“While all of us as leaders of growing organizations seem to know what makes us successful, Lewis and McKone do an uncanny job of pushing the reader to ask the tough question of what more can be done to unlock the potential to drive market share and margin growth. Edge Strategy ‘takes the blinders off’ and helps you look around corners for opportunities that may be missed in strategic planning sessions.”
—GEOFF BALLOTTI, President and CEO, Wyndham Hotel Group
“M&A and new business development may garner newspaper headlines, but Lewis and McKone guide the reader in identifying and capturing growth with less risk. This book urges greater attention on foundational business assets and customers. It deserves a thoughtful read and extended discussion.”
—BRIAN BETHERS, CEO and Chairman, 1-800 CONTACTS
“In this compelling book, Alan Lewis and Dan McKone show how to take on an ‘edge strategy’ mindset, enabling you to continually identify and unlock the great value that exists at the edge of your business. A great read!”
—MICHAEL E. FOSS, CEO, Sports Authority
“Edge Strategy will inspire you to think about growth opportunities in a new and powerful way. Through insightful examples and a well-structured process, the concepts presented in the book provide a framework for identifying the opportunities that lie at the doorstep of many businesses ready to be leveraged by the organization’s various assets with limited risk and significant upside.”
—ARI N. HASEOTES, CEO, The Cumberland Gulf Group
“The approach put forward in Edge Strategy has helped us effectively frame and evaluate our growth opportunities. It provides a road map that considers internal capabilities, customer behavior and preferences, and the elements of differentiation.”
—JULIET JOHANSSON, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Office Depot, Inc.
“For any executive or manager who wants a practical, realistic guide to increasing growth in their business, look no further. Lewis and McKone do a remarkable job of making the journey both informative and enjoyable.”
—HARRY M. JANSEN KRAEMER JR., Professor, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management; former Chairman and CEO, Baxter International; and author, From Values to Action and Becoming the Best
“We’ve learned that the most effective way to extract profits from our business is to focus on the core. But that leaves a big question unanswered: How do you grow? Lewis and McKone offer clear insight on how to grow the enterprise using edge strategy. A must-read.”
—JIM LAWRENCE, former CFO, Unilever and General Mills
“Edge Strategy is a must-read for any executive trying to chart successful and profitable growth. Lewis and McKone elegantly outline a clear path toward focusing on the low-hanging fruits that will surely lead to great results for any business.”
—PATRICK SALYER, CEO, Gigya
“Successful companies continually look to emerging markets or underserved areas in the core business where assets, competencies, and culture can be leveraged. Alan Lewis and Dan McKone’s Edge Strategy provides valuable insights into this journey. It provides a road map for identifying and understanding opportunities often considered ‘at the margin’ of the core business, and then deploying core assets and services in a different yet complementary way to unlock new value for customers—and generate new revenues for the core business. It’s a thought-provoking narrative for any executive.”
—DOUGLAS W. STOTLAR, President and CEO, Con-way Inc.
“Strategy doesn’t have to be about big shifts or leaps. It’s often about taking the competitive advantages you already have and figuring out how to expand or apply them to new products, markets, or business lines. In this insightful yet deeply practical book, Lewis and McKone provide an indispensable guide to tackling this challenge.”
—KATHLEEN TAYLOR, former President and CEO, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
“With Edge Strategy, Alan Lewis and Dan McKone have given us, regardless of whether our endeavors are for-profit or not, a cogent and impactful reminder of how important it is to think beyond historical or traditional boundaries and to imagine a result that we have not yet experienced . . . and then go for it. As they clearly demonstrate with their examples of edge strategy, the results can be the difference between revitalization and failure.”
—GLENN TILTON, former CEO and Chairman, United Airlines and Texaco Inc.