Propelling Business Through Disruption to Success with Dan Simmons | Propelia #31

In this podcast I’m talking with Dan Simmons of Propelia about how he helps company founders and CEOs navigate through new challenges – let’s call them disruptors – that conspire to upset the status quo of their business.

Over the last 20 years, Dan has helped many Start Ups and Scale Ups strategically leverage their thinking, brand and IP to disrupt new market sectors. He is a recognised Thought Leader in how disruption can be repositioned from a creative, strategic and planning point of view.

There’s always been disruption in business. It was hard scribes when Gutenberg invented the printing press around 600 years ago, and for carriage makers when Ford brought in the Model T. But everyone can agree that things have never been changing as fast as now.

But what’s that got to do with international expansion, you may ask. Well, setting up an operation abroad or simply starting to export to other countries is disruptive in itself. Businesses inevitably need to make some changes just to make the most of their new international opportunity, and it’s perhaps an ideal time to take a new, hard look at one’s entire business model.

So how do you go about that? As a true Thought Leader, Dan’s invented whole new approaches to what he terms “the Almost Now” – basically, rethinking business in an innovative and efficient way. He’s branded Propelia’s methodologies as Flightpath and Airspace, for reasons you’ll understand when you listen to our conversation.

I’ve worked with good businesses that failed to change, so simply faded and failed. I’ve met consultants who charge top dollar, but only tell you what you already know, or – worse - leave you feeling that they know a deal less than you do. This process strikes me as really different – and I believe can usefully be considered by every type of business that wants to survive and grow, regardless of their global ambitions. I’m sure you will find my conversation with Dan great food for thought.