Seeing over the horizon

Covid-19, Investors, Strategy, Trend Spotting

Covid climbs into the ring with the rioters

Authorities across Europe have been increasingly nervous about accelerating Covid infections. The German health minister told his public that “…Germans would be vaccinated, cured or dead by Christmas”. Populations are tired of pandemic restrictions, though, and many are taking to the streets, rioting in Holland, France, Belgium, Austria, and elsewhere (Reuters). Not to be outdone,…
Entrepreneurs, Investors, Management, Organisation, Strategy

Why business leaders must forget about normal and thrive in the unknown

I’ve been in business a long time, and big events have come and gone: the oil crisis and inflation of 1972; the crash of ’87; a couple of recessions and a few wars and 9/11, you get the picture. Sudden technology changes have done their bit as well. I’m not really sure when it was,…
Digitalisation, Entrepreneurs, Executing, Management, Strategy

How to fix the business issues created by Public Cloud

Public Cloud – on-line computing resources from the big brands – was seen as the obvious choice for many and technologists love them, but several key problems have emerged for business users: Costs can become prohibitive when usage gets underway Lock-in strips away business flexibility and choice Privacy and security issues concern many Support is…
Covid-19, Digitalisation, Entrepreneurs, Executing, Investors, Management, Organisation

How to stop Cloud costs strangling business

Once the tech is running, it’s the business that matters in the Cloud Once the devs have worked their magic and the tech is running and doing what it should, the challenges move to business: getting the service to customes and users reliably, at scale, and profitably. This is where the business challenges begin as…
Digitalisation, Entrepreneurs, Executing, Management, Organisation, Strategy

How Cloud creates business problems that can be solved

Business challenges begin once the technology is running Dev and test are all about getting new functionality to run to spec. Once it’s running and doing what it should, it must move to Production and get delivered to the intended customers and users. This is where the business challenges begin as the costs issues and…
Digitalisation, Entrepreneurs, Investors, Management, Organisation, Strategy

How stretched tech teams can raise their game in the Cloud

The pool of talent in ambitious tech firms always seems too thinly spread. We used to think it was like a small duvet: you can have your shoulders warm or your feet, but not both. Almost all ambitious tech businesses have too few tech specialists that have the depth of skills and a real understanding…
Entrepreneurs, Investors, Management, Strategy

Is Cloud separating the quick from the dead?

A recent research study by Accenture surveyed some 4,000 executives and concluded that their companies fell into two categories : those that viewed Cloud as “…a launch pad for innovation and new operating models.”, and those that see it as a tool for cost saving and operational efficiency. What caught my eye was that they…
Organisation

Ask the CFO about the right Cloud architecture

My BMW is ok, but it’s not new. It’s now of an age that gets me thinking about replacing it, but for the last too many months my marvel of German engineering has hardly moved. I’ve realised that for three months it’s only been used to go and get a takeaway of a Friday evening….
Covid-19, Entrepreneurs, Investors, Management, Strategy, Trend Spotting

Everything is normal already

Last week’s first in-person business meeting came and went, and Friday’s “first evening dinner at a restaurant with friends in ages” did too. Family round for lunch in the garden yesterday was very good, and today’s Sunday lunch with different friends at another restaurant will be, as well. Next week is already full of scheduled…
Organisation

Covid-19: The UK lags far behind

The majority of significant changes are a worsening of the rates of fatality, and this can be seen here, in this chart of movement over the last seven days. Daily fatalities in the UK lag far behind those of the leaders in this grim race. In fact fatalities per million in the UK are almost…
Organisation

Solving the operational problems of Cloud delivery

Cloud held out great promise – “All you can eat, whenever you’re hungry, you only pay when you’re eating, and you don’t have to own the kitchen!”. This is often still the dominant message. These things are all true but as dependence on Cloud usage has deepened, the practicalities have emerged and are becoming unignorable…
Entrepreneurs, Executing, Investors, Management, Organisation

Face to face meetings are a whole new thing

I’ve just agreed my first face to face business meeting for almost fourteen months. I’m looking forward to the familiar, productive push and shove that you get when you get into open debate and press the search for the right idea or solution. None of that stuttering audio as Zoom or Teams tries to make…