Business models
From the Lean LaunchPad manifesto:
“Existing companies execute a business model, startups search for one.”
https://steveblank.com/2012/03/29/nail-the-customer-development-manifesto/
True.
Only edit I’d make is that existing companies who also aren’t also searching for new customer needs will be sideswiped one the startup figures out their model.
AI
But what is the definition of a “bot” and where does it end at? Most digital businesses are 80%+ automated in their selling and incentives. Does that fall under this?
When you ask experts how bots influence politics—that is, what specifically these bits of computer code that purport to be human can accomplish during an election—they will give you a list: bots can smear the opposition through personal attacks; they can exaggerate voters’ fears and anger by repeating short simple slogans; they can overstate popularity; they can derail conversations and draw attention to symbolic and ultimately meaningless ideas; they can spread false narratives. In other words, they are an especially useful tool, considering how politics is played today.
https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/will-californias-new-bot-law-strengthen-democracy
Brand
Good article about the notable differences in B2C ecommerce vs. traditional retailing and the explosion of digital-only brands (called “Bonsai” brands). This, in concert with the Amazon “halo” brand sets up a new model for digital businesses.
…We think many of the new DTC businesses are Bonsai Brands. They look very like big successful businesses. But they are a lot smaller and don’t grow beyond a certain size.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bonsai-brands-simon-andrews/
The factors that enabled big brands to get really big just don’t apply in the GAFA age.