Essays
Essays on strategy, positioning, product narratives, and the systems behind modern software and AI.
Most companies think they compete against other vendors. In reality, the strongest competitor in most markets is usually: the existing state. Not because buyers love it. But because organizations are remarkably capable of tolerating friction for long periods of time. This is one of the most misunderstood dynamics in positioning. Companies often assume that if […]
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From the outside, market adoption often looks irrational. Some industries move aggressively toward change while others remain stagnant for years despite having access to the same technology, the same vendors, and often the same information. One company reorganizes around an emerging category almost immediately. Another waits until the category is already mature. This is usually […]
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One of the most common mistakes in positioning is assuming the market itself explains urgency. Companies define: Then build positioning around those categories as though they automatically predict demand. But markets are not homogeneous environments. They are pressure environments. And pressure distributes unevenly. Two companies can appear nearly identical on paper while behaving completely differently […]
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Most positioning conversations begin in the wrong place. Companies start by asking: But positioning alone rarely creates urgency. At best, positioning clarifies urgency that already exists. This distinction matters more than most companies realize. Because many products struggle in the market not because the messaging is unclear, but because the underlying pressure inside the market […]
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