What type of person am I looking to talk to? Product development? Brand strategy? Innovator?
Based on my 15 years experience in building and reshaping service organizations (within companies as well as a standalone business), I would recommend to go with somebody who can help you to shape your business model. Two tools might be helpful and you could look who is experienced with it: Blue Ocean Strategy which is about to find the market (niches) which are not that competitive compared to the “red” ones - this is where commoditization does happen and you want to differentiate from this. The second is the business model canvas which helps you to systematically develop your new business model/strategy focused on your customers and how you add value for them. If you do so, demand for your service is a necessary consequence.
If you are interested in more details, just follow up.
Best regards,
Alexander
Hi
First of all, the fact that you're asking this question is very good (stage one of the solution).
Second, without hearing more details, it is very difficult to provide an educated answer. Therefore, I am willing to offer you the following:
1. Send me more details of your business + what you think the problem is + what you think could be a solution (I intentionally want to hear YOUR take on things since business owners usually have good insights to their own industry).
2. I will then probably follow up with 2-3 clarifications questions.
3. Then, if I feel that I can be of value, I will suggest a short call during which I will give you my advice. If I don't think I have any valuable advice, I'll just give you my humble opinion by email, and all the above is free of charge (except for the few minutes that you have to invest in writing the emails).
I've successfully helped over 300 entrepreneurs, and I'd be happy to try and help you.
Best of luck
I'm going to answer this question in a broad manner, since you haven't mentioned what your current business is about and why you want to pivot. If I were you, I'd talk to other founders who have been through the same quandary at some point, maybe someone who's in a similar industry and a few years ahead of you.
Creative services and agencies are ripe for disruption. My view is that they are going to be replaced by product and venture builders. But knowing what product or venture to build is not simple—if you are already running a creative services company, it may be worthwhile talking to your clients to see what their top challenges in the field are. Don't start thinking about a solution just yet. Identify the problem worth solving first.
I'll be happy to chat in more detail if you'd like. I work with and advise deep-tech companies at Entrepreneur First and would love to spend some time talking about mental models you can use (and when not to use them).
Hi,
I have been working several years in the Creative Services industry (both as a client of creative agencies and as a manager of an internal creative department). The competition is very tough specially when the value added requested from a client is low (e.g. repurposing existing content, creating email templates etc).
The way I managed to reposition this creative services company towards profitability has been investing in Value Added proposition. In other words try to get better clients or clients that are demanding more from you. This will enhance your product offering and allow to get a better positioning.
At the same time, try to organize the company in a profitable way: have a solid strategist team, but also the flexibility of freelancers when peak of demand are expected.
Happy to discuss this further in a call.
Read and listen to everything you can by David C. Baker and Blair Enns. This is their beat.
