - You Need Invisible Engines to Win

Rule 3: Leadership – Everybody Falls the First Time**Here are the 4 intangible assets mentioned.

• 4 Types of Intangible Assets in Digital Businesses (Tech Strategy – Podcast 151)

——-

Related articles:

• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital transformation
• Leadership digital divide
• 4 intangible assets

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

—--–------

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about my visit to Ant Group.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

Related articles:

• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Payment Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ant Group / Ant Financial / Alipay / Alipay+

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about digital / information economics.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

—--

Related articles:

• Can ByteDance Breach Alibaba’s Infrastructure Moat and Become An Ecommerce Giant? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 82)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Costs
• Pricing / Versioning
• Willingness to Pay / Consumer Surplus

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week's podcast is about my visit to iQIYI. And what I think is coming next for video entertainment under major digital disruption.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

Related articles:

• Can ByteDance Breach Alibaba’s Infrastructure Moat and Become An Ecommerce Giant? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 82)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• 4 Intangible Assets
• Audience-builder platforms
• Generative AI

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• iQIYI

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about the recent launch of Threads, Meta's clone of Twitter.

My assessment is that Threads will likely beat Twitter. However, this depends on Treads getting product market fit. They have to get and retain actual engagement at significant. If that doesn't happen, then none of my strategy analysis matters.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

———

Related articles:

• Can ByteDance Breach Alibaba’s Infrastructure Moat and Become An Ecommerce Giant? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 82)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Complementary platforms
• Audience-builder platforms
• SMILE Marathon: Sustained Innovation

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Twitter
• Meta / Facebook / Instagram / Threads

——--
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to the Shanghai Mobile World Conference. And the Huawei 5.5G R&D Center. These are my takeaways for what is going to happen next in digital infrastructure.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you’re interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

———

Related articles:

• Can ByteDance Breach Alibaba’s Infrastructure Moat and Become An Ecommerce Giant? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 82)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• n/a

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Huawei

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about my visit to ByteDance, which is just a fascinating company. Lots of good lessons that I will be writing about. But here are the three things I think I was not appreciating or understanding.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you're interested in talking digital strategy and transformation for your business, contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

———

Related articles:

• Can ByteDance Breach Alibaba’s Infrastructure Moat and Become An Ecommerce Giant? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 82)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Externalization of Capabilities
• 4 Terrains and Strategies

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• ByteDance

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about NetEase and how gaming ecosystems (like Epic Games) have lots of important digital strategy lessons.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

If you are interesting in discussing your digital strategy, please contact us at TechMoat Consulting.

——–

Related podcasts and articles are:

• JD’s Emerging Competitive Advantages? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Platforms vs. ecosystems
• Online Gaming

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• NetEase
• Epic Games

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about WeChat, which really has reached a level of daily usage that makes it the "everything app". Here is my breakdown on how it got there strategically.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to TechMoat Consulting.

——–

Related podcasts and articles are:

• JD’s Emerging Competitive Advantages? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Innovation Platforms
• Payment Platforms
• Complementary Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Tencent / WeChat / Mini programs

————
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about JD Logistics, which is building a smart logistics network at China scale. I spoke to one of its heads and this is what I learned.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Related podcasts and articles are:

• JD’s Emerging Competitive Advantages? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• N/A

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• JD Logistics
• JD

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about how generative AI can start improving your business and career.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here are three things you can (should) do right now:

**Step 1: Develop Staff and Skills in Gen AI (DOB 5, DOB6)

Step 2: Use to Improve Internal Productivity

Step 3: Use to Improve Products, Services, and the Customer Experience (DOB2)**Here are the tools I use all day long:

• ChatGPT4 with Plugins and Web Browsing
  • Plugins: Show Me, Zapier, SEO Optimizer
• Google Bard
• Bing AI
• Midjourney and Leonardo AI
• AgentGPT

Other tools I am experimenting with:

• Zapier
• Runway ML
• Opus Clips
• PDF.AI
• AskAI
• AI Transcriptions by Riverside and Otter.ai
• Docuask
• Lots of ChatGPT Plugins

—–

Related articles:

• AutoGPT and Other Tech I Am Super Excited About (Tech Strategy – Podcast 162)
• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• GPT and Generative AI

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI / GPT / ChatGPT
• Google / Bard

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the generative AI foundation models of OpenAI and Google. Will they have competitive defenses? Especially against open source.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here are the two articles mentioned:

• Google “We Have No Moat, And Neither Does OpenAI”.
• Who Owns the Generative AI Platform?

My (working) conclusions are:

• Technology does not have moats. Business models have moats.
• We are looking for competitive defensibility, not moats.
• Adoption by dominant players with big moats that are not being impacted will be the biggest beneficiaries.
• Foundation models will likely advance from early mover plus digital marathon to defensible moats in platform business models.
  • Innovation platforms. These are likely. And offer a model for coexistence with open source models.
  • Learning platform. It is unclear how these will evolve. They will be different than search,

-—–

Related articles:

• AutoGPT and Other Tech I Am Super Excited About (Tech Strategy – Podcast 162)
• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• GPT and Generative AI
• Innovation Platforms
• Learning Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI / GPT / ChatGPT
• Google / Bard

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about AutoGPT / AgentGPT and how it is leading to the rise of digital agents. This will lead to the emergence of non-human platforms and business models.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

-—–

Related articles:

• AutoGPT and Other Tech I Am Super Excited About (Tech Strategy – Podcast 162)
• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• GPT and Generative AI: AutoGPT
• Zero human operations
• Digital Agents
• Non Human Platforms and Business Models

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI / ChatGPT
• AgentGPT

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about AutoGPT / AgentGPT and two other cool new technologies.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here are the three technologies mentioned:

• 5.5G and immersive and experiential video everywhere.
• AutoGPT and AgentGPT.
• Human organizational structure adopting software architecture.

—–

Related articles:

• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• GPT and Generative AI: AutoGPT

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI / ChatGPT
• AgentGPT

——–

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is TikTok's international success.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here are my three factors for succeeding internationally:

1. Has a 10x product and user experience. Plus early mover. Plus big spending (marketing, acquisitions, hiring, etc.)

2. The service is standardizable cross-border. Little need for localization and/or local services.

3. It build on advantages. Or the business builds competitive advantages and entrenches rapidly.

—–

Related articles:

• My Interview with Huawei’s Guo Ping on Managing People vs. Managing Rules and Systems (Tech Strategy – Daily Strategy)
• 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Questions for Huawei’s CEO, JD & Jingxi, Metcalfe’s Law Is Dumb (Asia Tech Strategy)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• n/a

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• ByteDance / TikTok / Douyin
• WeChat
• Kuaishou
• Shein
• Temu / Pinduoduo

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is Huawei's recent 2022 financial results and big event.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

—–

Related articles:

• My Interview with Huawei’s Guo Ping on Managing People vs. Managing Rules and Systems (Tech Strategy – Daily Strategy)
• 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Questions for Huawei’s CEO, JD & Jingxi, Metcalfe’s Law Is Dumb (Asia Tech Strategy)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• n/a

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Huawei

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about why Americans must protect TikTok.

• TikTok is not the big and proven threat to freedom and privacy. The US Censorship Regime is.
• For now, TikTok is necessary to break the censorship monopoly and restore free speech to Silicon Valley.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is the statement by TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew.

Here is Glenn Greenwald's System Update

——--

Related articles:

• 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Questions for Huawei’s CEO, JD & Jingxi, Metcalfe’s Law Is Dumb (Asia Tech Strategy)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Information flows
• Social media

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• TikTok
• Twitter
• Rumble

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about network effects, as described by James Courrier and NFX.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Here is the NFx Network Effects manual.

Here are NFX's 16 network effects, in order of strength:

1. Physical (e.g. landline telephones)
2. Protocol (e.g. Ethernet)
3. Personal Utility (e.g. iMessage, WhatsApp)
4. Personal (e.g. Facebook)
5. Market Network (e.g. HoneyBook, AngelList)
6. Marketplace (e.g. eBay, Craigslist)
7. Platform (e.g. Windows, iOS, Android)
8. Asymptotic Marketplace (e.g. Uber, Lyft)
9. Data (e.g. Waze, Yelp!)
10. Tech Performance (e.g. Bittorrent,Skype)
11. Language (e.g. Google, Xerox)
12. Belief (currencies, religions)
13. Bandwagon (e.g. Slack, Apple)
14. Expertise (Figma, Microsoft Excel)
15. Tribal (Apple, Harvard, NY Yankees…)
16. Hub-and-Spoke (TikTok, Medium, Craigslist)

——

Related articles:

• 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Questions for Huawei’s CEO, JD & Jingxi, Metcalfe’s Law Is Dumb (Asia Tech Strategy)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Network Effects
• Data Advantages and Network Effects
• Embedding
• Bandwagon Effects

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate.

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This week’s podcast is about machine learning and prediction as a capability.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is podcast on the intangible asset framework.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

——

Related articles:

• An Intro to Discount Rates and Cost of Capital for Digital Valuation (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Why DCF Sucks for Digital Valuation. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 101)
• An Intro to Digital Valuation (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Capabilities, Resources and Assets (CRAs)
• Machine learning / AI
• SMILE Marathon: Machine Learning

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the struggle of companies like Grab, Dingdong, Meituan, Didi, GoJek and iFood to reach operating profits.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

——

Related podcasts and articles are:

• Lessons from Grab in Geographic Density and Other Tech Enabled Cost Efficiencies (3 of 4) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• How Alibaba Freshippo and Dingdong Got to Profitability in Ecommerce Groceries (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• How Alibaba Freshippo and Dingdong Got to Profitability in Ecommerce Groceries (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economies of Scale: Geographic and Distribution Density
• Ecommerce

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Grab
• Dingdong

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is a rant about the common "China is going to collapse" narrative. Most recently made by Peter Zeihan on Joe Rogan.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Peter's interview with Joe on China is here.

Here is the Bank of Japan study.

Here are the two books mentioned:

• The One Hour China Consumer Book: Five Short Stories That Explain the Brutal Fight for One Billion Consumers
• The One Hour China Book: All of China Business Explained in Six Short Stories

———

Related podcasts and articles are:

• Habits, Chemistry and Mindless Behavior As Competitive Advantages (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• n/a

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Monster Energy and my approach for winning in digital as a CPG brand.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

———

Related podcasts and articles are:

• Habits, Chemistry and Mindless Behavior As Competitive Advantages (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Competitive Advantage: Share of Consumer Mind
• Digital Marathon: Ecosystem / Platform Participation
• CPG and FMCG

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Monster Energy

I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

I host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter detailing the strategies of the best digital businesses in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about more about generative Ai as a disruptive technology and business model.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the TechMoat Consulting.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

———

Related articles:

• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Generative AI
• 7 Digital Superpowers

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Midjourney
• Runway
• OpenAI / ChatGPT

——–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

I host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter detailing the strategies of the best digital businesses in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about more about generative Ai as a disruptive technology and business model. My argument is it is going to disrupt many dominant platform business models - like YouTube, TikTok and maybe OnlyFans.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the mentioned AI company Movio.la

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

——--

Related articles:

• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why ChatGPT and Generative AI Are a Mortal Threat to Disney, Netflix and Most Hollywood Studios (Tech Strategy – Podcast 150)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Generative AI
• AI-Powered Service Business Model

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Midjourney
• OpenAI / ChatGPT
• YouTube
• TikTok
• OnlyFans

———–
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

I host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter detailing the strategies of the best digital businesses in the US, China and Asia.

My book series Moats and Marathons is one-of-a-kind framework for building and measuring competitive advantages in digital businesses.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about why intangible assets are so important in operations, competitive moats and valuation. They are central to digital businesses - but confusing.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the AI company Movio.la

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

McKinsey’s Framework for Intangible Assets

• Innovation / Creative Assets. This is any time, effort or money spent developing intellectual property. This includes content creation, such as entertainment and artistic originals. And it includes other types of content such as mapping and user generated content. But it can also include R&D in new product development, improved customer interfaces and improved user experiences (whether digital or physical). The term “innovation capital” is a good description of these types of intangible assets, which we see frequently in digital businesses.
• Digital and Analytics Assets. This is any time, effort or money spent developing, maintaining, and advancing digital assets and capabilities. This includes software, data warehouses, digital infrastructure, and other digital and data capabilities. This includes pretty much everything in the digital operating basics. It also includes CRM software, ecommerce interfaces, data analytics models and algorithms and so on. I like that they separated this as a category from intellectual property and content assets. The title “digital and analytics capital” is great.
• Human and Relational Assets. This has two sub-types. This is any time, effort or money spent on:
  • Building individual or organizational skills through training within an organization. So, this is your talent strategy – which includes specialist skills and capabilities but also social and emotional skills. This also includes relations and interactions within organizations, such as organizational and managerial capabilities. You can put adaptability and resilience here.
  • Building ecosystems and networks external the organization is also important. This is relationships and partnerships with suppliers, complements and data partners. This is where Digital Operating Basics 4 as well as Consumption Ecosystems would go.
• Brand Assets. This is any time, effort or money spent to maintain or increase brand equity. This is an important category, but the name is not great. Relationships with current and potential customers is an important intangible asset (often called brand equity). This can include capabilities that build and maintain these relationships – such as loyalty programs, promotions, and fan clubs. Customer service and churn and retention initiatives are also very important.

——
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter detailing the strategies of the best digital businesses in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about how generative AI is disrupting content creation. This is a major tech shift and a lot of big incumbents (such as Netflix and Disney) are going to be impacted.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

Generative AI companies to try:

• OpenAI / ChatGPT
• OpenAI / DALL-E
• Midjourney
• Synthesia
• AIVA
• Lexica
• Wellsaidlabs

5 Winners in Generative AI

• Specific, niche content creators, usually based on people. Such as sports content, game shows, and reality TV. Also, some creators with do very but will follow a power law.
• Content production tied to community or services
• Audience builder platforms
• Learning platforms
• Creator tools providers with standardization Network Effects, such as Adobe.

2 Likely Losers in Generative AI

• Content publishers. These intermediaries (such as book publishers) don't have much of a role unless they unless they control demand or distribution.
• Stand alone content creators. Content can be created in house and purchased. They will struggle with coming wave of high-quality, free content. That’s Disney, Netflix, most tv studios. Basically, any business that has been relying on scale in content creation. Economies of scale in content production disappearing - especially in animation. Barriers to entry are going away. Companies like Disney and Netflix needs to become audience builder platforms ASAP. They need to expand from mass market to micro markets.

——-

Related articles:

• The Winners and Losers in ChatGPT (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why I Don't Like Netflix, Singapore Press and Most Digital Content Businesses (136)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

———-
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about how consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies can go digital. It's my 4 basic rules to get going.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the China Tech Tour.

My 4 Rules for CPG Brands going Digital

1. Focus on DOB3. You need to digitize the core. This is easier in CPG as it's mostly about marketing. The hard part is creating the connection with the consumer. AB InBev did this by creating its own app and delivery service. You can use services like Shopify and JD Logistics.
2. Do DOB4 as early you can. You want to connect with other parties, such as complements and retailers. This is mostly about sharing data early on. Collaborations in product development, operations and R&D may come later.
3. Commit to Ecosystem / Platform Participation as your SMILE marathon long-term. You have to become a master at engaging with the major ecommerce, social media and video platforms. Even Nike can’t do it all direct. This is usually about developing talent early on.
4. Build moats and competitive advantages as you can. These will mostly be by consumer capture.

——-

Related articles:

• Zé Delivery’s “Wow” Experiences vs. Ant’s Sustained Innovation Imperative (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• DOB3: Digital Core for Management and Operations
• DOB4: Connectedness, Interoperability and Collaboration-Based Business Models.
• SMILE Marathon: Ecosystem / Platform Orchestration or Participation

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• AB InBev / Ze Delivery
• Nike
• CPG

———-
I write, speak and consult about how to win (and not lose) in digital strategy and transformation.

I am the founder of TechMoat Consulting, a boutique consulting firm that helps retailers, brands, and technology companies exploit digital change to grow faster, innovate better and build digital moats. Get in touch here.

I host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter detailing the strategies of the best digital businesses in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Microsoft and how I approach its valuation.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Asia Tech Tour.

——----

Related articles:

• An Intro to Growth and “Birds in the Bush” in Digital Valuation (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• An Intro to Discount Rates and Cost of Capital for Digital Valuation (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Why DCF Sucks for Digital Valuation. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 101)
• An Intro to Digital Valuation (Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Valuation Like Warren Buffett in 1 Slide (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Valuation (Question 3): Digital Valuation
• Valuation: Bird in Hand vs. Bush
• Valuation: Growth, ROIC/RONIC and Value

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Microsoft

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the two leading and well-run ecommerce companies in Brazil: Magazine Luiza / Magalu and Mercado Libre. Both companies have compelling but different business models. It is an interesting strategy question.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Asia Tech Tour.

——

Related articles:

• What is Elon Musk’s Plan to 10x Twitter? (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Marketplace platforms
• Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) / New Retail

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Mercado Libre
• Magazine Luiza / Magalu

———-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the arrival of ChatGPT, which is stunning people everywhere with its content generation.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Asia Tech Tour.

Here is the link to ChatGPT

Here is the past article on Conversation AI at JD:

• 3 Lessons in Conversational AI from JD’s Head of the Deep Learning (1 of 2)

——

• What is Elon Musk’s Plan to 10x Twitter? (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• AI as Cheap and Fast Prediction
• AI: NLP

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• OpenAI

———-

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This week’s podcast is about Elon Musk's take-over and turn-around of Twitter. Lots of cool lessons what he has done in the first 3 weeks.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Asia Tech Tour.

——

• What is Elon Musk’s Plan to 10x Twitter? (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Audience-Builder Platform with Connected Users
• Digital Operating Basics
• Social media

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Twitter

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

———-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is Production and Consumption Ecosystems as digital business models. This thinking is mostly by Professor Mohan Subramaniam, who wrote the book The Future of Competitive Strategy: Unleashing the Power of Data and Digital Ecosystems.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

My 9 digital business models are:

1. Linear business models (i.e., pipelines)
2. Production Ecosystems
3. Consumption Ecosystems
4. Company Ecosystems
5. Platforms
6. Pipeline plus Platform Business Model
7. Protocol networks (i.e., blockchains) as stand-alone businesses
8. Platform-protocol hybrids
9. Protocol ecosystems (i.e., building blocks)

—-

Related articles:

• 9 Digital Business Models: An Intro to Consumption Ecosystems (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• The Big Strategy Concepts for Web 3 (1 of 3) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Production and Consumption Ecosystems
• DOB4: Connectedness Interoperability and Collaboration Based Business Models
• Platform Types: Coordination, Collaboration and Standardization

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Haier

———-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is Grab's growth initiatives, which are critical for getting to operating profits. They also provide a case for talking about core vs. adjacency growth.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Grab's compelling growth initiatives include:

1. New Services for Consumers
2. GrabUnlimited
3. Cross-Selling
4. Advertising
5. Financial Services

Most of this is a summary of work by Chris Zook at Bain’s strategy practice. I am citing the books:

• Profit from the Core
• Beyond the Core

Most all sustainable growth is based on 1-2 strong cores.

• A profitable core is centered on the strongest position in terms of loyal customers, competitive advantage, unique skills, and ability to earn profits.
  • My list for strong cores are growth / market, competitive advantage and attractive unit economics.
• Adapting the core can be:
  • New products / services
  • New customers – microsegments
  • New geographies
  • New businesses.

Six growth adjacencies:

• New customer segments:
• New geographies
• New channels
• New products
• New Businesses
• New value chain steps

How to assess an adjacency move:

• Factor 1: Adjacency is tightly tied to a strong core.
• Factor 2: An attractive adjacency market in terms of profit pools
• Factor 3: The ability to capture economic leadership in that market.

Digital adjacencies are moderate, relentless expansions versus big trees.

——-

Related articles:

• Grab’s Big Strategy and Cash Flow Question (1 of 4) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Lessons from Grab in Geographic Density and Other Tech Enabled Cost Efficiencies (3 of 4)(Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Growth: Core vs. Adjacency
• Growth: Explore vs. Exploit

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Grab

———-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This week’s podcast is about economies of scale in purchasing power. I go through Walmart and Costco as traditional examples. And point to JD, Apple, and Pinduoduo as digital examples.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
Here are types of economies of scale.

• CA11: Fixed Operating and Capital Costs
• CA12: Purchasing Economies and Bargaining Power with Suppliers
  • Larger companies can demand cheaper prices and/or better terms from suppliers than their smaller competitors. This is about bargaining power for important and/or sizeable inputs
• CA13: Geographic and Distribution Density
• CA14: Geometry Effect
• CA15: Learning Scale

Cases of purchasing economies

• Newsfeed of offers plus C2M results in purchasing economies. Pinduoduo.
• Privileged technology access by Apple
• Purchasing economies. This was JD's biggest lever.
• Platform business models power over suppliers.

——-

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Competitive Advantage: Purchasing Economies and Bargaining Power with Suppliers

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• JD
• Pinduoduo
• Walmart
• Costco

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment, legal or tax advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. This is not investment advice. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about cloud business models. It's a complicated and evolving subject. But I am trying to identify good cloud business models that aren't obvious (like AWS, Azure and Google Cloud). Alibaba Cloud and Snowflake are examples.

You can listen to this podcast here, which has the slides and graphics mentioned. Also available at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here are four sub-types of Coordination Platforms.

• Communication. Zoom, Slack, etc.
• Data Intelligence. Snowflake and Confluent.
• Team Projects. Manual and complicated projects like architecture, media creation, software development.
• Operational Automation.

Here are cloud business models I like:

• Innovation platforms
• Coordination platforms (especially when combined with innovation platforms).
• Vertical solutions

———-

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Platforms: Coordination
• Platforms: Innovation
• Cloud services

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba Cloud
• Snowflake

——–
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Magazine Luiza / Magalu and how they ended up as the pioneers of online-merge-offline (OMO) in Brazil retail. It’s a fascinating business model.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here are my three strategy questions about Magalu:

• Big Question #1: Will Magalu Become an "Ultimate B2C Marketplace"?
• Big Question #2: Will Magalu go full OMO? Will they be more aggressive in retail formats?
• Big Question #3: Will Magalu go full "infrastructure of commerce"?

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• OMO / New Retail
• Infrastructure of Commerce
• Brazil

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Magazine Luiza / Magalu

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.
Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about AB InBev's rapidly rising beverage delivery service Ze Delivery. I visited the facilities and spoke with CEO Rudolfo Chung. It's a fascinating business model.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
——–

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Linked businesses
• Geographic density

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ze Delivery
• Ab InBev
• iFood

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about important digital changes happening in ecommerce and retail, and that are mostly coming out of China / Asia.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—----

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics 2: Digital Core
• Digital Operating Basics 3: Personalization and Customer Improvements

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

——--
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Steam and Garena, which are good examples of specialty gaming businesses.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here are my criteria for specialty ecommerce businesses.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in logistics or infrastructure without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market?
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major ecommerce companies?

—-

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Marketplace Platforms
• Innovation and Audience Builder Platforms
• Specialty Gaming Businesses
• Gaming and Game Engines

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Garena
• Steam / Valve

——
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about digital content businesses, which are entirely digital economics. They can have great economics but absolutely need a moat.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Three digital content strategies I do like are:

• Network effects with long-tail of UGC. Such as YouTube and TikTok.
• Creates durable IP. Such as Disney.
• Service and community businesses that uses content.

——-

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Why Netflix and Amazon Prime Don’t Have Long-Term Power. (2 of 2) (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economics of Digital / Information
• Soft Advantages: Bundling and Cross-Selling
• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Netflix
• Amazon Prime Video
• Singapore Press Holding

———-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is economies - and why it is still the standard strategy. Especially in specialized areas and niche markets.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economies of Scale
• Economies of Scale - CA11 Fixed Operating and Capital Costs

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about the human capital part of the digital operating basics. Specifically, DOB5: Leadership and management and DOB6: People, Culture and Teams. Middle Eastern retailer is a good example of a company that has been focusing on this area.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—––

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Operating Performance = Smarter, Faster, Better
• DOB5: Leadership and Management
• DOB6: People, Culture and Teams

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Majid Al Futtaim

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about web3 strategy and business models. It's a big confusing and still evolving space. But I think there are 5 really important concepts to understand (in terms of strategy).

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—––

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Protocol Networks (Blockchain) with Property Rights
• Composability
• Value Creation vs. Value Distribution
• Points of Control
• Token economics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ethereum
• Bitcoin

——-

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Walgreens and Ping An Good Doctor. Both are using digital tools to create entirely new business models in healthcare. And both look like they have real strengths, if successful. I also mention CVS health.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—––

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economies of Scale
• 6 Digital Superpowers
• AI as a Capability
• Learning Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Walgreens
• Ping An Good Doctor

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about rate of learning as a concept. That is the digital version of what was originally called the learning curve and the experience effect. Rate of learning has gone from an important idea in production-intensive products to a digital requirement. But the key question is when does rate of learning become a competitive advantage? This podcast is my answer.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—–--

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Learning Curve and Experience Effect
• SMILE Marathon: Rate of Learning and Adaptation
• CA7: Rate of Learning and Process Cost Advantages

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Amazon
• Tencent

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Xiaomi and ongoing strategy changes and moves. This is a good case for my 6 levels of digital competition. It takes apart the situation fairly effectively. And Apple and Amazon provide good counter-examples.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—–

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• 6 Levels of Digital Competition
• SMILE Marathon

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Xiaomi
• Amazon
• Apple

Photo by Zana Latif on Unsplash

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about Alipay+, which is Ant's new international payment initiative. But it is also about the return of Ant Group after 2 years in restructuring. I call that Ant 2.0.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

——–

Related articles:

• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Economics: Bundling
• Payment Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ant Financial / Alipay+
• Stone
• Square

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

View Details

This week’s podcast is about GE and their big digital transformation initiative from 2011-2018. However, I am not a GE expert by any stretch. I am just presenting a very simplified version of their digital initiatives (from case studies) for a discussion about digital transformation.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here's my playbook for the digital transformation of an incumbent.

• 70% Digital Operating Basics
• 25% Moats
• 5% Tactics

——–

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Transformation
• Industrial Internet / IIoT
• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• GE

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Elon Musk's attempted purchase of Twitter. But it is really about how the control and curation of information flows how become a key issue in the digital age. The lack of effective curation at scale has become a major problem in society. Elon Musk may be the person to finally fix this.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

——--

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• GoTo Is Going for an “Ultimate B2C Marketplace” in Indonesia. But Alibaba Couldn’t Do It in China. (1 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Information Flows
• Interaction Failure and Curation at Scale

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Twitter

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about digital disruption. It's a big and difficult topic for management teams. And it usually leads to discussion about innovation. Here are 2-3 frameworks for how to think about it.

Correction: I said Daily Mail in the podcast. I meant Daily Journal.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Andreesen-Horowitz's 4 Stages of Disruption

1. Disruption of incumbent
2. Rapid and linear evolution
3. Appealing convergence
4. Complete reimagination

My standard disruption questions:

• Impact: Is the impact on my 6 levels predictable?
• Probability: How how is it for management to hard to pull off this strategy?

---—

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• GoTo Is Going for an “Ultimate B2C Marketplace” in Indonesia. But Alibaba Couldn’t Do It in China. (1 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Sustaining vs. Disruptive Innovation / Clayton Christensen
• Andreesen-Horowitz's 4 stages of disruption

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Barnes and Noble
• Daily Journal

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host US-Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Amazon's competitive advantages. We can see clearly growing moats in ecommerce. But increasing competition is revealing the lack of defenses in video streaming. Netflix has the same problem.
You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.
The mentioned graphics are here.

——

Related articles:

• Why I Really Like Amazon’s Strategy, Despite the Crap Consumer Experience (US-Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• GoTo Is Going for an “Ultimate B2C Marketplace” in Indonesia. But Alibaba Couldn’t Do It in China. (1 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economies of Scale: Purchasing Economies
• Economies of Scale: Fixed Costs
• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Amazon
• Netflix

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host US-Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of the best digital companies in the US, China and Asia.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show

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This week’s podcast is about Amazon vs. Alibaba and Pinduoduo. There are some important strategy differences between the ecommerce leaders in the US and China.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

——

Related articles:

• 3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia) Going Forward (2 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• GoTo Is Going for an “Ultimate B2C Marketplace” in Indonesia. But Alibaba Couldn’t Do It in China. (1 of 2)(Winning Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Economies of Scale: Purchasing Economies
• Economies of Scale: Fixed Costs
• Linked Businesses

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Amazon
• Alibaba
• Pinduoduo

——-
I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Winning Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies (and secrets) of the best tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is newly public GoTo, which is an interesting business model combining a platform for products (Tokopedia) with one for services (Gojek).

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—

Related articles:

• Will Southeast Asian Grab Become Meituan or Didi? (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 121)
• Grab’s Big Strategy and Cash Flow Question (1 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Complementary Platforms
• Digital-Physical Hybrids
• Barriers to Entry

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• GoTo / Gojek / Tokopedia

I write, speak and consult about digital strategy and transformation.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also host Winning Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies (and secrets) of the best tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about combining two previously covered topics: growth and the digital operating basics. This can be surprisingly powerful.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Most of the growth thinking is a summary of work by Chris Zook at Bain’s strategy practice. I am citing the books:

• Profit from the Core
• Beyond the Core

He argues most all sustainable growth is based on 1-2 strong cores that continually adapt.

• A profitable core is centered on the strongest position in terms of loyal customers, competitive advantage, unique skills, and ability to earn profits.
• Adapting the core can be:
  • New products / services
  • New customers – microsegments
  • New geographies
  • New businesses.

Then add growth adjacencies. To assess an adjacency move:

• Factor 1: Adjacency is tightly tied to a strong core.
• Factor 2: An attractive adjacency market in terms of profit pools
• Factor 3: The ability to capture economic leadership in that market. Competitive advantage as an attacker and then an incumbent.

Growth + DOB can sometimes get you the dream scenario:

1. Grow the revenue line.
2. Increase gross profits. An expanding margin with size.
3. Increase operating leverage with increasing scale. This is more about going for scale.
4. Invest in R&D, tech and infrastructure. This will result in a better user experience and improve operating efficiency.
   1. Drive efficiencies and increase monetization.
   2. Improve the user experience.
   3. Expand the products and services in high growth areas.
5. Do targeted M&A. To increase innovation and protect against disruption.

Related articles:

• Core vs. Adjacency Growth in Digital Businesses (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 104)
• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Growth: Core vs. Adjacency
• Digital Operating Basics
• DOB7: Sustainable Cash Engine that Scales

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Southeast Asian tech giant Grab, its impressive execution and its chronic unprofitability:

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

—–-

Related articles:

• Growth, ROIC / RONIC and Growth + Sales in Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 102)
• An Intro to Growth and “Birds in the Bush” in Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Complementary Platforms
• Marketplace Platform for Services
• SE Asia
• Engagement Products vs. Margin Products
• Economies of Scale: Geographic Density

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Grab Holdings

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how web 3.0 is creating three types of marketplaces:

• Digital platforms (web 2.0), such as a Taobao
• Platform-protocol hybrids, such as Coinbase
• Protocol networks, such as Uniswap

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

—–-

Related articles:

• How to Think About Web 3.0 Business Models (1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Platform-Protocol Hybrids and Why DeFi is the Center of Web 3.0 (2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Marketplace Platforms
• Protocol Networks
• Platform-Protocol Hybrids (PPH)

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Coinbase
• Uniswap

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about customer capture as a competitive advantage. And how digital is really changing this type of moat.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

—–

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• CA1: Share of Consumer Mind, Share of User Mind and User Capture
• Competitive Advantages

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Nike in China. But it really about how you win as a participant in large platform businesses in ecommerce and social media.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

—–

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Complments
• SMILE Marathon: Ecosystem Orchestration or Participation
• DOB4

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Nike

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about web 3.0. I view most successful web 3.0 companies like Coinbase as platform-protocol hybrids.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Protocol Networks
• Platform-Protocol Hybrids / Web 3.0

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Coinbase

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Nubank, Brazil's rapidly rising digital bank.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

Here are my 5 predictions for Nubank 2.0

1: Nubank Could Offer Asset-Lite Credit Services

2: Nubank Could Create a Complementary Marketplace Platform for Investment and Insurance Products

3: Nubank Will Go Cross-Border and Offer a Growing Suite of Financial Services Products

4: Nubank Could Launch Mini-Programs within the Payments App

5: Nubank Could Externalize Financial Cloud Services

——

Related articles:

• Brazilian Nubank is Ant Financial Circa 2016 (1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• How Ant Financial / Ant Group is Revolutionizing Finance (1 of 3) (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 47)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Payment Platforms
• Complementary Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Nubank

——–——
I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.
Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is about Barriers to Entry, which is one of my 6 levels of competition.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

Most of my favorite businesses have key operating assets that can’t be easily built, bought, or transferred. This turns out to be an interesting list. Think about:

• Reputation, loyalty, and love.
• Personal customer relationships.
• Intellectual property, creative activities, and rare technical abilities.
• Certain technologies, scientific capabilities, and trade secrets.
• Certain physical assets.
• Physical and digital networks.

——

Related articles:

• SenseTime and an Introduction to AI Software Economics (1 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Lessons in China AI/ML from Artefact (Data Consultants and Digital Marketers)
• Adobe Inc. and the Power of Old School Software Economics (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 81)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• 6 Levels of Competition
• Barriers to Entry
• Cost Timing and Difficulty of Entry?

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

———
I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

My book Moats and Marathons details how to measure competitive advantage in digital businesses.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.
Note: This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is about SenseTime, which is a leader in computer vision in China / Asia. It's a fascinating company for looking at the evolving business models of AI software. The two big questions are:

• What are the unit economics of large AI companies?
• What types of scale advantages and network effects do large AI companies?

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

I break the network effects question into three sub-questions:

• Do existing AI models get better the more they are used?
  • How much? Does it flatline? Does it keep increasing?
• Do existing AI models make each other smarter and better?
• Do existing AI models and the data they collect make additional AI models smarter? Do they make them faster and cheaper to train?

My working for conclusions are:

• This is mostly an integrated software bundle going for global scale.
• It's a learning platform with a new type of network effect.
• It is building an innovation platform, with another network effect.

——---

Related articles:

• SenseTime and an Introduction to AI Software Economics (1 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
• 3 Lessons in China AI/ML from Artefact (Data Consultants and Digital Marketers)
• Adobe Inc. and the Power of Old School Software Economics (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 81)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Learning Platforms
• Integrated Bundles
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Vision

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• SenseTime

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is about my discussion with Abel Deng, the CEO of Huawei Thailand. And about how the next generation of digital infrastructure is developing in SE Asia.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

———

Related articles:

• Huawei Is Going to Beat Trump with Human Resources, Not Technology (Pt 1 of 3)
• Huawei’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is “Meritocracy Plus Partnership” at Scale in China Tech. (Pt 2 of 3)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State
• Economies of Scale
• SMILE Marathon: Sustained Innovation

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Huawei

———-

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Snowflake and Confluent. But the main topic is how to think about coordination, collaboration and standardization (CCS) platform business models. And the 4 types of these platforms.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

I’ve now started breaking this into 4 sub-types of CCS platforms. They are:

1. Communication. Zoom, Slack, etc.
2. Data Intelligence. Snowflake and Confluent.
3. Team Projects. Manual and complicated projects like architecture, media creation, software development.
4. Operational Automation.

——

Related articles:

• Part 2: Snowflake is Building 3 Complementary Platforms with 4 Network Effects (Pt 2 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Hierarchies of Control
• Coordination, Collaboration and Standardization (CCS) Platforms
• Enterprise B2B

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Snowflake
• Confluent

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is about the external view and the importance of base rates. Berkshire-invested Kroger supermarkets is a good example of a company that can really be viewed externally.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book:

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

Common metrics for base rates:

• Sales growth
• Gross profitability (gross profits / assets)
• Operating leverage. Change in operating profits relative to change in sales.
• Operating profit margin
• Earnings growth
• CFROI

Here is the McKinsey book Beyond the Hockey Stick.

———

Related articles:

• What Ant Financial Tells Us About the Future of Square. Plus, Why The External View Is So Hard in Digital. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 61)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• External vs. Internal View
• Regression to the Mean (average / base rates, rate of regression)

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Kroger

---------—-

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is about ANE Logistics, which is a compelling business model for digitizing and consolidating less than truckload logistics in China.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

My questions for ANE Logistics:

• Does a franchised logistics network with digital connectivity lower the barrier to entry?
• What happens when the volume is greater a network with the same number of nodes and linkages as another?
• What happens when the geographic density is increased? More nodes and / or more linkages.

Related articles:

• Podcast 26: Is Baidu the New AT&T? The Basics of Physical vs. Virtual Networks.
• Will JD Logistics Become a New Type of Ecosystem? (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 71)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Networks vs. Platforms vs. Network Effects
• Franchised Networks
• Logistics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• ANE Logistics

———-

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is Brazilian Stone Company (STNE), the Berkshire Hathaway-invested payment platform that has fallen in share price by +80%.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

——-

Related articles:

• Brazilian Stone Co, Chinese Ant, and American Square Are All Building Complementary Payment Platforms (1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• What Ant Financial Tells Us About Square’s Future. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Update)
• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Payment Platforms
• Digital-Physical Hybrid

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Stone Company

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how to assess specialty companies within enterprise software and services. And about Tuya, which an interesting example of a specialty B2B play.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

Here are my 5 questions (thus far) for assessing the viability of a specialty ecommerce company.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience? Or did they just get there first?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in logistics or infrastructure without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market?
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major ecommerce companies?

Here are my 5 questions (thus far) for assessing the viability of a specialty enterprise company.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience? Or did they just get there first?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in sales / marketing or R&D without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market?
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major enterprise companies?
   1. Pay attention to hierarchies of control.

—----

Related articles:

• Etsy and How to Predict the Winners in Specialty Ecommerce (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• An Introduction to Tuya and Its Play for an IoT Ecosystem (Pt 1 of 2)(Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Hierarchy of Control
• Enterprise Specialty

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Tuya

----------—-

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Alibaba and Singles' Day. Just my thoughts on what really matters.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

My list of 7 things people are getting wrong about Singles' Day:

1. Business model is about building demand-side scale. This is also about economies of scale as a relative advantage.
2. Operating model is about user-facing innovation that adds value.
3. Consumer facing innovation is likely about live-streaming, metaverse and NFTs.
4. Merchant-facing innovation is likely about R&D and financing.
5. Physical assets have traditionally been about supply-side scale and building a barrier to entry.
6. Alibaba is also separating supply side into a new business that is the "new infrastructure of commerce".
7. Singles Day is both a moonshot program and a yearly stress test for the company.

Here are the Digital Operating Basics.
Here is the Alibaba slides for adding value to merchants.

—----

Related articles:

• 7 Questions for Alibaba on Singles’ Day (pt 1 of 2)
• Behind the Scenes with Alibaba on Singles’ Day (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 5)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics: DOB2 Never-Ending Personalization and Customer Improvement
• Network Effects - Demand side Economies of Scale
• Ecommerce

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba

I write and speak about digital competition and China / Asia’s leading tech companies.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details

This week’s podcast is more about Snowflake, the “data ecosystem” company. And how multiple companies are competing to create the standards and architecture for cloud services.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

—-

Related articles:

• Snowflake is Building 3 Complementary Platforms with 4 Network Effects (Pt 1 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Kingsoft Cloud and How to Think About Cloud Services in China (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• What Everyone is Getting Wrong About Snowflake (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 105)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Innovation: Dominant Design
• Innovation: Increasing Returns to Tech Adoption
• Cloud Services

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Snowflake
• Tuya

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Snowflake, the "data ecosystem" company. It is one of the most compelling digital business models out there. It is one of the few companies that could become the next Google or Microsoft.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my new book (released December 1):

• Moats and Marathons (Part 1): How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses Kindle Edition

A summary of the Digital Operating Basics:

1. Scale and growth and small incremental cost.
2. Personalization.
3. A digital core for operations.
4. Ecosystem and connectedness.
5. People, culture and work design form a social engine that enables innovation and execution personalized for each customer.
6. Operational cash flow.

Here is a previous podcast on that.

• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)

—-

Related articles:

• Snowflake is Building 3 Complementary Platforms with 4 Network Effects (Pt 1 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Snowflake is Building 3 Complementary Platforms with 4 Network Effects (Pt 2 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Part 3: Snowflake’s Big Growth and Competition Questions (Pt 3 of 3) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Complementary Platforms
• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Snowflake

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about core vs. adjacency growth. This is a good framework for thinking about growth in digital businesses'.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Most of this is a summary of work by Chris Zook at Bain's strategy practice. I am citing the books:

• Profit from the Core
• Beyond the Core

Most all sustainable growth is based on 1-2 strong cores.

• A profitable core is centered on the strongest position in terms of loyal customers, competitive advantage, unique skills, and ability to earn profits.

Six growth adjacencies:

• New customer segments:
  • Micro-segmentation of current segments
  • Unpenetrated segments
  • New segments
• New geographies
  • Global expansion
  • Local expansion
• New channels
  • Internet
  • Distribution
  • Indirect
• New products
  • New to world
  • Complements
  • Support services
  • Next generation
  • Just new products / services
• New Businesses
  • New to world needs
  • New substitutes
  • New models
  • Capability adjacencies
• New value chain steps
  • Forward integration
  • Backwards integration
  • Sell capability to outside

How to assess an adjacency move:

• Factor 1: Adjacency is tightly tied to a strong core.
• Factor 2: An attractive adjacency market in terms of profit pools
• Factor 3: The ability to capture economic leadership in that market. Competitive advantage as an attacker and then an incumbent.

—----

Related articles:

• Growth, ROIC / RONIC and Growth + Sales in Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 102)
• An Intro to Growth and “Birds in the Bush” in Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Growth: Core vs. Adjacency
• Digital Operating Basics

——-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how digital impacts society, business, news and politics. And how centralized planning might be the best solution in a digital world.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—

Related articles:

• Valuation Like Warren Buffett in 1 Slide (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• An Intro to Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Why DCF Sucks for Digital Valuation. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 101)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Coordination and Transaction Costs
• Ecosystems vs. Platforms vs. Networks
• Theory of the Firm

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

------------

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about growth and how it relates to value and valuation. ROIC vs. RONIC is an important part of separating past and continuing value.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

—-

Related articles:

• Valuation Like Warren Buffett in 1 Slide (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• An Intro to Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Why DCF Sucks for Digital Valuation. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 101)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Valuation
• Growth, ROIC/RONIC and Value
• Growth + Sales

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how to apply DCF in valuations of digital companies.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

For the tennis ball story and DCF details, here are the slides.
–----

Related articles:

• Valuation Like Warren Buffett in 1 Slide (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• An Intro to Digital Valuation (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Valuation: Digital
• Discounted Cash Flow

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Hillhouse Capital and how they are buying and digitizing Chinese and increasingly Asian companies. I talk about their deals with Belle and Gree.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my summary of digital operating basics (Dr. Ram’s book combined with some of my own thinking):

1. Scale and growth at small incremental cost.
2. Continuous personalization and customer-facing innovation.
3. A digital core for operations.
4. Ecosystem and connectedness
5. People, culture and work design create a social engine that enables innovation and execution – increasingly personalized for each customer.
6. Money-making at scale makes the company sustainable. It enables continuous innovation, including big bets where the ability to withstand losses is important.

The picture I use to summarize Value Point is shown here.
—–

Related articles:

• How I Learned to Love SoftBank and Its Investment Strategy (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Update)
• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics
• Value Point (Ques 7)

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Hillhouse Capital Group
• Belle
• Topsport International Holdings
• Gree Electric

——-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is my second on Ram Charan’s new book “Rethinking Competition Advantage“. I think it has a lot of great insights about the basics of digital operations.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is my summary of digital operating basics (Dr. Ram’s book combined with some of my own thinking):

1. Scale and growth at small incremental cost.
2. Continuous personalization and customer-facing innovation.
3. A digital core for operations.
4. Ecosystem and connectedness.
5. People, culture and work design create a social engine that enables innovation and execution – increasingly personalized for each customer.
6. Money-making at scale makes the company sustainable. It enables continuous innovation, including big bets where the ability to withstand losses is important.

—–

Related articles:

• Lessons in Digital Operating Basics from Ram Charan. Part 1 of 2 on “Rethinking Competitive Advantage”. (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 98)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Ram Charan's new book "Rethinking Competition Advantage". I think it has a lot of great insights about the basics of digital operations. But not much about competitive advantage.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Q&A on Sept 7:

• Live Chat with Prof Jeff on Asia Tech Strategy

Here is my interpretation of the book's digital operating basics:

1. A personalized consumer experience is key to continued growth. Continually innovating on the consumer experience enables cross-selling more and more products and services to a broad audience. A "market of one" is the ultimate personalization.
2. Companies need a digital core for operations. Algorithms and data are essential weapons.
3. A company needs an ecosystem. Every major player needs at least 10 partners for sharing data, meeting a range of consumer preferences, growing faster than it otherwise could and continually refreshing with technology and innovation.
4. Companies need powerful moneymaking models. Target a big opportunity and increase cash gross margin by innovation and cost reductions over time. Fund multiple experiments against consumer experience. Add revenue streams on the same digital core.
5. People, culture and work design form a social engine that enables innovation and execution personalized for each customer. Decision-making is designed for innovation and speed.

—–

Related articles:

• Can Foodpanda / Delivery Hero Get to Profitable Scale in On-Demand Food? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Operating Basics

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

———-

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about assessing specialty ecommerce companies (i.e,. the anteaters) vs. the ecommerce giants (i.e,. the lions). Which will survive? Which will thrive?

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

Here is the link to the Q&A on Sept 7:

• Live Chat with Prof Jeff on Asia Tech Strategy

Here are my 5 questions (thus far) for assessing the viability of a specialty ecommerce company.

1. Is the company sufficiently differentiated in the user experience?
2. Can the company compete and/or differentiate in logistics or infrastructure without ongoing spending?
3. Does the company have a strong competitive advantage in a circumscribed market?
4. Is there a clear path to significant operational cash flow?
5. Has the company avoided markets and situations that are attractive or strategic for the major ecommerce companies?
6. Addendum: Don’t overestimate first mover, virality or growth hacks.

Here's my assessment of various specialty ecommerce companies:

• Thriving:
  • Etsy – huge suite of unique products for mass market by capturing unique merchants.
  • Oriental Trading Company – unique product for niche market by unique logistics.
  • Pinduoduo - engagement driven ecommerce.
• Survive, but questionable:
  • Global-e – cross border logistics
• I'm not optimistic:
  • Dingdong
  • Farfetch
• Situations that may be overestimating first mover, virality or growth hacks.
  • Delivery Hero:
  • Shein

——--

Related articles:

• Can Foodpanda / Delivery Hero Get to Profitable Scale in On-Demand Food? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Specialty Ecommerce
• Interactive and Engagement-Focused Ecommerce

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Etsy
• Oriental Trading Company
• Pinduoduo

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about the recent political issues around China tech and Alibaba in particular.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

——

Related articles:

• Can Foodpanda / Delivery Hero Get to Profitable Scale in On-Demand Food? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State
• Uncertainty Investing Approaches

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba

———

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Ctrip, Didi and their current situation as subscale services marketplaces in China.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes and Google Podcasts.

You can sign-up for my webinar next week on health tech at:

• Jeff’s Health Tech Update: What Matters Now - and What Doesn't. Tickets, Thu, Aug 19, 2021 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

4 Reasons Didi and Ctrip should merge:

1. They are both subscale in B2C digital China
2. Both are exposed. And industry barriers in services are shifting and falling.
3. They are complementary in terms of users, usage, data and cash flow.
4. Meituan is coming. It is likely it will enter ride-sharing, just like it did in accommodations.

—---

Related articles:

• Can Foodpanda / Delivery Hero Get to Profitable Scale in On-Demand Food? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Meituan vs. Ctrip vs. Alibaba: Who Will Win in China Services? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 22)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Indirect Network Effects
• Marketplace Platform for Services

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ctrip
• Didi

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how to profit from political involvement in China tech. But really it is about how to think systematically about the role of the State. And about how to benefit from the State as the mother-of-all catalysts.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

You can sign-up for my webinar next week on retail tech at:

• Jeff’s Retail Tech Sprint Tickets, Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Here is the marketing material for OShares OGIGX.

• OGIGX Index Presentation 2021Q2- June 2021 end

Here is the Standard Digital Playbook:

1. Target a 10x or 100x market opportunity.
2. Grow users and revenue.
3. Capture and grow cash gross margin. Not the %. The cash.
4. Flood cash into new revenue streams and innovation to improve the user experience.

That playbook is all about building a digital business on the demand side. It is about identifying a big opportunity and then systematically improving the consumer experience and going after related consumer problems.

However, this also usually results in negative operating profits until sufficient scale is reached. The gross profits are positive but the operating profits are negative. Often for a long time. However, with increasing scale the operating leverage eventually kicks in and the big profits are revealed.

Here is a list for the Digital Basics:

• Growth and Scale
• Digital Core
• Ecosystem, Connectedness and Coordination-Based Business Models
• Leadership and Management
• People, Culture and Talent
• Operating Cash Flow. The Cash Engine.

——-

Related articles:

• Lessons from Cheah Cheng Hye on China Stocks and Uncertain Terrains (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Can Foodpanda / Delivery Hero Get to Profitable Scale in On-Demand Food? (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Basics
• Digital Playbook (Standard)

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Delivery Hero / Foodpanda

——–
I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and informatio

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how to profit from political involvement in China tech. But really it is about how to think systematically about the role of the State. And about how to benefit from the State as the mother-of-all catalysts.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

You can sign-up for my online talk Thursday with Kevin O'Leary at:

• O'Shares ETFs + Jeff Towson Live | O’Shares ETFs (oshares.com)

You can sign-up for my webinar next week on retail tech at:

• Jeff's Retail Tech Sprint Tickets, Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Ways to profit from State involvement:

• Ride the big waves from top-down initiatives
• Copy Cheah Chang Hye (Value Partners). Buy and sell unfollowed and obscure China bargains.
• Demand a bigger margin of safety
• Buy and sell fast (Ben Graham).
• Buy quantitative certainties (Ben Graham).
• Buy great companies and hold long-term (Philip Fisher).

—----

Related articles:

• How to Assess Political Risk in China Tech (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 92)
• Lessons from Cheah Cheng Hye on China Stocks and Uncertain Terrains (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)
• How to Profit from China Politics: Suntech and State Catalysts. (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State
• Giants, Dwarves and the State
• Catalysts

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Suntech
• Cheah Cheng Hye / Value Partners

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about political risk in China tech, but really it is about how to think systematically about the role of the State. And about making investment decisions on uncertain terrains.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Here are five investment approaches to uncertain environments.

1. Stay out.
2. Buy and sell fast.
3. Focus on quantitative certainties. Tangible assets.
4. Focus on really great businesses. And qualitative factors. Buy and hold through tough times.
5. Demand a bigger margin of safety.

How to assess the role of the State and political risk:

• Question 1: Does the State have an active role in this sector?
  • If so, don’t go forward until you can understand it. It is one of three key forces.
  • If no role, then you can view this with a typical industry approach.
• Question 2: If there is an active role, what are the State’s interests? What is the evidence for this?
  • Is it actively supporting?
  • Is it against against rapid or significant development?
  • Is it just muddy and mixed?
• Ques 3: If it is actively supporting, then ask how this firm is advancing the State’s interests? How is it working with govt? That is the main thing that matters.

About Giants, Dwarves and the State. See my webpage link.

Related articles:

• What TikTok Can Learn From Huawei About the Role of the State (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 39)
• How Tsingtao, CR Snow and the Other Beer SOEs Won Big in China (Pt 2 of 2)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Role of the State
• Giants, Dwarves and the State

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Philip Fisher
• Ben Graham

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Warren Buffett and combining competitive advantage with compounding.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Slides are on my webpage.
—–—

Related articles:

• I Took 20 Peking University Students to Lunch with Warren Buffett (Again). Here’s What Happened. (Pt 1 of 4)
• 3 Life Lessons from Lunch with Warren Buffett

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Compounding
• Competitive Advantage

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Warren Buffett / Berkshire Hathaway

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Dingdong, a specialty ecommerce player in China focused on fresh groceries. It has gone public while still operating profit negative - but brings to mind a similar situation with Meituan at IPO.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

—–---

Related articles:

• Should Vipshop Build a Logistics Network Like JD? (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 7)
• The Pros and Cons of Farfetch’s Global Luxury Marketplace (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Purchasing Economies
• Economies of Scale - Geographic Density
• Explore and Exploit

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Dingdong

———

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Full Truck Alliance, a B2B marketplace platform for freight and cargo. There are a lot of lessons on the difficulties and complexities of matching, pricing and network effects for more complicated services.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Here are the pages from the F-1 filing I mentioned.

Questions for simple network effects:

• Local vs. regional vs. international network effects?
• Fast vs. slow network effects?
• Directionality of interactions (Facebook vs. Twitter)?
• Degree vs. value of connections?
• Minimum viable scale vs. asymptotic scale?
• What is congestion / saturation / degradation scale?
• Linear vs. exponential growth at different scales? For each user group.

Questions for complicated network effects:

• Less than truckload freight (LTL). This is about coordinating demand and locations for mobility. This is similar to carpooling in ride-sharing. The matching, pricing and network effects are more complicated.
• On-demand vs. synchronous vs. asynchronous. Matching, pricing and network effects are more complicated. Pricing can follow spot demand vs. scheduled.
• Cyclical and other fluctuations in both supply and demand. This impacts both prices and utilization.
• Route specific network effects. Need to balance supply and demand (and critical mass) on each route.
• Serial routes. Matching, pricing and arranging multiple routes in sequence. Much more complicated
  • How does this compare with economies of scale in geographic density.

—--

Related articles:

• 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Network Effects - Simple
• Network Effects - Complicated
• Marketplaces for Services

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Full Truck Alliance

-----------

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Skillz and Electronic Arts. There are some interesting and evolving strategy aspects to gaming - especially as it goes to multiplayer and tournaments. And as Skillz opens up tournament gaming based on cash rewards, the question is how far into gambling is this going to go?

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas

—–—

Related articles:

• Ant Financial and the 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 86)
• A Day in the Life of a Didi Chuxing Driver (Pt 1 of 3)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Network Effects
• Share of the Consumer Mind

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Skillz
• Electronic Arts

———
I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about Didi's upcoming IPO. They have released their numbers and it shows market dominance but operating losses. This is my explanation for what is happening. And what their strategic plan means.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

How I breakdown:

• Market size and/or growth
• Competitive strength and defensibility
• Unit economics

Questions for network effects:

• Local vs. regional vs. international network effects?
• Fast vs. slow network effects?
• Degree vs. value of connections?
• Minimum viable scale vs. asymptotic scale? What is congestion / saturation / degradation scale?
• Linear vs. exponential growth at different scales?

—–---

Related articles:

• Ant Financial and the 3 Types of Network Effects (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 86)
• A Day in the Life of a Didi Chuxing Driver (Pt 1 of 3)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Network Effects: Indirect
• Economies of Scale: Purchasing Economies
• 5 Forces: Substitutes
• 5 Forces: Threat of New Entrants

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Didi

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about separating networks (an asset) from platforms (a business model) from network effects (a phenomenon). And the three standard types of network effects.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

I put network effects into 3 types:

• Direct (One-Sided) Network Effects
• Indirect (Two-Sided) Network Effects
• Standardization and Interoperability Network Effects

I put networks into 3 types:

• Physical Networks
• Protocol Networks
• People Networks

——–

Related articles:

• Ant Financial Is 3 Platform Business Models Combined. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)
• Ant Financial’s Big Money is in Asset-Light Credit Tech (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• 3 Networks vs. 5 Platforms vs. 3 Network Effects
• Network Effects: Direct and Indirect
• Network Effects: Standardization and Interoperability

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Ant Financial

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about "criticality" as a type of switching cost. And specifically about Wabco, one of Warren Buffett's companies that has fairly powerful B2B criticality.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

——–

Related articles:

• Waze, Google Maps and How Warren Buffett Made 50% on a Map Company (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Daily Update)
• Warren Buffett On Becoming a Better Person (Daily Lesson – Jeff’s Asia Tech Class)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Switching Costs
• B2B Customer View: Necessary vs. Critical vs. Strategic

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Wabco
• Warren Buffett / Berkshire Hathaway

——–
I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about how traditionally great logistics businesses like DHL and JD Logistics are doing major digital upgrades. It's a big unknown but it all looks pretty attractive.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

—-----

Related articles:

• JD Logistics and the Dream of Smart, Automated Logistics at Scale (1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Will JD Logistics Become a New Type of Ecosystem? (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 71)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Standardization and Interconnection Network Effect
• Economies of Scale: Geographic Density

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• DHL
• JD Logistics

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week's podcast is about the US-China DTC retailer Shein, which has rocketed upwards in the past months. Analysts are starting to pay close attention - but consumers have been noticing this company for a while.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

The mentioned article by Packy McCormick and Matthew Brennan is Shein: The TikTok of Ecommerce.

—–—-

Related articles:

• JD and Competitive Advantages vs. Entry Barriers in China Retail (Daily Lesson – Jeff’s Asia Tech Class)
• JD and the Power of Production Cost Advantages in Retail (Daily Lesson – Jeff’s Asia Tech Class)
• Don’t Go Gaga Over Shein’s “Ultra-Fast Fashion” Model. It’s Mostly a Low-Priced DTC Apparel Story. (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Lesson / Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Competitive Advantage: Rate of Learning
• SMILE Marathon: Rate of Learning
• Share of Consumer Mind
• Economies of Scale
• Bargaining Power with Suppliers / Purchasing Economies

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Shein

———–
I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

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This podcast is about Alibaba's 2020 earnings and the strategy implications. But it is really about how Alibaba is positioned as a "product / service + commerce infrastructure" business. And whether ByteDance can break into Chinese ecommerce with an "attention + mini programs strategy". It's really a cool and important question.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

The cited Alibaba presentations are here:

• AliViews: Daniel Zhang on Alibaba Earnings and Future Growth
• Alibaba Group Announces March Quarter and Full Fiscal Year 2021 Results

The cited Bloomberg article on ByteDance is here:

• ByteDance Eyes a New $185 Billion Business Ahead of Mega IPO

The cited quotes from Alibaba are below. And at my webpage.

“During the past fiscal year, we made significant progress on our three key strategies, namely domestic consumption, globalization and cloud computing. Such progress demonstrated the tremendous power of Alibaba’s digital commerce infrastructure as well as our long-term commitment to invest for the future and to create value for our consumers, merchants and partners through innovations. ”

"We believe the key to unlocking the full value of the community marketplace model is not only about the standalone P&L of the business but also about the overall efficiency and servicing capabilities of the entire commerce platform where the business sits, and we believe the latter can generate far greater value than the former. Alibaba has the most sophisticated and efficient commerce infrastructure in China, with the most comprehensive product and service offerings to serve consumers of diverse segmentation and demands."

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Related articles:

• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Could Sun Art Grow +30% Under Alibaba? (pt 2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• New Retail
• Online Merge Offline (OMO)
• Mini Programs

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba
• ByteDance

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This podcast is about the super cool economics of Adobe Inc. And how they capture the economics of digital by also building strong competitive moats. In Adobe's case, it's mostly network effects and bundling.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

The digital economics terms cited are:

• Zero marginal production costs.
• Low distribution costs.
• Non-rival goods that can be simultaneously used.
• Global scalability at low cost.
• Versioning. Multiple versions of their products can be easily created at different price points.
• Bundling.
• Complements can be added.
• Lots of integration into other software and products.

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Related articles:

• Software and the Sexy but Dangerous Economics of Digital (pt 1 of 3)
• Digital Economics II: Why Pricing Is Getting Both Complicated and Critical. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 53)
• How Digital Creates and Destroys Competitive Advantage. Digital Economics II. (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 55)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Standardization and Interconnection Network Effects
• Subscriptions, Cross-Selling and Integrated Bundling

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Adobe Inc.

I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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Competitive advantages can be build on the demand and the supply side. And advantages on the demand (i.e., revenue) side are usually about customer capture in some form. One general category for this is when a company captures a "share of the consumer mind."

In this talk, I go into how some companies do this for their own benefit. And against the interests of the consumer. I call these types of competitive advantages "evil moats".

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Here are the books and articles I mentioned:

• Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. By Nir Eyal
• The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. By Charles Duhigg.
• Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas. By Natasha Schull.
• How Technology Is Hijacking Your Mind. By Tristan Harris.

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Related podcasts and articles are:

• WeChat, TikTok and Capturing the Consumer Mind in a Digital Age (Jeff’s Asia Tech Class – Podcast 36)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Share of the Consumer Mind

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• n/a

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I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

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This week’s podcast is about online-merge-offline (OMO) platforms. A business model that is just emerging in China. I talk about Sun Art Retail and Beike / Lianjia as examples.

You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya.

Here is the BCG article I mentioned.

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Related podcasts and articles are:

• Lianjia and Beike’s Big Platform Play in Chinese Real Estate (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
• Alibaba Takes Over Sun Art Retail. Is It Going to Take Off? Or Is It Infrastructure? (pt 1 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)

From the Concept Library, concepts for this article are:

• Digital Physical Hybrids
• New Retail
• Online-Merge-Offline (OMO)
• SMILE Marathon: Ecosystem Orchestration and Participation
• OMO Platforms

From the Company Library, companies for this article are:

• Alibaba
• Sun Art Retail Group
• KE Holdings / Beike / Lianjia

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I write and speak about digital China and Asia’s latest tech trends.

I also run Asia Tech Strategy, a podcast and subscription newsletter on the strategies of China / Asia tech companies.

This content (articles, podcasts, website info) is not investment advice. The information and opinions from me and any guests may be incorrect. The numbers and information may be wrong. The views expressed may no longer be relevant or accurate. Investing is risky. Do your own research.

Support the show (https://jefftowson.com)

View Details