Consulting

The European Central Bank is now making the economic case for decarbonisation. Not as climate policy. As monetary policy. Frank Elderson, ECB board member, argues in the Financial Times that Europe's dependence on imported fossil fuels is a structural threat to price stability (👉 https://lnkd.in/eKWWjKbh). The data is damning: energy price shocks pushed euro area inflation to 10.6% in October 2022. Every geopolitical tremor in the Middle East shows up in European energy bills. And the ECB is caught in an impossible bind: tighten to fight inflation and deepen the slowdown, ease to support growth and entrench inflation. The solution is not better forecasting models or finetuned monetary policy. It is cheaper energy. Spain shows what is possible. Wholesale electricity prices in early 2024 were approximately 40% lower than they would have been had wind and solar generation remained at 2019 levels ( 👉 https://lnkd.in/edXgxh9q). Once the infrastructure is built, the energy itself is virtually free. Volatile global commodity markets simply become less relevant. Elderson is explicit: €660 billion per year in clean energy investment sounds large. But Europe already spends nearly €400 billion annually on fossil fuel imports, money that leaves the continent and buys geopolitical vulnerability. Analysis in the UK shows that for every pound invested in sustainable energy, benefits outweigh costs by a factor of 2.2 to 4.1 ( 👉 https://lnkd.in/emEXVfiw). This is precisely what I argued in my piece for Triodos a few weeks ago: Europe's crisis response has been backwards. We keep treating energy dependence as a shock to manage rather than a structural problem to fix. (👉https://lnkd.in/ehFqA6iY) The ECB cannot decarbonise Europe. What it can do is name the conditions: keep the ETS, mobilise capital toward renewable capacity, strip out fossil fuel subsidies, and stop confusing cheap fossil fuels with affordable energy. If people need help with energy costs, target it: don't suppress the price signal that drives the transition. The cheapest energy is the energy we no longer have to import.

AI is becoming the operating system of modern industry. And the numbers finally caught up to the narrative. 😎 IoT Analytics recently released its Industrial AI Market Report, and at 399 pages, it’s longer than 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞. Let that sink in... The book that launched an entire generation of readers is shorter than this deep dive into where Industrial AI is actually headed. And that is exactly the point... Because knowing what is happening in this space is hugely important. The data shows a $𝟒𝟑.𝟔𝐁 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, racing toward $𝟏𝟓𝟎𝐁+ 𝐛𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟑𝟎, driven by competitive pressure and tangible ROI. But what’s more interesting is how adoption is happening. 𝟖𝟕% 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐀𝐈 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭, yet only 𝟖% 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, while US manufacturers 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟎.𝟏% 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 into AI. That combination suggests broad consensus on importance, paired with limited commitment to the foundations required to scale. The rest of the data explains why progress is uneven. Industrial AI operates in mission-critical environments where accuracy expectations approach 99.5% and decisions have operational and financial consequences. As a result, adoption starts where trust and ROI are easiest to demonstrate. 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝟐𝟏.𝟔% 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬, with automated optical inspection alone accounting for 10.8%. Infrastructure choices also reflect these realities. By 2030, nearly 𝟓𝟎% 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐮𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, driven by latency, reliability, and data governance requirements. Generative AI is gaining traction, but manufacturers remain deliberate. 𝟓𝟑% 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬, while only 𝟐𝟐% 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, reinforcing that accountability remains central to industrial decision-making. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: https://lnkd.in/e9srMFWh ******************************************* • Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends • Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

Most companies think good managers motivate. But the best ones do something more powerful: They place talent. A new study analyzing 200,000 employees and 30,000 managers across 100 countries found this: Great managers don’t just inspire performance; they reallocate people into roles where they thrive. The result? 13% higher wages over time Stronger internal mobility Long-term boosts to productivity, even after employees leave their team And it’s not just for top performers. Even low performers benefited from exposure to high-flyer managers. What makes these managers different? They spend more time 1:1 with their team They uncover hidden skills They guide people into roles that fit It’s not about managing output. It’s about managing potential. Smart orgs don’t leave talent placement to chance or to HR alone. They turn their best managers into career architects.

The most expensive mistake in business isn't financial - it's cultural. Here's the data... Last month, I watched a "successful" company implode. - Revenue was up 40% - Profits were soaring - Growth was explosive But something was rotting from within. The numbers told one story. The empty desks told another. Get Real-time Interview Assistance Here- https://bit.ly/4h3iGd7 Create Free Cover letter Here- https://bit.ly/406H1rK Get Jobs & Internship Updates Join Below:- . WhatsApp👉 https://lnkd.in/ghPTzV6m . Telegram👉 https://lnkd.in/ePxtYkFH . Here's what the research reveals about culture's true cost: 1. The Hidden Multiplier: • Companies with strong cultures see 72% higher employee engagement • Engaged teams are 21% more profitable • Positive workplace cultures boost productivity by 30% 2. The Expensive Exodus: • Poor culture doubles employee turnover • Each lost employee costs 1.5-2x their salary • High performers flee toxic cultures first But here's what fascinated me most: Louis Gerstner (Former IBM CEO) said it perfectly: "Culture isn't just one aspect of the game - it is the game" The science backs him up: 3 Critical Culture Metrics: • Employee engagement • Customer satisfaction • Cash flow When one falls, the others follow. I learned this lesson the hard way: Skills? Outstanding. Results? Exceptional. Culture? Toxic. Within 6 months: - 4 top performers quit - Client satisfaction plummeted - Innovation stopped Then everything changed. We rebuilt around 3 culture principles: 1. Trust Over Control (Give people autonomy to make decisions) 2. Growth Over Performance (Invest in development, not just results) 3. Purpose Over Profit (Connect work to meaningful impact) The results? • Employee turnover dropped 50% • Productivity jumped 40% • Innovation flourished The Oxford research is clear: A positive culture doesn't just feel better. It performs better. Your culture is your company's immune system. Strong? It fights off problems. Weak? Everything becomes a crisis. Is your culture multiplying your success? Or dividing your potential? The answer might be worth millions. What's one thing you're doing to build a stronger culture?

Introducing the web's first market map of the Product Analytics Market: I was floored when I couldn't find one of these online. Surely, Gartner or CBInsights or A16Z would have created one? It turns out not. So I spent the past 3 months: • Talking with 25 buyers • Researching the space myself • Interviewing 5 product leaders at key players This is what I learned about the most significant players in each space: (that PMs and product people need to know) 1. Core Product Analytics Platforms     The foundational tools for tracking user behavior and product performance Amplitude : The leader, an all-in-one platform for PMs to master their data Mixpanel : The leader in easy UX and pioneer in event-based analytics Heap | by Contentsquare: The automatic event tracking and real-time insights leader 2. A/B Testing & Experimentation     Platforms for analysis Optimizely : The premier tool for sophisticated A/B and multivariate testing VWO : The best for combining A/B testing with heatmaps and session recordings AB Tasty: The all-in-one solution for testing, personalization, and AI-driven insights 3. Feedback & Session Recording     Capture qualitative insights and visualize user interactions Medallia: The top choice for comprehensive experience management Hotjar | by Contentsquare: The go-to for visual feedback and user behavior insights Fullstory: The best for detailed session replay and user interaction analysis 4. Open-Source Solutions     Customizable, free analytics platforms for data sovereignty Matomo: The robust, privacy-focused open-source analytics platform Plausible Analytics: The lightweight, privacy-first analytics solution PostHog: The versatile, open source product analytics tool 5. Mobile & App Analytics     Specialized tools for mobile and app performance analysis UXCam: The best for in-depth mobile user interaction insights Localytics: The leader in user engagement and lifecycle management Flurry Analytics: The comprehensive, free mobile analytics platform 6. Data Collection & Integration     Gather and unify data across platforms Segment: The top choice for effortless customer data unification Informatica: The enterprise-grade solution for data integration and governance Talend: The flexible, open-source data integration tool 7. General BI & Data Viz     Non-product specific tools for data analysis and visualization Tableau: The leader in interactive, rich data visualization Power BI: The best for deep integration with Microsoft tools Looker: The modern BI tool for customizable, real-time insights 8. Decision Automation & AI     Systems for automated insights and decisions Databricks: The unified platform for data and AI collaboration DataRobot: The leader in automated machine learning and AI Alteryx: The comprehensive solution for analytics automation Check out the full infographic to see where your favorite tools fit and discover new platforms to enhance your product analytics stack.

Having a dominating share on e-commerce marketplaces has been one of the pillars of our growth. 10 pointers for founders to keep in mind while scaling e-com: 1. The fundamental equation of e-com is “Sales= Traffic*Conversion”. Not meeting sales numbers is either a traffic problem or a conversion problem. For every SKU, figure out whether it is a traffic problem or a conversion problem. Do not try to solve traffic problems with conversion levers. And vice versa. 2. Like all performance marketing, e-com media also has diminishing returns. Beyond a point, increasing spends will not increase sales at the same speed. Stop at that point 3. If you want to increase profitability, you need to increase your organic discoverability in the platform. Amazon is a search led platform with search contributing to 60-70% views in most categories. For Flipkart, along with search, merch and reco are equally important. But the fundamentals of organic discoverability is same. Both platforms have an algorithm where SKUs with the best reviews, highest listing quality score, lowest time to delivery and highest conversion rates get pushed. Optimize for these parameters and see organic discoverability skyrocket 4. The other way to reduce dependency on platform ads( and hence increase profitability) is to ensure your branded searches increase. This is directly a function of your off platform marketing activities, word of mouth and repeat customers. So, work on those parameters 5. Category Relationships matter a lot. Understand what the number 1 objective of your category manager is for the year. And help them achieve it. Eg: If they are looking to improve ASP, help them with your premium assortment. If you help them achieve their number 1 KPI, they will ensure you do well on the platform 6. Whatever the ads team tell you, take it with a pinch of salt. Most times they are very helpful. But their number 1 KPI is to sell ads. Not your success. So, sometimes what is good for them might not be good for you 7. All SKUs will not do well. All sub-categories won’t do well. If there is no PPCMF, no amount of good execution will cut it. So, important to cut your losses and stop investing more money on losers. Instead, allocate to your winners in the portfolio 8. Have a E-Commerce dashboard which goes beyond the L0 metrics. Look at your L1 and L2 metrics daily and hold teams accountable for these metrics. Ads driven sales, share of search, organic visits, conversion rates etc are all examples of L1 metrics 9. Sometimes there will be irrational competition and they will bid crazily for keywords. Do not compete with them. They are burning cash and because blind venture money is running out quickly in consumer brands, they will fizzle out. 10. Do not overdo discounts. Discounts are like antibiotics. You use it 2-3 times a year, you see huge spikes. Use it every alternate day, and that becomes your market operating price.

🚫 How to Run UX Research Without Access To Users. With practical techniques to avoid guesswork and gather insights if you can’t talk directly to users. Attached cheatsheet (with and without access to users) by Nielsen Norman Group. 🚫 Ask for reasons for no access to users: there might be none. ✅ First, study job openings to map existing workflows/tasks. ✅ Make friends with sales, customer success, support, QA. ✅ Find colleagues who are the closest to your customers. ✅ Convey your questions indirectly via your colleagues. ✅ If you can’t get users to come to you, go where they are. ✅ Ask to observe or shadow customers at their workplace. ✅ Listen in to customer calls and interview call centre staff. ✅ Request access to analytics, CRM reports, call centre logs. ✅ Use Google Trends to find product-related search queries. ✅ Gather insights from search logs, Jira backlog, support tickets. ✅ Explore past/ongoing NPS and Voice-of-Customer programs. ✅ Study reviews, discussions, comments for your product/competitors. ✅ Map key themes and user sentiment on TrustPilot, AppStore etc. ✅ Recruit users via UserTesting, Wynter (B2B), Maze, UserInterviews. ✅ Ask for small but steady commitments: 5 users × 30 mins, 1× month. 🚫 Avoid ad-hoc research: set up regular check-ins and timelines. As H Locke noted, if we shed the light strongly enough from many sources, we might end up getting a glimpse of the truth. Ironically, the stakeholders who can’t give you time or resources to talk to users often are the first to demand evidence to support your initiatives. Sometimes the reason why companies are reluctant to grant access to users is simply the lack of trust. They don’t want to disturb relationships with big clients which is carefully maintained by the customer success team. They might feel that research is merely a technical detail that clients shouldn’t be bothered with. Show that you deeply care about that relationship and that you don’t want to disturb it any way. What you do want though is to reduce costs and risk — the risk of drawing wide-reaching conclusions from very little research, or none at all. Your best shot is to explain research as a powerful risk mitigation tool. And: search for people whose priorities align with yours — people who value and see the impact of UX in their units. They would absolutely love to support your work because it also supports their work — and they will put up a good word for you if they only had known that you existed. ✤ Useful resources: UX Research Cheat Sheet, by Susan Farrell from NN/g (attached) https://lnkd.in/eUTHKWvF What Can You Do When You Have No Access To Users?, by H Locke https://lnkd.in/ewHEKhBS UX Research When You Can’t Talk To Users, by Chris Myhill https://lnkd.in/ez5-b6zf #ux #research

Hot take: the #legalengineer is now the most critical role in the in-house legal department. Not the GC. Not the deputy. Not the head of legal ops. The person who sits at the intersection of legal process expertise, technology fluency, and change management and who can re-engineer how legal work gets done as AI reshapes what's possible is what separates the teams that will come out of this period ahead from the ones that will have a lot of expensive technology and not much to show for it. In-house legal is redesigning itself right now. What goes to outside counsel? What does AI handle? How do we staff? You can't answer those questions or execute on the answers without someone who can architect the new model. I've been in this space for over two decades. This is the role I'd prioritize above almost anything else right now. https://lnkd.in/gCy6tQr5

How to Do Financial Due Diligence Before Selecting Stocks? Stock picking isn’t just about looking at charts and following trends—it’s about understanding the financial health of a company. Before investing, a structured Financial Due Diligence (FDD) process can help you avoid bad bets and spot strong opportunities. Here’s a framework to follow: 1. Understand the Business Model & Industry - What does the company do? - Who are its competitors? - Is it in a growing or declining industry? 2. Analyze the Financial Statements - Income Statement (Profit & Loss) – Revenue growth, profitability (Gross, Operating, Net Margins), EPS trends - Balance Sheet – Debt levels, cash reserves, working capital position - Cash Flow Statement – Operating cash flow vs. net income, free cash flow trends 3. Check Key Financial Ratios - Profitability: ROE, ROA, Gross & Operating Margins - Liquidity: Current Ratio, Quick Ratio - Leverage: Debt-to-Equity, Interest Coverage - Valuation: P/E Ratio, P/B Ratio, EV/EBITDA 4. Assess Management & Governance - Background & track record of leadership - Insider buying/selling trends - Transparency in disclosures & corporate governance 5. Review Competitive Position & Moat - Does the company have a sustainable competitive advantage (brand, network effect, patents, cost advantage)? 6. Industry Trends & Macroeconomic Factors - Economic cycles, inflation, interest rates - Global supply chain, geopolitical risks - Market trends affecting revenue streams 7. Cross-Check with Analyst Reports & News - Read Equity Research Reports, Investor Presentations, Credit Reports - Stay updated on company news, regulatory changes 8. Look at Historical Performance & Future Guidance - Compare past financials vs. projections - Evaluate management’s growth expectations 9. Risk Assessment & Downside Protection - What’s the worst-case scenario? - How resilient is the business in a downturn? 10. Compare with Peers & Make an Informed Decision No company operates in isolation—compare financials and valuations with competitors before buying. Smart investing is about discipline, not hype. By doing thorough due diligence, you increase your chances of picking winners while avoiding pitfalls. What’s your go-to method for analyzing stocks? Let’s discuss.

Stuck in an endless loop of client changes? Lost track of what revision this constitutes? Yeah. Been there. Done that. The secret? It's not about saying no. It's about saying yes to the right things upfront. Every project that goes sideways starts the same way: Vague agreements. Fuzzy boundaries. Good intentions. Six weeks later you're bleeding money and everyone's frustrated. Here's my framework after 30 years of running two 8-figure businesses: The SOW is your salvation. Not some boilerplate template. A real document that covers: • Exact deliverables (not "design work" but "3 homepage concepts, 2 rounds of revisions") • Hours of operation ("We respond M-F, 9-5 PST. Weekend requests get Monday responses") • Revision rounds spelled out ("Round 1 includes up to 5 changes. Round 2 includes 3.") • Feedback cycles defined ("48-hour turnaround for client feedback or the project may be delayed or additional fees may be incurred") But here's what most people miss— Don't work on client notes immediately. Client sends 37 pieces of feedback at 11pm Friday? Producer sends conflicting notes from the CEO? Marketing wants one thing, sales wants another? Stop. Collect everything first. Resolve the conflicts. Get on the phone and discuss it with your client to get alignment. Separate the "have to haves" from the "nice to haves". Then present unified changes. "Based on all feedback received, here are the 8 changes we'll implement. This constitutes revision round 2 of 3." Watch how fast the random requests stop. No extra work that goes unappreciated. No more feelings of being taken advantage of. Communicate before the crisis, prevents the crisis from happening. "Just so you know, we're entering round 2. You have one more included. After that, it's $X per additional round." No surprises. No awkward money conversations. No resentment. Scope creep isn't a them problem. It's a you problem. And that's good news, because that means you are in control. They're not trying to take advantage. They just don't know where the boundaries are because you never drew them. Draw the lines early. Communicate them clearly. Everyone wins. What's your most painful scope creep story? What boundary would've prevented it? Small Business Builders #projectmanagement #clientmanagement #businessgrowth