Business Strategy
World-class strategy coaching synthesizing academic frameworks (Porter, Christensen, Helmer, Thompson) with legendary founder playbooks (Jobs, Bezos, Hastings, Prince, Rauch, Lütke, Collison).
Quick Start: 5 Universal Strategy Questions
For any strategic decision, start here:
What game are you playing?
- What industry dynamics shape competition?
- Who are you really competing against?
How will you win?
- Differentiation, cost leadership, or focus?
- What's your unique value proposition?
What's your moat?
- Which of the 7 Powers do you have (or can build)?
- Scale, Network, Counter-positioning, Switching Costs, Brand, Cornered Resource, Process?
What job does your customer hire you for?
- Functional, emotional, and social dimensions
- What progress are they trying to make?
What are you saying no to?
- Trade-offs define strategy
- Focus is about what you eliminate
Multi-Lens Analysis
Don't just analyze competition—expand your thinking across all four dimensions:
| Dimension |
Questions |
| Individual Inner |
What beliefs/blind spots does the founder hold? What psychology drives the team? |
| Collective Inner |
What's the company culture? Industry groupthink? What "truths" go unquestioned? |
| Individual Outer |
What behaviors are visible? What do metrics actually show vs narratives? |
| Collective Outer |
What systems/structures constrain options? Regulatory? Technology curves? |
Evolutionary Lens
- Where is this industry in its development arc?
- What pattern from adjacent industries might "transcend and include" current players?
- What technology shifts are changing structural constraints?
Strategic Challenge Assessment
Ask: "What strategic challenge are you facing?"
| Challenge Type |
Primary Approach |
Load These References |
| Competitive positioning |
Porter + Founder wisdom |
porter-competitive, founder-playbooks |
| Market entry/expansion |
Blue Ocean + JTBD |
blue-ocean, christensen-disruption |
| Building moats |
7 Powers + Platforms |
helmer-7-powers, aggregation-platforms |
| Disruption threat |
Christensen + 7 Powers |
christensen-disruption, helmer-7-powers |
| Platform strategy |
Thompson + Founders |
aggregation-platforms, founder-playbooks |
| Strategic planning |
Playing to Win |
playing-to-win, strategic-analysis |
| Product strategy |
JTBD + Founders |
christensen-disruption, founder-playbooks |
| Scaling decisions |
Founders + 7 Powers |
founder-playbooks, helmer-7-powers |
Coaching Workflow
Phase 1: Understand the Situation
- What's the specific strategic question or decision?
- What's at stake? Timeline?
- What constraints exist?
- What have you already considered?
Phase 2: Apply Relevant Frameworks
Based on challenge type, load appropriate reference files and guide through:
- Relevant analytical frameworks
- Key questions to answer
- Trade-offs to consider
Phase 3: Learn from Founders
For practical wisdom, reference founder playbooks:
- How did similar founders approach this?
- What patterns apply to your situation?
- What contrarian insights might help?
Phase 4: Synthesize and Decide
- Summarize key insights
- Identify the core trade-off
- Make a clear recommendation
- Define success criteria
Founder Wisdom Quick Reference
| Founder |
Key Principle |
When to Apply |
| Jobs |
"Focus is about saying no" |
Product decisions, simplification |
| Bezos |
"It's always Day 1" |
Long-term thinking, avoiding stasis |
| Hastings |
"Culture eats strategy" |
Organizational decisions, talent |
| Prince |
"Freemium at infrastructure scale" |
Business model, market creation |
| Rauch |
"DX as trojan horse" |
Developer products, adoption strategy |
| Lütke |
"Arm the rebels (not the empire)" |
Platform vs aggregator decisions |
| Collison |
"Think in decades" |
Infrastructure bets, global strategy |
Framework Quick Reference
| Framework |
Core Insight |
Key Question |
| Five Forces |
Industry structure drives profitability |
"How attractive is this industry?" |
| 7 Powers |
Sustainable advantage requires benefit + barrier |
"What power do we have or can build?" |
| Aggregation Theory |
Internet enables demand aggregation |
"Are we a platform or aggregator?" |
| Blue Ocean |
Create uncontested market space |
"What can we eliminate/reduce/raise/create?" |
| Jobs to Be Done |
Customers hire products for progress |
"What job is the customer trying to do?" |
| Playing to Win |
Strategy is an integrated set of choices |
"Where will we play and how will we win?" |
Reference Files
| File |
Content |
When to Load |
porter-competitive.md |
Five Forces, Value Chain, Generic Strategies |
Industry analysis, positioning |
christensen-disruption.md |
Innovator's Dilemma, JTBD |
Disruption, innovation, product |
helmer-7-powers.md |
7 Powers, Power Progression |
Moat building, sustainability |
aggregation-platforms.md |
Aggregation Theory, Platform Strategy |
Digital strategy, ecosystems |
blue-ocean.md |
Value Innovation, ERRC Grid |
New markets, differentiation |
playing-to-win.md |
5 Strategic Choices |
Strategic planning |
founder-playbooks.md |
Jobs, Bezos, Hastings, Prince, Rauch, Lütke, Collison |
Practical wisdom, patterns |
strategic-analysis.md |
SWOT, Scenarios, Decision Frameworks |
Structured analysis |
Decision-Making Heuristics
Bezos: One-Way vs Two-Way Doors
- One-way door: Irreversible, high consequence → Deliberate carefully
- Two-way door: Reversible, can iterate → Move fast, learn
Jobs: The Saying No Test
- "I'm as proud of what we don't do as what we do"
- If you can't clearly articulate what you're NOT doing, your strategy isn't clear
Hastings: The Keeper Test
- "Would I fight to keep this person/product/feature?"
- If no, it's time to move on
Lütke: Platform vs Aggregator
- Platforms empower others to build
- Aggregators intermediate and control
- "Arm the rebels" = be a platform
Meta-Principle: Continue Thinking
The mark of strategic genius is the ability to continue thinking.
Warning signs you've stopped:
- Defending a framework instead of questioning it
- Reducing every problem to your favorite lens (everything is a "positioning problem")
- Dismissing ideas because they don't fit your model
- "That's just how it's done"
Frameworks are tools, not truth. The best strategists hold contradictions, use perspectives as instruments, and resist the urge to close off inquiry too early.
Identity trap: If your identity is attached to a strategy, you can't think clearly about changing it. The sunk cost isn't money—it's ego.
1---2name: strategy3description: Business strategy coaching combining Porter, Christensen, Helmer, Thompson, and legendary founder playbooks. Use when: (1) facing strategic decisions (market entry, pivots, competitive response), (2) analyzing competitive dynamics or industry structure, (3) evaluating business models, (4) working through strategic planning, (5) understanding disruption threats, (6) building sustainable competitive advantage. Covers: Five Forces, 7 Powers, Aggregation Theory, Blue Ocean, Jobs to Be Done, and founder strategies from Jobs, Bezos, Hastings, and others.4---56# Business Strategy78World-class strategy coaching synthesizing academic frameworks (Porter, Christensen, Helmer, Thompson) with legendary founder playbooks (Jobs, Bezos, Hastings, Prince, Rauch, Lütke, Collison).910## Quick Start: 5 Universal Strategy Questions1112For any strategic decision, start here:13141. **What game are you playing?**15 - What industry dynamics shape competition?16 - Who are you really competing against?17182. **How will you win?**19 - Differentiation, cost leadership, or focus?20 - What's your unique value proposition?21223. **What's your moat?**23 - Which of the 7 Powers do you have (or can build)?24 - Scale, Network, Counter-positioning, Switching Costs, Brand, Cornered Resource, Process?25264. **What job does your customer hire you for?**27 - Functional, emotional, and social dimensions28 - What progress are they trying to make?29305. **What are you saying no to?**31 - Trade-offs define strategy32 - Focus is about what you eliminate3334## Multi-Lens Analysis3536Don't just analyze competition—expand your thinking across all four dimensions:3738| Dimension | Questions |39|-----------|-----------|40| **Individual Inner** | What beliefs/blind spots does the founder hold? What psychology drives the team? |41| **Collective Inner** | What's the company culture? Industry groupthink? What "truths" go unquestioned? |42| **Individual Outer** | What behaviors are visible? What do metrics actually show vs narratives? |43| **Collective Outer** | What systems/structures constrain options? Regulatory? Technology curves? |4445### Evolutionary Lens46- Where is this industry in its development arc?47- What pattern from adjacent industries might "transcend and include" current players?48- What technology shifts are changing structural constraints?4950## Strategic Challenge Assessment5152Ask: **"What strategic challenge are you facing?"**5354| Challenge Type | Primary Approach | Load These References |55|---------------|------------------|----------------------|56| Competitive positioning | Porter + Founder wisdom | `porter-competitive`, `founder-playbooks` |57| Market entry/expansion | Blue Ocean + JTBD | `blue-ocean`, `christensen-disruption` |58| Building moats | 7 Powers + Platforms | `helmer-7-powers`, `aggregation-platforms` |59| Disruption threat | Christensen + 7 Powers | `christensen-disruption`, `helmer-7-powers` |60| Platform strategy | Thompson + Founders | `aggregation-platforms`, `founder-playbooks` |61| Strategic planning | Playing to Win | `playing-to-win`, `strategic-analysis` |62| Product strategy | JTBD + Founders | `christensen-disruption`, `founder-playbooks` |63| Scaling decisions | Founders + 7 Powers | `founder-playbooks`, `helmer-7-powers` |6465## Coaching Workflow6667### Phase 1: Understand the Situation681. What's the specific strategic question or decision?692. What's at stake? Timeline?703. What constraints exist?714. What have you already considered?7273### Phase 2: Apply Relevant Frameworks74Based on challenge type, load appropriate reference files and guide through:75- Relevant analytical frameworks76- Key questions to answer77- Trade-offs to consider7879### Phase 3: Learn from Founders80For practical wisdom, reference founder playbooks:81- How did similar founders approach this?82- What patterns apply to your situation?83- What contrarian insights might help?8485### Phase 4: Synthesize and Decide86- Summarize key insights87- Identify the core trade-off88- Make a clear recommendation89- Define success criteria9091## Founder Wisdom Quick Reference9293| Founder | Key Principle | When to Apply |94|---------|---------------|---------------|95| **Jobs** | "Focus is about saying no" | Product decisions, simplification |96| **Bezos** | "It's always Day 1" | Long-term thinking, avoiding stasis |97| **Hastings** | "Culture eats strategy" | Organizational decisions, talent |98| **Prince** | "Freemium at infrastructure scale" | Business model, market creation |99| **Rauch** | "DX as trojan horse" | Developer products, adoption strategy |100| **Lütke** | "Arm the rebels (not the empire)" | Platform vs aggregator decisions |101| **Collison** | "Think in decades" | Infrastructure bets, global strategy |102103## Framework Quick Reference104105| Framework | Core Insight | Key Question |106|-----------|--------------|--------------|107| **Five Forces** | Industry structure drives profitability | "How attractive is this industry?" |108| **7 Powers** | Sustainable advantage requires benefit + barrier | "What power do we have or can build?" |109| **Aggregation Theory** | Internet enables demand aggregation | "Are we a platform or aggregator?" |110| **Blue Ocean** | Create uncontested market space | "What can we eliminate/reduce/raise/create?" |111| **Jobs to Be Done** | Customers hire products for progress | "What job is the customer trying to do?" |112| **Playing to Win** | Strategy is an integrated set of choices | "Where will we play and how will we win?" |113114## Reference Files115116| File | Content | When to Load |117|------|---------|--------------|118| `porter-competitive.md` | Five Forces, Value Chain, Generic Strategies | Industry analysis, positioning |119| `christensen-disruption.md` | Innovator's Dilemma, JTBD | Disruption, innovation, product |120| `helmer-7-powers.md` | 7 Powers, Power Progression | Moat building, sustainability |121| `aggregation-platforms.md` | Aggregation Theory, Platform Strategy | Digital strategy, ecosystems |122| `blue-ocean.md` | Value Innovation, ERRC Grid | New markets, differentiation |123| `playing-to-win.md` | 5 Strategic Choices | Strategic planning |124| `founder-playbooks.md` | Jobs, Bezos, Hastings, Prince, Rauch, Lütke, Collison | Practical wisdom, patterns |125| `strategic-analysis.md` | SWOT, Scenarios, Decision Frameworks | Structured analysis |126127## Decision-Making Heuristics128129### Bezos: One-Way vs Two-Way Doors130- **One-way door**: Irreversible, high consequence → Deliberate carefully131- **Two-way door**: Reversible, can iterate → Move fast, learn132133### Jobs: The Saying No Test134- "I'm as proud of what we don't do as what we do"135- If you can't clearly articulate what you're NOT doing, your strategy isn't clear136137### Hastings: The Keeper Test138- "Would I fight to keep this person/product/feature?"139- If no, it's time to move on140141### Lütke: Platform vs Aggregator142- Platforms empower others to build143- Aggregators intermediate and control144- "Arm the rebels" = be a platform145146## Meta-Principle: Continue Thinking147148**The mark of strategic genius is the ability to continue thinking.**149150Warning signs you've stopped:151- Defending a framework instead of questioning it152- Reducing every problem to your favorite lens (everything is a "positioning problem")153- Dismissing ideas because they don't fit your model154- "That's just how it's done"155156Frameworks are tools, not truth. The best strategists hold contradictions, use perspectives as instruments, and resist the urge to close off inquiry too early.157158**Identity trap**: If your identity is attached to a strategy, you can't think clearly about changing it. The sunk cost isn't money—it's ego.
acossta