Let me ask you a question. Assume you are the largest and most powerful company in a specific market sector. You have been outspending the competition for years. Much of that investment has been spent on technology, new equipment that was supposed to give you an even greater edge against the competition. But instead … Read more
We are the shadows and the smoke, we rise. We are the ghosts that hide in the night. ~Barney Ross Just in case the name “Barney Ross” doesn’t ring a bell, he was the commander of a team of retired mercenaries hired to take down a South American dictator in the 2010 action film The Expendables. I … Read more
It has been nearly a half-century since the publication of Lawrence J. Peter’s (1919-1990) management opus The Peter Principle: Why Things Always Go Wrong. The main thesis of the best-selling book, according to Wikipedia, is: …the selection of a candidate for a position is based on the candidate’s performance in their current role, rather than on abilities … Read more
There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again. ~George W. Bush, September 17, 2002 That’s our W! Perhaps the single biggest beneficiary of the Trump era. It only … Read more
What does it say about the American economy when our memory of iconic businesses is shorter than their advertising campaigns? Such is the case with Smith Barney. In a September 25, 2012 press release, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management announced it would cease using the “Smith Barney” moniker even though Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman … Read more