Most marketing teams are working hard, but in the wrong order. They start with “we need a post”, “we need a video”, or “we need a campaign”, then retrofit the message and retrofit the audience. The result is noise, not movement.

Meeting a customer need is the baseline. It keeps you in the game — but it won’t guarantee you win it.

You can deliver exactly what you promised and still see customers drift away. Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because there are other, quieter needs shaping their decisions and they’re going unmet.

And here’s the kicker: more than 90% of unhappy customers never complain. They don’t tell you what’s missing. They just leave, often for a competitor who spotted the gap first.

That’s the silent churn — the invisible drain on revenue and loyalty. If you want to stay ahead, you need to look past the obvious needs you’re already meeting and spot the opportunities your competitors haven’t.

Here’s how to find them.

Insight: Many established businesses miss growth opportunities hiding in plain sight — unmet customer needs in their niche that competitors are failing to address.

Data: Poor customer experiences cost businesses up to $3.8 trillion globally. (Decisions Studio)

What’s the step change: Learn where competitors are dropping the ball, and create add-ons, services, or experiences that customers didn’t even realise they were missing… until you delivered them. 

Ever been let down by a business idea you thought had so much potential? 

The only thing worse than a poorly developed business idea is investing in a poorly developed business idea. With pressure from all fronts, easy to get excited. You see a gap, get an idea, and boom — you’re off. But without clarity, you’re flying blind.

And that's how thousands of startups and new ideas go belly up year on year.  Clayton Christensen of Harvard Business School called it: 95% of product launches fail — not because the ideas were bad, but because no one stopped to ask: What makes this a great opportunity?

Don't make the same mistake.

Nobody wants to spend time, energy and resources on a product or service that doesn’t fly. So how do you ensure your new business idea is poised to win when it enters the market?

How do you prepare for the unpredictable?

While some businesses leverage disruption to their advantage like second nature — many companies are falling behind.

Where others enjoy better workforces, efficient operations, and improved customer experiences, some continue to struggle at the back foot of change as another wave of disruption looms on the horizon.

So what’s the game changer? Strategy. Seeing disruption before it hits and responding appropriately.

Most organisations don’t have a game plan to navigate the evolving business landscape. Nor do they bother to predict trends and track challenges or opportunities that lie on their radar and that makes all the difference. 

So how do you get better at keeping your finger on the pulse and preparing your business for disruption?

How many emails do you get in a day? Did you get a notification just now? And is that a pop-up on the corner of your screen?

With so much competing for our attention, it’s no wonder our brains lean on quick mental shortcuts just to make it through the day. Otherwise, it’s impossible to sift through the flood, simplify decisions, and manage cognitive overload.

For businesses, this chaotic landscape is both a puzzle and a goldmine. How do you cut through the noise and truly connect with people?

In this exclusive interview with influence pioneer, author, and psychologist Dr Robert Cialdini, we unpack “Pre-Suasion” and how it reshapes the way businesses captivate, engage, and earn trust.

Watch the full interview and get candid with “Pre-Suasion” and “Influence” author Dr Robert Cialdini here.

Yup, you read that right! Unicorns are no longer a myth — at least not in business.

What’s all this noise surrounding artificial intelligence? Is AI worth the hype? And how do you even get started? Do these questions sound familiar?

With marketing technology (martech) and AI becoming a critical part of mainstream business strategy, getting the buy-in from the top brass is essential. But lack of understanding, fear of the unknown, ethics, biases, and costs can get in the way. 

So how do you demystify martech and AI and get the ball rolling?

Building an innovation pipeline means curating inspiration as a renewable resource. To accomplish this, you need to develop a system that both drives and supports an innovative culture.

Many organisations today are under pressure in the relentless race of being ahead of the curve.

Whether it’s needing to enter new markets, achieve a sales breakthrough, expand margins, or deliver high-quality and low-cost products, businesses need to have an innovation imperative if they want to get ahead and stay relevant.

In the age of disruption, the key to stay on top of the game is to be innovative. Learn how you can be innovative with these four tips.

A big-time CEO’s advice for startups, 5G wireless in the works, and a Volvo truck successfully pulls 750 tonnes from standstill — this is Friday Finds, our take on the three top things making news in the world this week.

Where are you at with your big ideas? These important tools and evaluation methods will help you overcome challenges and capitalise on business opportunities.

To drive growth, innovation is required. What is the currency of innovation and where will innovation add the most value to your business?