'How BIG Brands Think' with - Market Strategist, Author & IIM-A Faculty Ms.Rama Bijapurkar | VWP 03

This segment delves into the speaker's philosophy of market research, emphasizing the importance of understanding the "why" behind the research question. It illustrates how this approach leads to more insightful and actionable results, transforming market research from data gathering into strategic decision-making. This segment discusses the evolution of the speaker's approach to business strategy, highlighting a shift towards a customer-centric model that balances business objectives with deep consumer understanding. It emphasizes the importance of integrating both business and consumer perspectives for effective problem-solving. This segment explores the importance of intuition and experience in data analysis, contrasting analytical skills with the ability to identify patterns and insights that might not be immediately apparent. The speaker draws parallels to the concepts of "thinking fast" and "thinking slow," illustrating how experience enhances analytical capabilities. The speaker addresses the disconnect between market research and business solutions, highlighting the need for a more integrated approach that values consumer insights. This segment emphasizes the underutilization of comprehensive consumer segmentation studies, revealing a gap in industry practices. This segment underscores the value of diversity in fostering creative problem-solving. The speaker argues that diverse backgrounds and perspectives bring unique insights and approaches to complex challenges, enriching the analytical process and leading to more innovative solutions. This segment traces the development of the speaker's customer-based business strategy, emphasizing the pivotal role of self-discovery and the decision to create one's own professional path. The speaker's personal journey underscores the importance of aligning personal values with professional pursuits. This segment details the valuable lessons the speaker learned from their corporate experience, including the importance of aligning actions with marketing strategies, understanding business fundamentals and strategy, and navigating the consulting world. It highlights the transformative impact of this experience on their professional development. This segment describes the speaker's experience returning to their alma mater to teach, despite being only slightly older than their students. It highlights the unique challenges and rewards of teaching alongside esteemed professors, the synergy between their teaching and consulting work, and the development of case studies based on real-world experiences. The speaker discusses a pivotal conversation that reframed their perspective on their corporate career. The analogy of a corporate job as either an umbrella (offering protection but limiting exploration) or a vehicle (providing transport but allowing for changes in direction) is explained, illustrating a shift in mindset from fear of leaving to empowerment in choosing a different path. The speaker also shares their selection of three role models who were all complete individualists, influencing their decision to leave the corporate world. This segment emphasizes the importance of not taking oneself too seriously, particularly for women in the workplace. The speaker uses the analogy of an ant on a bull to illustrate the burden of carrying too much weight and the importance of finding joy in the work. It also addresses the challenge women face in setting boundaries and asserting their needs.The speaker shifts the focus to the supply side of the market, noting a crisis in large supply chains and the unexpected success of smaller, more agile suppliers. The speaker uses the example of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) to show how enrolling small vendors can lead to large-scale success. This segment focuses on the role of startups in solving problems and creating "blue ocean" markets. The speaker highlights the ability of startups to square the circle of consumer demands, company profits, and innovative problem-solving, contrasting the success of small businesses with the struggles of larger corporations. The speaker reflects on their two-decade-long experience teaching customer-based business strategy, emphasizing the enriching nature of the process and the porous boundaries between their academic and professional worlds. The segment highlights the continuous learning and consolidation of knowledge gained through teaching and interaction with students.This segment discusses a shift in the speaker's focus from the customer side to the supply side of business. The speaker notes a current shortage of CEOs who prioritize customer needs and discusses the emerging trend of startups creating "blue ocean" strategies, exploring new market spaces and solving problems that traditional businesses overlook.The speaker analyzes the unique ability of startups and digital business models to meet consumer demands for high performance at low prices while maintaining profitability. This segment highlights the innovative nature of these models and the excitement surrounding this space, which is the focus of the speaker's new book. The speaker recounts their first board appointment, highlighting the rarity of women in boardrooms at the time and the unique challenges and opportunities this presented. The discussion touches upon the gender dynamics in boardrooms, the disproportionate focus on training women for these roles compared to men, and the need for inclusive leadership.This segment delves deeper into the gender dynamics in boardrooms, discussing the challenges women face in asserting themselves, participating effectively in meetings, and finding their own voice. The speaker shares their experience of learning from male mentors and the importance of finding one's own way to contribute effectively.The speaker reflects on the mentorship they received from other board members, emphasizing the value of learning from experienced colleagues and seeking clarification when needed. The segment highlights the importance of continuous learning and the supportive environment that can exist within boardrooms, even in the absence of formal mentorship programs. This segment highlights the common trait among successful individuals: acknowledging what they know and don't know, and their willingness to learn constantly. It details a personal anecdote of seeking advice from colleagues due to a lack of confidence in publicly admitting knowledge gaps, illustrating the importance of continuous learning and seeking external perspectives even for experienced professionals.The speaker emphasizes the value of building a network of people willing to learn and contribute. This includes actively seeking advice and clarification from colleagues and friends, even those who are renowned in their fields. The speaker describes how this collaborative approach fosters mutual learning and enhances problem-solving capabilities.This segment focuses on the speaker's experience with mentorship, emphasizing that it's a reciprocal process. Mentoring isn't about having all the answers but about engaging in thoughtful discussions, challenging assumptions, and providing different perspectives. The speaker highlights the benefits for both the mentor and mentee, portraying mentorship as a collaborative journey of learning and growth.This section showcases the speaker's approach to continuous learning by actively seeking out information and advice from others. The speaker describes their habit of constantly texting people for advice and clarification, highlighting the importance of proactive knowledge seeking for personal and professional growth. This is contrasted with the speaker's past reluctance to publicly admit knowledge gaps. This segment offers valuable insights into managing career plateaus by viewing life holistically, emphasizing the natural balance between career aspirations and family life (Gṛhasthāśrama and Vānaprasthāśrama). The speaker suggests that focusing on guiding principles rather than rigid goals helps navigate life transitions more effectively. This segment discusses the crucial distinction between value creation and valuation in the context of startups. The speaker warns against prioritizing valuation over actual value creation, emphasizing the importance of humility and a realistic assessment of the business. The speaker introduces the concept of "value arrogance" as a potential pitfall for startups.This segment delves into the importance of humility and self-awareness in business, particularly in the face of success. The speaker emphasizes the need for honesty and self-reflection, warning against the dangers of arrogance and overconfidence. The speaker advocates for a balanced approach, combining ambition with a realistic assessment of one's capabilities and the market.This segment focuses on the importance of understanding a company's core competencies and avoiding value arrogance. The speaker discusses the need for self-awareness and a realistic assessment of one's strengths and weaknesses. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation.This segment highlights the importance of honesty and self-protection in business decision-making. The speaker emphasizes the need for self-awareness and the ability to recognize when a strategy is failing. The speaker also stresses the importance of having strong support systems and mentors who can provide guidance and prevent rash decisions.This segment discusses the importance of empowering CEOs while also providing them with constructive criticism and challenges. The speaker argues that external challenges can help CEOs avoid making costly mistakes and maintain a sense of humility. The speaker uses personal anecdotes to illustrate this point, emphasizing the importance of learning from both successes and failures.This segment discusses the importance of continuous improvement and reinvention in maintaining a successful career. The speaker shares an anecdote about dealing with negative feedback, highlighting the importance of using criticism as an opportunity for growth and improvement. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of perseverance and adaptability in a constantly changing world.This final segment addresses the issue of career fatigue, particularly in the context of a demanding and fast-paced world. The speaker identifies two main causes: a lack of clear direction and the constant pressure to perform. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having guiding principles and a sense of purpose to avoid burnout and maintain motivation. This segment discusses the crucial balance between business strategy and operational effectiveness. The speaker explains how focusing solely on one aspect while neglecting the other can lead to failure. Successful companies, the speaker argues, must integrate both strategy and operations seamlessly to achieve sustainable success. The importance of aligning these two aspects is highlighted through a real-world example.The speaker challenges the superficial understanding of customer-centricity. Instead of simply adding a superficial layer of customer focus, the speaker argues for embedding the customer into the core of the business strategy. This segment illustrates the importance of a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences in crafting a successful strategy.This segment focuses on the importance of aligning stated strategy with operational plans. The speaker emphasizes that discrepancies between these two aspects can lead to failure. The speaker describes their approach to addressing such misalignments, highlighting the need for honest self-assessment and decisive action to resolve them. The speaker also touches on the importance of aligning incentives with strategic goals.This segment explores the role of serendipity and timing in business success. The speaker uses the example of toilet cleaners and disinfectants to illustrate how market demand and supply can align unexpectedly. The speaker questions the extent to which business success is predetermined versus a result of strategic planning and execution.This section emphasizes the importance of understanding underlying consumer needs rather than simply reacting to stated preferences. The speaker uses examples of changing consumer trends towards healthier lifestyles to illustrate this point. The speaker also cautions against pursuing products that go against the grain of consumer needs, even if market research suggests otherwise.The speaker critiques the limitations of market research, arguing that it often fails to capture fundamental consumer needs. The speaker contrasts this with the approach of Steve Jobs, who focused on understanding deep-seated human needs. The segment emphasizes the importance of understanding societal trends and fundamental human needs in developing successful products and services.This segment reiterates the role of timing and luck in business success, acknowledging that being in the right place at the right time is crucial. The speaker uses the example of the pandemic and its impact on various industries to illustrate this point. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of adaptability and the need to be prepared for unexpected changes. This segment delves into the challenges women face in balancing assertiveness and aggressiveness in the corporate world. The speaker shares her personal journey and strategies for conveying points effectively without resorting to aggression, emphasizing the importance of learning to deliver messages strategically. The speaker contrasts goal-based thinking with principle-based navigation, advocating for prioritizing impact over monetary gain. She explains that aligning actions with core principles leads to less fatigue and enables a smoother adaptation to changing circumstances, both personally and professionally. This segment offers a glimpse into the speaker's home life and her partnership, emphasizing the importance of humor, mutual respect, and a balanced division of labor. The speaker shares anecdotes about her relationship with her husband, highlighting their contrasting personalities and how they complemented each other.The speaker reflects on her experiences with gender roles and expectations, both within her personal life and professional sphere. She advocates for gender equality, not as an absence of traditional roles, but as a mutual respect and shared responsibility. This segment discusses the crucial role of belief and support systems in navigating professional and personal challenges. The speaker highlights the importance of having people who believe in one's capabilities, especially during moments of self-doubt, and how this mutual support extends beyond gender lines. This segment focuses on the speaker's approach to professional interactions, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and adapting communication styles depending on the audience. She discusses the need for careful calibration and the potential consequences of unchecked honesty, contrasting it with the need for tact. The speaker discusses her daily routines and sources of strength, emphasizing the importance of self-care, spiritual practices, and maintaining a positive outlook. She shares her personal beliefs and how they help her navigate challenges and maintain a sense of purpose.This segment focuses on the speaker's spiritual practices and her approach to life's cycles, including loss and grief. She emphasizes the importance of accepting life's natural course and finding peace in the present moment.This segment reflects on the speaker's continuous learning and growth throughout her life, highlighting the importance of seeking knowledge and wisdom from various sources. She shares her experiences with mentors and teachers, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives.The speaker shares a unique perspective on planning and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of embracing uncertainty and trusting the process. She uses an anecdote about reversing the arrows of cause and effect to illustrate her point.The speaker shares her perspective on living a long and fulfilling life, emphasizing the importance of enjoying the journey and appreciating both the good and challenging experiences. She shares her daily routine and spiritual practices, highlighting their role in maintaining a positive outlook.This segment offers concluding remarks, summarizing the speaker's life lessons and advice for younger generations. She emphasizes the importance of embracing life's unpredictability, focusing on navigation principles rather than fixed destinations, and celebrating the journey with loved ones.The speaker shares her final thoughts on living a fulfilling life, emphasizing the importance of embracing unpredictability and not sweating the small stuff. She encourages viewers to focus on their journey and the people who make it meaningful.