This week’s focus: The great thing about the economic turbulence is that only those businesses that deserve to succeed will do so. In these tough times you will only grow if you have clear and compelling sources of competitive advantage. By this I don’t simply mean ‘strengths’; I mean those critical assets and capabilities that attract a disproportionate number of customers to you and enable you to turn your top-line revenues into profitable growth.

In what ways, specifically, is your business advantaged, and how do you intend to develop and exploit these advantages further in 2012?

Off the record: Better Days by Bruce Springsteen

Every fool’s got a reason for feelin’ sorry for himself

And turning his heart to stone

Tonight this fool’s halfway to heaven and just a mile out of hell

And it feels like I’m coming home

© Stuart Cross 2012. All rights reserved.