A Barbell strategy consists of making sure that 90% of your capital is safe, and use the remaining 10%, or on risky investments. Applied to business strategy, this means having a binary approach. On the one hand, extremely conservative. On the other, extremely aggressive, thus creating a potent mix.

Managers struggle with strategic planning to the point where some experts say it doesn't exist. In fact, if you can avoid the stumbling obstacles, strategic planning may be a really important tool in your toolbox. **Recognize that a strategic plan isn't a to-do list, but rather a collection of ideas that will almost certainly change, and that it's critical to incorporate change into the process. **Finally, don't make your strategic plan too dependent on your budget.

Chris Voss who was the negotiator for FBI brings out key elements of negotiation. These points really appealed to me: 1. Listening and creating trust are important elements to start the process. 2. Forget the science and focus on the emotion 3. Negotiation is not a battle but a process of discovery. So ask open ended questions which will encourage counterparty to reveal their strategy 4. Don't feel their pain, Label it. Labeling is a way of validating someone’s emotion by acknowledging it.

While most entrepreneurs focus on building a product their customers will want, this article includes what points to keep in mind while developing a strategy for your business.

The short answer is NO! However, there are numerous aspects of strategists’ work where AI and advanced analytics tools can already bring enormous value. - There are opportunities to use AI in the building blocks of strategy. - Strategic decisions are the biggest way to influence the business. It is amazing how little technology is leveraged in that process today. It’s conceivable that competitive advantage will increasingly rest in having executives who know how to apply AI well. In some domains, like investment, that is already happening, and the difference in returns can be staggering.

I strongly feel that all the startups need to start with a penetration pricing strategy. With this, they get an extra edge over their competitors as they are selling their product at a relatively less price. Being a startup they should look forward to more reach than profit. Then they can move to Cost-plus pricing, later to value-based pricing once the company is established.