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
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.
In Part 1, I argued that Twitter 1.0 is about supercharging operating performance. That’s what I expect to happen in the 6 months. And it looks to me like Elon is making big changes in the Digital Operating Basics. Specifically, DOB1, DOB2, DOB5, DOB6, and DOB7. See Part 1 for details. I do like that this […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the return of Ant Group after 2 years in restructuring. He talks about Ant’s new international payment initiative, Alipay+, and how it could disrupt the global payments market. He also discusses the challenges that Ant faces in its new incarnation, such as regulatory scrutiny and competition from other tech giants.
A few years ago, I wrote about how Alibaba.com was launching an ambitious global platform strategy around B2B cross-border transactions. Alibaba.com was attempting to build a marketplace platform that digitized and democratized global trade. It was a sweeping vision. Basically, they were creating digital tools and connections that enabled SMEs to buy and sell products […]
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.
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 […]
A few months ago, I wrote about Stone Co, which is one of the new digital natives rising in Latin America. My thinking on Stone Co is that the company is mostly serving SMEs with a split focus on financial services and enterprise software and services. That is a bit confusing. And their operations reflect […]
In Part 2, I laid out the story of Stone Company, a Brazilian digital native that is building out payment, financial and enterprise services for SMEs. My basic take was: I like the company’s basic value proposition (payment plus working capital services) for smaller merchants, especially compared to what they get from local banks. I […]
Stone Co is a Brazilian payment platform that provides merchants with a range of services, including point-of-sale terminals, credit card processing, and working capital loans. The company has been growing rapidly, but its share price has fallen sharply in recent months. In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the company’s business model, its competitive landscape, and its prospects for the future.