Business Thinking

How do you get better at understanding — and therefore doing — business?

Feature image for Becoming Data Driven, From First Principles

Becoming Data Driven, From First Principles

People often say things like "become data driven" without explaining what that means or how to do it. This is everything you need to know to actually become data driven, from scratch, using the same first principles that Amazon, Koch, and Toyota used back in their day.

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A Most Unlikely Master of Capital Allocation

If the most unlikely, most un-businesslike person could become a masterful capital allocator late in her life, then perhaps you could, too.

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Feature image for Data and the Capital Cycle: How Koch Became an Empire

Data and the Capital Cycle: How Koch Became an Empire

How Koch Industries became an empire. We draw on ideas from both the Becoming Data Driven series and the Capital Expertise series.

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Marvel Studios’s Origin Story

The creation of Marvel Studios was contingent on some very creative financial dealmaking. A story of superb capital expertise in action.

Feature image for Strong at Capital, Bad at Everything Else

Strong at Capital, Bad at Everything Else

Two examples of operators who were strong on the capital side of the business expertise triad, but weak in just about everything else.

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Feature image for High Roller: Lessons from America's Richest Banker

High Roller: Lessons from America's Richest Banker

Andy Beal's story is an astounding story of capital allocation, incidentally making him America's richest banker. A guest post by Frederik Gieschen.

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Two Types of Data Analysis

Broadly speaking, there are two approaches to data analysis in business. The two approaches have different worldviews, and express different tradeoffs. Here's why that matters.

Feature image for Capital Allocation as an Antidote to Business Luck

Capital Allocation as an Antidote to Business Luck

The unspoken secret about new company formation is that you need to get lucky. Roll the dice, get a business outcome. Capital allocation matters because it gives you a path to winning even when you lose the initial roll.

Feature image for Building a Valuable Business? It's How You Spend It That Matters

Building a Valuable Business? It's How You Spend It That Matters

The skill of capital allocation — a mysterious, under-discussed element of remarkable business performance.

Feature image for Beck’s Measurement Model, or Why It’s So Damn Hard to Measure Software Development

Beck’s Measurement Model, or Why It’s So Damn Hard to Measure Software Development

A pretty useful lens for when a business activity is easy to measure, and when it is not. Part of the Becoming Data Driven in Business Series.

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