When news broke that the United States government moved to close the $800 de minimisthreshold, the tariff-free customs exemption long leveraged by Chinese cross-border platforms Shein and Temu to ship direct-to-consumer parcels via air freight, industry observers treated it as a sudden geopolitical shock. But from a strategic auditing perspective, this outcome was not a surprise. It was a structural load […]
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A few weeks ago, I noticed something while passing by a familiar spot. A milk tea shop that used to be there had closed down. In its place, a new one had opened. Same type of business. Same location. Same kind of customers passing through. On the surface, it looked like a simple replacement—one business out, another in. But it […]
Egypt’s Pharaoh faced ten plagues but refused to change. Each warning hardened his heart until destruction followed. Our modern plagues are not locusts or rivers of blood, but corruption, greed, and apathy, forces that destroy trust. For brands and organizations alike, repeated neglect erodes credibility and loyalty. False idols we serve today include: Organizations that worship these idols gradually lose […]
I spent eight years in theology school. Yap, eight years diving deep into Scripture, leadership, and human condition. And among all the stories and lessons, one stuck with me, not just as a spiritual truth, but as a blueprint for how leaders and organizations survive and thrive. It’s the story of King David and the prophet Nathan. You probably heard […]
The world is witnessing a shift in power dynamics, and the question on everyone’s mind is: Can China successfully position itself as the next global leader? China’s rise appears unstoppable, yet the nation faces the monumental challenge of shaping its identity on the world stage. This task is not just about economic might or military strength—China must also project its […]
Simplicio “Jun” Umali Jr. is the President and CEO of Gardenia Philippines, one of the few professional CEOs who has maintained his position for the past 25 years. Under his leadership, Gardenia has become the dominant market leader in the bread category in retail stores and a household name in the Philippines, maintaining strong customer loyalty despite competitors offering lower prices. […]
Kyne Lim is the regional business manager of Southeast Asia at Emma, the world’s largest D2C sleep brand with revenue of US$1 billion in 2023. Kyne was the country head for the Philippines and Korea prior to his new assignment. In this interview, he shares insights into Emma’s entry into the Philippines. Q1: What was Emma’s market entry strategy for […]
Chef Cza Jagto-Sevilla is the Founder and CEO of Avocadoria, a chain of retail kiosks selling value-added avocado products such as salads, cakes, desserts like ice cream, and shakes that appeal to both avocado lovers and health-conscious consumers. In this interview, Chef Cza, who recently won the 2024 Mansmith Young Market Masters Awards (YMMA), shares with us her approach to […]
In the mid 1980s, I found myself in a precarious situation when I discovered some salespeople engaging in unethical behavior during my early entrepreneurial days. This discovery led to serious consequences, including death threats. It was a time when I carried a Walter TPK, reminiscent of James Bond’s gadgets, and even had a couple of bodyguards for a brief period. […]
Market-driven strategy – or the strategy that seeks to understand and satisfy the needs and wants of the existing market focusing on customer loyalty and repeat purchase, has been the most common approach to business decision-making and choice of marketing activities. In recent years, this way of thinking had been challenged for its limitations – now requiring marketers to keep […]