July 31, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

The Spark Partners continue their conversation on pivots, looking at real world examples of both successful and unsuccessful pivots. Netflix sets the gold standard, having pivoted from DVD movie distribution towards worldwide media streaming, while Kodak is bound to flop as a pharmaceutical producer after consistently failing to make any truly strategic pivots in recent decades. Successful pivots are about problem solving and might mean totally transforming your business to produce a true innovation. Is your business changing direction to meet unmet needs, or are you just looking for new ways to continue business as usual?‍

Pivots, Trends, Value Proposition, Defend and Extend, Netflix, Kodak

July 24, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

With the forced closures of thousands of businesses across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the inevitable fate of the retail industry: traditional retailers are failing amidst the rise of e-commerce. In this episode of The SparkCom Podcast, the Partners go in depth on how retailers should rethink their business considering the major trends dominating the marketplace. Entrepreneurs in retail have no choice but to set their sites on where their market is gong, and create a business that's fit to compete with any retailer, including Amazon.

Retail, COVID, Value Proposition, True Value, Market Trends, E-commerce

July 17, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

The term "pivot" is commonly thrown around among businesses of all scales to define changes in business strategy. Many entrepreneurs attempt to make big changes to improve business, but don't actually create a change in its value. Watch this week's episode to understand how to make the pivotal changes in your business tactics to steer it towards success.

Entrepreneurship, Pivot, Value Proposition, True Value, Netflix, Microsoft, Market Trends

July 10, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran, Ryan Egan

What do the Spark Partners' think about the so-called innovative ideas of today's startups? Adam and Manny discuss innovation in the housing market this week with guest Ryan Egan, founder of Stackhouse, a Tucson-based business that provides affordable shipping container homes to meet national housing codes. The Partners provide their perspective on his business and reveal how he can dive deeper into understanding his value proposition to be truly innovative.

Value Proposition, Housing Market, Innovative Housing, Stackhouse, Startup, Tiny Houses, Affordable Housing, Trends

July 3, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

Adam and Manny cover the importance of understanding globalization for business at all scales. Business leaders must learn to think outside of the perspective of the US, understand globalization as a trend, and know where the global economy is going, including demographically and technologically, to make their enterprise competitive and durable.

Globalization, Global Economy, China, Global Trends

June 30, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

Adam and Manny release a short mid-week podcast to highlight the current Facebook Ad Boycott by hundreds of companies for the platform’s inaction to remove hate speech and false information. According to Adam, the boycott is a result of Facebook’s failure to follow a trend of growing calls for meeting the needs of underserved communities. In this case scenario, both small and big businesses can learn what not to do from Facebook, and instead aim to follow trends to meet the needs of their target audiences.

Facebook, Boycott, Follow Trends, Creative Disruption

June 26, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

What's the true value of your business? This concept is the center of discussion in this week's episode, where the Spark Partners discuss how important identifying the true value is essential to innovating for success. Hear how companies like Ford, Harley Davidson, and Motorola missed key opportunities to grow, and what suggestions Adam has for small businesses like a local brewery and photography business to innovate.

Disruptive Innovation, True Value, Value Proposition, Small Business

June 19, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

Adam and Manny break down the Spark Partners' core idea of disruptive innovation, and explain how businesses win or lose when they choose between constantly meeting customer needs or defending and extending traditional business models. What do the experts say? Embrace creative disruption or prepare to see your business fail.

Disruptive Innovation, Business Growth, Business Models, Creative Disruption

June 12, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

Amidst the corona virus pandemic, the biggest question is when will we return to normal? According to Adam, never. And returning to business as usual is the wrong way to go. The Spark Partners discuss exactly where leaders should take their business to adapt to a new normal and come out on top.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic, Return to Normal, Business Leadership, Adapt and Succeed

June 5, 2020

Adam Hartung, Manny Teran

In light of the protests sparked nationally following the killing of George Floyd, Adam and Manny discuss the importance of incorporating diverse people and ideas into business to stimulate growth and to create the workplace culture of the future.

George Floyd, Business Diversity and Growth, Workplace Culture