When you’re running a business, it can be easy to get tunnel vision. Focusing only on the work your company is doing and what’s going on within your industry is important, but sometimes it helps to broaden your view and look to other industries for fresh ideas and new approaches.
In this roundup, we take a look at the virtues of turning to outside industries for inspiration.
1. Why You Should Look Outside Your Industry for Fresh Ideas
If you’re not convinced of the value of looking beyond the publishing world for new ideas, this article might change your mind. A study from the Harvard Business Review and data on disruptability from Accenture come together to show how you can turn to those in separate but analogous fields to find solutions to issues that have stymied you in the past.
2. How a Non-Media Company Got in the Membership Game
Who would have thought that a digital publisher could learn something from a furniture store? In recent years, RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) has completely upended their business model and gone from typical furniture retailer to upscale membership-based furniture club. What can you learn about the membership model from RH? A lot.
3. How the Success of Boeing’s 787 Applies to Digital Media
How do you deliver a win-win? Boeing’s Dreamliner is so successful because it addresses the needs of both airline companies and passengers. Are you serving both your advertisers and your readers equally well?
About the Author
Rob Ristagno, Founder and CEO of Sterling Woods, previously served as a senior executive at several digital media and e-commerce businesses, including as COO of America’s Test Kitchen. He started his career as a consultant at McKinsey. Ristagno holds degrees from the Harvard Business School and Dartmouth College and has taught at both Harvard and Boston College.
Rob is the author of A Member is Worth a Thousand Visitors: A Proven Method for Making More Money Online. He regularly speaks at key media conferences, including at Niche Media events, Specialized Information Publishers Association meetings, and the Business Information and Media Summit.
