by Stuart Cross | Sep 3, 2021 | Business Rocks, Covid
For many western nations, Covid-19 is starting to transition from being a pandemic to becoming more of an endemic virus. While some governments are still pursuing a zero-Covid strategy, most are trying work out how we can best manage and live with the disease....
by Stuart Cross | Mar 26, 2021 | Business Rocks, Covid
I had my first Covid-19 jab last Friday. It was a momentous day. So much so that as I left the vaccination centre in Lincoln, the NHS had organized for the Red Arrows to perform one of their amazing aerobatic displays – just to celebrate my inoculation. (My wife...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 19, 2021 | Covid, Growth
The pandemic has led many companies to search for ways to protect and improve profits. That is understandable, but it can be dangerous. As shown in the chart, there are 3 main ways to improve your profits, which can be subsequently split into 11 profit-growing...
by Stuart Cross | Feb 12, 2021 | Business Rocks, Covid
The development of the Covid-19 vaccines provides a great example of the conditions necessary for effective innovation. One key lesson is that while having an ‘innovation culture’ is important, it is insufficient to deliver genuine innovation. In addition to...
by Stuart Cross | Jan 29, 2021 | Business Rocks, Covid
I assume that, like me, you now consider yourself an expert armchair epidemiologist. If so, you’ll be reviewing the daily latest charts of infections, hospitalisations and vaccination rates, looking for clues to help you understand if and when the lockdown will be...
by Stuart Cross | Dec 23, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
Last Friday, my parents received their first coronavirus vaccination at the Globe Arena, the home of Morecambe Football Club. “Arena” may seem a little overblown for a stadium that holds just a little over 6,000 spectators, but the fact that it is called the “Globe”...
by Stuart Cross | Nov 27, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
It seems that a random piece of good luck will have a massive, positive impact on our ability to vaccinate against Covid-19. The scientists running the Oxford University/Astrazenca trial made an error in an early batch of the vaccine. As a result, a sub-group of the...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 6, 2020 | Covid
The impact of the pandemic is not only creating temporary changes to business markets, it is also accelerating structural changes. Take the film and television market, for example. In the UK, 12 million people joined a streaming service – led by Netflix and Amazon...
by Stuart Cross | Oct 2, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
This week I emailed around 40 of my clients, asking them to give a brief answer to this question: In your opinion, what is the most important trait or characteristic that has set the most successful business leaders apart from the rest during the pandemic? I received...
by Stuart Cross | Sep 25, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
Over the past six months, there has been a lot of discussion about ‘herd immunity’. According to the scientists, it’s the only thing that can release us from the Covid-19 prison in which we find ourselves. Herd immunity not only applies to the biology of the disease,...
by Stuart Cross | Jul 3, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
Most UK bars and restaurants will reopen again this weekend. As the number of Covid-19 cases finally approaches a sustainably manageable level, the 15-week social lockdown is being eased. Not in Leicester, however. There, the bars will remain shut for a further two...
by Stuart Cross | May 15, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
I’m in the process of concluding a short, focused post-Covid strategy project with a client. We’ve been working on how the business can continue to grow and thrive through the pandemic and the inevitable economic downturn. We’ve made a lot of progress in a few weeks...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 17, 2020 | Business Rocks, Covid
Crises change markets. In 2008, Aldi, the German-based discount supermarket, had a 1.6% share of the UK grocery market. Then the financial crash happened. As a result, shoppers looked for value and found it in spades at Aldi. The retailer hasn’t looked back and has...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 16, 2020 | Covid, Strategy
In a recent blog post, I set out the reasons for you to move from simply managing the immediate people, operational and financial challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, and to start to think about how your business can succeed in the longer-term...
by Stuart Cross | Apr 14, 2020 | Covid, Strategy
Over the past few weeks, management teams across the country have worked tirelessly to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their business. Looking after the safety and security of your people, managing cashflow and operational emergencies and simply staying...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 18, 2020 | Covid, Strategy
As the coronavirus lockdown becomes tighter, ‘business-as-usual’ has been thrown out of the window. While some companies are dealing with spikes in demand (healthcare, grocery), most are seeing sales fall sharply. The priorities for the leaders of these businesses are...
by Stuart Cross | Mar 16, 2020 | Covid, Innovation
As the Coronavirus starts to bite, more and more people will be asked to work from home. When I worked for Boots the Chemists, my days ‘working from home’ generally comprised of watching daytime TV programmes, doing the odd crossword, playing my guitar, making endless...
