UNRIVALED

Consultant Heath offers a five-step plan for taking one’s business to a new level of success.

“Fighting for market share is grueling,” writes the author in her nonfiction debut. “Keeping up with the pace of early growth while protecting and improving margins is tougher than ever.” In order for readers to meet these challenges, she proposes a five-step framework for creating and fostering what she refers to as “Ownable Whitespace”—a place in a crowded market that’s only occupied by you and your product, creating a situation in which “you are not just your ideal customer’s number one choice—you are their only choice.” She asserts that this can be achieved through five steps: “Obsess,” “Differentiate,” “Commit,” “Execute,” and “Adapt.” She elaborates on each in a series of fast-paced chapters filled with anecdotes, bullet points, illustrations, discussion questions, and summaries designed to help her readers grasp key elements while keeping true to their organization’s “Business Ethos.” She specifically shows how one may use a “Brand Manifesto” to steer an organization’s communication strategy. Throughout these playbook sections, Heath effectively uses real-world corporate success stories, such as those of sportswear giant Nike, luxury clothing maker Hermès, or grocery chain Trader Joe’s. Although Heath can resort to bland phrases such as “you can play a different kind of game” or “Giddy Up,” her storytelling energy always makes for engaging reading. She brings a clarity to the importance of finding unique qualities; along the way, she rightly notes that too many organizations stumble into their own market identities, while the greatest success often comes to those who know precisely who they are. New companies, or those struggling to find their footing in a sea of competitors, will find plenty of valuable tips in these pages.

A rousing and clear-eyed guide to setting one’s organization apart.