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No Bullsh*t Strategy: A Founder’s Guide to Gaining Competitive Advantage with a Strategy That Actually Works
Most strategy is, let’s face it, bullsh*t.
A bunch of fancy words which mean nothing at all. At best harmless and easy to ignore. At worst confusing and destructive.
What if strategy could instead be clear, simple, bold, and even actually useful? That’s what No Bullsh*t Strategy is all about. It sweeps away all the garbled corporate nonsense and dry academic theorising to leave you with pure strategic sauce, which can be actioned right away.
It’ll make you see your business in a totally new light, and effortlessly unlock insights you didn’t know you had in you. Even better, it makes strategy fun.
Ideal for the young entrepreneur and accessible to anyone, if you're wanting to demystify strategy and apply it instantly, No Bullsh*t Strategy is the book for you.
A bunch of fancy words which mean nothing at all. At best harmless and easy to ignore. At worst confusing and destructive.
What if strategy could instead be clear, simple, bold, and even actually useful? That’s what No Bullsh*t Strategy is all about. It sweeps away all the garbled corporate nonsense and dry academic theorising to leave you with pure strategic sauce, which can be actioned right away.
It’ll make you see your business in a totally new light, and effortlessly unlock insights you didn’t know you had in you. Even better, it makes strategy fun.
Ideal for the young entrepreneur and accessible to anyone, if you're wanting to demystify strategy and apply it instantly, No Bullsh*t Strategy is the book for you.
- GenresBusiness
154 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 24, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 14, 2023
Нічого не очикував від книги з такою претенційною назвою, але вона виявилась практичнішою ніж десятки більш відомих книг з розробки стратегії. Наче з них прибрали весь bullshit й залишили найголовніше. Must read для всіх, хто починає знайомство зі стратегічним мисленням у бізнесі.
February 8, 2024
Excellent little book.
There's a few things I take some small issue with, but as a reader of the author's LinkedIn posts and such, it was nice to see the whole package in one place. He really does try to cut through the BS and simplify the strategy thing. Here's a few places where I think he maybe either misses just a little bit or doesn't cover the whole picture:
* Some examples may not be truly pertinent. That is, for example, he talks about Patgonia and a few others in terms of their strategy. But this book is about - at least largely - how to craft strategy for your company. In some cases, like Patagonia, I don't think anyone sat down and thought it out in terms of a market so much as it's just WHAT THEY REALLY WERE. What they did simply aligned with this vision and mission. So if you're a start up, yeah, you can do this. But if you're LargeCorp sitting with decades of baggage, examples of those who started out with core values may not apply. Better examples would be those that turned the ship.
* Strategy exists on many levels and I'm not sure this is clear enough. Towards the very end of the book, he does chart out the macro to micro from Strategy through Marketing, but I'm not sure this really covers the idea I'm talking about. That is, a business may have a vision/mission, (or not), and some high level strategy. But if strategy is really about the "how" then at a very high level it's probably not overly actionable. And he does talk about that. The thing is you can just have strategy at a lower level in an org, (department or product or whatever), and it's still strategy. It doesn't get 'demoted' to just marketing comms or something. You still need to be thinking of it as "strategy," or maybe a "sub-strategy."
In any case, this is a more no-nonsense simplified view of getting certain things done. I'll see how it goes the next time I have a chance to present some new ideas if crafting things in some of the ways he suggests works out.
There's a few things I take some small issue with, but as a reader of the author's LinkedIn posts and such, it was nice to see the whole package in one place. He really does try to cut through the BS and simplify the strategy thing. Here's a few places where I think he maybe either misses just a little bit or doesn't cover the whole picture:
* Some examples may not be truly pertinent. That is, for example, he talks about Patgonia and a few others in terms of their strategy. But this book is about - at least largely - how to craft strategy for your company. In some cases, like Patagonia, I don't think anyone sat down and thought it out in terms of a market so much as it's just WHAT THEY REALLY WERE. What they did simply aligned with this vision and mission. So if you're a start up, yeah, you can do this. But if you're LargeCorp sitting with decades of baggage, examples of those who started out with core values may not apply. Better examples would be those that turned the ship.
* Strategy exists on many levels and I'm not sure this is clear enough. Towards the very end of the book, he does chart out the macro to micro from Strategy through Marketing, but I'm not sure this really covers the idea I'm talking about. That is, a business may have a vision/mission, (or not), and some high level strategy. But if strategy is really about the "how" then at a very high level it's probably not overly actionable. And he does talk about that. The thing is you can just have strategy at a lower level in an org, (department or product or whatever), and it's still strategy. It doesn't get 'demoted' to just marketing comms or something. You still need to be thinking of it as "strategy," or maybe a "sub-strategy."
In any case, this is a more no-nonsense simplified view of getting certain things done. I'll see how it goes the next time I have a chance to present some new ideas if crafting things in some of the ways he suggests works out.
October 11, 2023
A spiritual masterpiece disguised as a book on marketing strategy.
This book not only changed the way I examine, create, or implement strategy, but also how I view life itself. Although it can be read in just a few hours, in one or two sittings, I spread my reading over several days to fully absorb and understand the insights.
This book is written like poetry. Every word has weight; every word has meaning. No line is wasted. Each chapter feels like a standalone book in itself, presented in the most practical, straightforward, and comprehensible way possible.
In addition to this, the generous author, Alex, uploaded the audiobook version to Spotify for free listening. So, alongside reading, I listened to him narrate this magnificent piece and felt as though I was in a personal masterclass. One on one.
And despite all the superlatives, I wouldn't advise most people to read this book. Because, like every powerful spiritual book, it might cause an identity crisis and challenge everything you knew before on marketing and strategy. So, read it only if you're prepared for it.
This book not only changed the way I examine, create, or implement strategy, but also how I view life itself. Although it can be read in just a few hours, in one or two sittings, I spread my reading over several days to fully absorb and understand the insights.
This book is written like poetry. Every word has weight; every word has meaning. No line is wasted. Each chapter feels like a standalone book in itself, presented in the most practical, straightforward, and comprehensible way possible.
In addition to this, the generous author, Alex, uploaded the audiobook version to Spotify for free listening. So, alongside reading, I listened to him narrate this magnificent piece and felt as though I was in a personal masterclass. One on one.
And despite all the superlatives, I wouldn't advise most people to read this book. Because, like every powerful spiritual book, it might cause an identity crisis and challenge everything you knew before on marketing and strategy. So, read it only if you're prepared for it.
December 30, 2023
If you're going to read any book on strategy read this.
It's clear and concise while most books are padded out to meet a page quota.
It's highly actionable whereas most business books talk about business success without any clear path to get there.
It holds you to account by being crystal clear on what a strategy might look like for you.
It's clear and concise while most books are padded out to meet a page quota.
It's highly actionable whereas most business books talk about business success without any clear path to get there.
It holds you to account by being crystal clear on what a strategy might look like for you.
November 13, 2023
I’ve been a huge fan of Alex’s thought leadership on LinkedIn, but unfortunately his POV just didn’t translate well to a full book for me.
May 2, 2024
Han pasado ya unos 3 días de que acabe este libro y puedo concluir, es el mejor libro de estrategia de negocios que he leído en mi vida. Sin duda, lo pondré como un parteaguas en los libros de negocios que he leído junto a: Lean Startup de Eric Ries y Playing to win de A.G. Lafley y Rogen Martin.
Libro cortísimo (según yo son menos de 160 páginas), que va al grano, pone claro el concepto de estrategia, que resumiría como "eso que hacemos que nos hace, no mejores, sino diferentes".
Con pocos ejemplos, pero muy contundentes y sobre todo, una guía muy clara para realmente pensar en hacer una estrategia que pueda el desarrollo de un negocio. Y que como el autor pone..."que realmente sea una estrategia".
Definitivamente, si te interesan los negocios y estrategia, este es el libro que debes leer.
Libro cortísimo (según yo son menos de 160 páginas), que va al grano, pone claro el concepto de estrategia, que resumiría como "eso que hacemos que nos hace, no mejores, sino diferentes".
Con pocos ejemplos, pero muy contundentes y sobre todo, una guía muy clara para realmente pensar en hacer una estrategia que pueda el desarrollo de un negocio. Y que como el autor pone..."que realmente sea una estrategia".
Definitivamente, si te interesan los negocios y estrategia, este es el libro que debes leer.
January 5, 2024
Good clear book - a few stories but mostly clear directions. Would have been nice to have some more service-led organisation examples (why I left out a star) but guess product companies are more globally recognised. Plus it takes the fun out of doing it yourself…
Main take-aways:
- strategy should elicit action
- stop using subjective or aspirational words like “best”
- value over goal: money is a result of delivering value
- strategy is stable, execution is variable
Main take-aways:
- strategy should elicit action
- stop using subjective or aspirational words like “best”
- value over goal: money is a result of delivering value
- strategy is stable, execution is variable
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2024
Another one I read for work. It’s not a “paint-by-numbers” book, obviously, as strategy will look different for every brand. That being said, he lays the groundwork and sets the course to follow for companies looking to find their own unique value propositions and brand strategy. I found it to be a great read and enjoyed his easy writing style.
November 16, 2023
a strategy guideline for non-strategists and strategists
It is beautifully simple and easy to read strategy handbook. The concepts are there for you to experiment in your day-to-day.
Extremely useful. Highly recommend it for brand and marketing people.
It is beautifully simple and easy to read strategy handbook. The concepts are there for you to experiment in your day-to-day.
Extremely useful. Highly recommend it for brand and marketing people.
April 4, 2024
I’m so glad that this book existed to call out the non-sense strategy.
Although I wish it was longer, I guess that’s not the point of the book.
So many nuggets of wisdoms to takeaway, that’s easy to understand and action.
Although I wish it was longer, I guess that’s not the point of the book.
So many nuggets of wisdoms to takeaway, that’s easy to understand and action.
April 23, 2024
Excellent book
The book does a really good job of summarizing strategy as a subject and tell you it's essence. Its a worthy read for anyone who wants to startup or work in the field of strategy
The book does a really good job of summarizing strategy as a subject and tell you it's essence. Its a worthy read for anyone who wants to startup or work in the field of strategy
February 17, 2024
Short but insightful. Applicable to almost all fields: Entrepreneurship, investing, content creation, etc.
Must read for founders.
Must read for founders.
March 13, 2024
Best marketing book I have ever read. Cannot wait to re-read.
March 27, 2024
Super useful info for the founder and strategist alike. I didn’t love his perspective on what constitutes Brand, but found a lot of other useful bits throughout.
May 16, 2024
A fresh perspective on strategy I loved.
Definitely know I want to research the unique value of brands in my future!
Definitely know I want to research the unique value of brands in my future!
February 10, 2024
no bullshit
Very useful refreshers and reframes for how to craft a meaningful strategy. Love conflation insight on goal vs strategy. I see that all of the time.
Very useful refreshers and reframes for how to craft a meaningful strategy. Love conflation insight on goal vs strategy. I see that all of the time.
October 15, 2023
It’s a good one, it isn’t centred around a single thread, instead a few small but a strong check points, are what makes it cool, somewhere I did feel that it is a lighter version of blue ocean strategy but agreed, it isn’t.
Great read !!
Great read !!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews