When Competitors Become Partners: Rethinking How Markets Are Won

Spirit Airlines, Scenario Planning, and the Difference Between Luck and Preparation

When Spirit Airlines abruptly shut down, competing airlines were forced to respond almost immediately. In this episode, Tom and Mary examine how carriers such as United, Southwest, Delta, and JetBlue reacted in ways that were remarkably consistent with their positioning and target customers. The discussion explores what those responses reveal about strategy, competitive preparedness, and the value of scenario planning.

Before You Price Your Next Innovation, Ask These Three Words

A $7 bag of Doritos sparked a broader discussion about one of the most common pricing mistakes in business. In this episode, Mary and Tom explore why customers often define competitors and alternatives differently than companies do, and how that gap can lead to pricing and commercialization challenges. The conversation highlights a simple question that can improve strategic decision-making across industries: Compared to what?

When Competitors Become Partners: Rethinking How Markets Are Won

In this episode, the team explores how companies like Nvidia are redefining competition by partnering with competitors to build full ecosystem solutions. Rather than fighting for share within existing categories, they are expanding the market itself by helping customers succeed end-to-end. The discussion highlights how B2B companies can identify when co-opetition makes sense and how to apply it strategically to unlock growth.

Why Paramount Beat Netflix: The Strategic Power of Playing the Game Forward

In this episode, the team breaks down the surprising outcome of the Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war and why Netflix—despite a strong strategic position—didn’t win. What began as a logical, best-fit decision quickly shifted as Paramount reframed the deal around certainty and risk. The conversation explores how strategy evolves through competitor moves, stakeholder priorities, and external pressures, and why most teams underestimate these dynamics.

Growth Starts with Subtraction: Rationalizing Your Portfolio to Win

In this episode, the team explores why growth in B2B doesn’t always come from adding more products, brands, or acquisitions — it often comes from trimming. From product lines to brand names, organizations tend to hold onto legacy assets long after their strategic value fades. The group unpacks how to think more objectively about what to double down on, what to maintain, and what to let go — and why rationalization is less about cost-cutting and more about disciplined growth.