DANIEL L. LUNANI

That’s Samuel Mutaha a technology entrepreneur in Nairobi, Kenya describing what motivates him. In Mr. Mutaha's view, technological innovation is simply a catalyst; business is the vehicle. But the purpose, ultimately, is to do good — to solve a problem, to help a person, to create real value. This purpose has become more and more challenging. Opportunities close and technological innovation advances. But all these means is that there is less room for companies and businesses that are unable to set forth a value proposition to customers that goes beyond a simple product or innovation. Michelle a business lady warns that there is no need for more businesses creating arbitrary value; that it’s more important to build a company that matters.  A company to matter, it is going to have to have values that are socially positive and transparent — in other words, it’s going to have to build a clear and lasting brand that aligns its values with its customers and shareholders. It is more...

Let’s clear up a big misconception about visionaries and their killer product ideas. Entrepreneurs have a vision, sure, but it’s not the kind of vision that sees into the future and gets an exclusive sneak preview of the next big thing. Those ideas need validation. There’s an old saying about how overnight successes us u ally take years. On the flip side, every bet that is made on the sheer gut instinct of a product idea is just that — a bet. History only remembers the winners, and we remember them as overnight successes. The failed product ideas — of which there are exponentially more — never get a second thought. That’s why it’s a “dustbin” of history. Every good entrepreneur is a bit of a maverick. Every good manager is a bit of a gambler. But there are several ways to figure out if you’re trying to invent the next big product thing or just churning out a future pile of ashes for the historical heap. Validate the product, not the trend or the market An entrepreneur asked me this que...

Where are you headed? 2020 is getting to a close. The choices you’re making, the effort, the sacrifices—where is the destination? 2020 has taught us so many things but of all is to cherish the gift of life and those of our loved ones. It has brought with it challenges and lessons. We make choices every day about our destination. And because of those choices, we go on a journey. Along that journey, we take risks but we also experience an internal narrative about those risks. And so, destinations, risks (perceived and actual), and journeys define our lives and our businesses. Handling complexity is the true test of leadership as a businessperson. It’s possible you’ve come to the conclusion that the destination you’ve chosen isn’t for you. That being a singer, a successful teacher of accounting or a receptionist with a secure position isn’t a life you’d like to lead. But don’t confuse that with the journey. Maybe you’d be happy with the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow, but it’s ent...

The telecom operator, which is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, India’s most valuable company, launched its services less than four years ago in 2016. It already boasts close to 400 million subscribers. In 2010, the Indian government began auctioning both 3G and broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum, or 4G, which was used primarily for high-speed data access. The incumbent telecom players focused their energies on getting 3G spectrum as they sought to upgrade their infrastructure and services. The BWA auction was swept by an unknown company with only about $32,000 in revenues and a single internet subscriber. The day after the auction results were announced, RIL acquired the company and boldly stated that its aim was to build a broadband network that would cater to the Indian mass market. RIL entered the telecom sector with a blank slate, which could have been a handicap. The  Wall Street Journal  noted at the time, By the time Mukesh Ambani builds a 4G wireless bu...

Toddlers whine. Most adults figure out how to lose the habit, because it’s toxic. And yet it persists. Whining is a seductive package deal. When it works, it gets us attention, it lowers expectations, it gains sympathy and it forces people to identify with our pain. And it helps people feel as though they’re not responsible. Often, the amount of whining is totally unrelated to the level of discomfort, and it seems to increase with how much privilege people perceive they deserve. So why avoid it? Because it changes our outlook on the world. When whining becomes a habit, we need to continue it, so we begin to interpret events as opportunities to prove that our whining is justified. And because over time, people hate being around a whiner. The selfish desires of the habitual whiner eventually become clear. We realize that our shared reality is the world as it is and that the whiner isn’t actually being singled out. And through practice, we learn that the best way to make things better is ...

When a client or customer asks when a project, product, or service is going to be done or delivered, an answer offered might be, “soon” or “shortly.” Frustration ensues. It ensues because “shortly,” means: “I’m not sure” and “I don’t want to be responsible” and “you shouldn’t ask.” It creates little in the way of connection, and doesn’t project confidence, authority, or even care. “Shortly” is a one-word way to say, “go away.” The alternative is to seek to understand and to work to be understood. If the customer is double-parked, a better answer might be, “it will definitely be less than ten minutes, give me your phone number and I’ll call you the moment it’s done.” If the engagement person or simply the sales agent is trying to juggle priorities and dependencies, a better response might be, “would it make things easier if we could narrow down the delivery date to a two-or-three day span?” And if the client is simply curious to understand why she hasn’t heard from you and whether you’v...

  That’s a pretty powerful combination. Some customers gravitate toward the option that offers ease, quality, and convenience, while others prefer the low prices. If you can do both… One way we’ve seen that done is with scale. Many people prefer the big box store( supermarkets) to the local kiosks. Not only is it often cheaper, but the selection might be dramatically better, the parking might be easier and in some rare cases, the service is better as well. How is this possible? Because volume pays off in almost every way that matters to the customer. Another way is with proprietary insight. If a company has a production process, a patent, or some other barrier, they can often deliver something faster and cheaper… a barrier that a competitor without that shortcut can’t overcome. A third way is with herculean effort. When the people who work on the team simply care more. Caring is work, and caring is in short supply. An organization staffed with smart people who care can often run ci...