No Retreat, No Surrender
Analyzing and commenting on the hot topics in business, politics, and economics globally
I do not play favorites nor do I criticize to be malicious or disrespectful. My goal is simple: Provide opinions that help cut through noise, educate, uncover lies and half-truths, and provide clarity.
We Run Our Company, Not You
Crime has become so rampant that many retailers have chosen to lock up nearly all of the products in their stores behind plexiglass. I recently stated in a post, "Retailers that lock up their products lock out their customers. Far too many stores have become...
Killing Blackberry: The Lessons Learned
The undisputed King of smartphones is the Apple iPhone which controls 57% market share as of March 2023. What makes Apple's accomplishment even more impressive is that the company Apple dethroned, Research In Motion or RIM, maker of the BlackBerry, owned over 50% of...
Shopify Pivots by Selling its Logistics Division to Flexport: Is it the Right Move?
Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke announced early Thursday that the company is cutting 20% of its workforce and selling the majority of its logistics business to Flexport, including Deliverr Inc. Shopify also divested 6 River Systems to Ocado Group. Ocado has terminated 80% of...
The Myth of the Nimble Retailer
I've watched with fascination as many retail CEOs over the last year are announcing layoffs. Although layoffs are common in retail and other industries, what makes the recent layoff announcements made by Amazon, Meta, Salesforce and other companies unusual is this -...
Rise of the Robots: Figure Unveils their Humanoid Robot for Use Across Supply Chains
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure, regarding the company's vision for robots. Brett is also the founder of Archer, an aviation company, and Vettery, a hiring marketplace. Figure recently came out of stealth mode and...
Nordstrom Invested $50M on a Robotics Strategy for Fulfillment – It Failed – Miserably. Here’s Why.
This article is from 2019. Read it before continuing as it will help you understand this post. Ngoc Phan, VP of Supply Chain for Nordstrom, had an idea - leverage not one but two robotic systems to fulfill online orders for customers. Phan selected systems from the...
This is Why China is Investing Billions in Mexico
Nothing is more important to China than retaining its position as the leading manufacturer in the world. Most companies in the U.S. and Europe rely on China for the goods they sell and the parts they need. Due to China's expertise in manufacturing, economists assumed...
All Aboard the AI Crazy Train
I am a supporter of AI, and I believe that AI will have a tremendous impact on many facets of our daily lives. I believe that certain companies and occupations will be so disrupted by AI that the companies will go out of business, and the jobs will be automated. I...
Will Walmart CEO Doug McMillon Run for President in 2028?
According to reports, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon plans to helm the country’s largest retailer for at least three more years as the company continues work to identify a successor. Retail analysts believe John Furner is the front-runner to be the next CEO. I disagree. I...
Crying in their Beer: The Lessons Learned from Bud Light’s Marketing Brouhaha
When I was 16, I swallowed a mouthful of beer for the first time. I started to spit, and then I exclaimed to the adults who gave me the beer, "Why would anyone want to drink this stuff?” The adults laughed and stated that the taste of beer would, "grow on me." I never...