In this podcast episode, Jeff Towson breaks down Reddit’s really simple business model and explains how it uses user-generated content, network effects, and advertising to create value for its users, advertisers, and investors.
Category Archives: Complementary Platforms
Threads Will Beat Twitter (Assuming Good Engagement and Product Market Fit) (Tech Strategy – Podcast 171)
In this episode of the Tech Strategy Podcast, Jeff Towson explores the potential of Threads to surpass Twitter, given the right product-market fit. He provides a detailed analysis of both platforms, their strengths, weaknesses, and potential growth trajectories. Don’t miss this insightful discussion on the future of social media platforms.
How WeChat Became the Everything App (Tech Strategy – Podcast 167)
In this week’s podcast, we focus on the phenomenon of WeChat, an app that has embedded itself into daily life as the ‘everything app’. I provide a strategic breakdown of how WeChat managed to achieve this status. Tune in to understand the graphics, slides, and insights shared on this platform, also available on iTunes and Google Podcasts
The Rise of Alibaba in 10 Slides (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy)
Alibaba’s journey began as a simple B2B platform, but it quickly expanded to connect consumers with small merchants through Taobao. This virtual bazaar, closer to C2C than B2C, emerged as a response to eBay’s entry into China. In this article digital strategy consultant Jeffrey Towson details how Alibaba strategically built demand-side scale, focusing on core interactions and ancillary growth opportunities.
3 Big Questions for GoTo (Gojek + Tokopedia)(2 of 2)(Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
In Part 1, I laid out some basic theory about marketplace platforms for services, which is a fascinating interesting subject. And it is much more complicated than marketplaces for products. Ecommerce for services just has a much longer development pathway. As ecommerce and marketplaces move into more complicated services, such as medical care, legal and […]
Will GoTo “Win it All” in Indonesia? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 123)
GoTo is a digital platform that combines the services of two of Indonesia’s largest tech companies: Gojek and Tokopedia. The company has a strong presence in the country’s e-commerce and ride-hailing markets, and it is growing rapidly. However, GoTo faces stiff competition from other tech giants like Alibaba and Tencent.
Grab’s Strategy and Cash Flow Question (1 of 4) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
Southeast Asia unicorn Grab is now public via a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp. The company trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “GRAB”. This is a really interesting company. There is a tremendous amount to like about its business. It has 2-3 platform business models that have strong-to-dominant positions in SE Asia: […]
5 Predictions for Nubank 2.0 (Asia Tech Strategy – Podcast 116)
In his latest Tech Strategy podcast, Jeff Towson delves into how digitalization is revolutionizing traditional barriers to entry. Drawing from his new book, ‘Moats and Marathons’, Towson examines six levels of competition, particularly focusing on those assets that can’t be easily built, bought, or transferred. From reputation and loyalty to unique technological capabilities, this episode offers a deep dive into the realities of competing in the digital age.
What’s Next for Brazilian Nubank? (2 of 2) (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
In Part 1, I went through the basics of Nubank, which is building a digital bank in Latin America. And you can make an analogy between the first digital bank and the first online travel sites. In both cases: A digital business model was taking on long-established physical business models. Digital economics enabled a far […]
What Everyone is Getting Wrong About Snowflake (Tech Strategy – Podcast 105)
In this episode of the Tech Strategy podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses what everyone is getting wrong about Snowflake. Towson argues that Snowflake is a “data ecosystem” company with a compelling digital business model. He believes that Snowflake could become the next Google or Microsoft. Towson also discusses the importance of data in the digital economy and how Snowflake is positioned to capitalize on this trend.