1. Every moment in business only happens once
2. Today's "best practices" lead to dead ends; the best paths are new and untried
3. Successful people find value in unexpected places
4. Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius
5. What a startup has to do: question received ideas and rethink business from scratch
6. The most contrarian thing of all is not to oppose the crowd but to think for yourself
7. If you want to create and capture lasting value, don't build an undifferentiated commodity business
8. War is a costly business
9. Many entrepreneurs focus only on short-term growth. They have an excuse: growth is easy to measure, but durability isn't
10. Every startup should start with a very small market
11. Don't disrupt: avoid competition at all costs
12. You are not a lottery ticket
13. There are two kinds of secrets: secrets about nature and secrets about people
14. No company has a culture; every company is a culture
15. Everyone at your company should be different in the same way - a tribe of like-minded people fiercely devoted to the company's mission
16. Academic ideas about history or economics don't just sell themselves on their intellectual merits
17. Marketing and advertising work for relatively low-priced products that have mass appeal but lack any method of viral distribution
18. A product is viral if its core functionality encourages users to invite their friends to become users too
19. Computers excel at efficient data processing, nut struggle to make basic judgments that would be simple for any human
20. Most of the world dreams of living as comfortably as Americans do today, and globalization will cause increasingly severe energy challenges unless we build new technology
21. We cannot take for granted that the future will be better, and that means we need to work to create it today
-Marc
Marc A. Ross is an advisor and connector working at the intersection of globalization, disruption, and politics. Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders make better connections and better communications. He is the founder of Brigadoon, the global community where entrepreneurs and thought leaders gather to discuss emerging issues shaping commerce and culture. Want more? Drop me an email @ marc@thebrigadoon.com.
Brigadoon Radio: Episode 26: Brexit = Should I Stay or Should I Go?
A recorded conversation between Dr. Mark Stellingworth and Marc Ross.
The episode explores the complexity of the EU system, how the world got here with Brexit, what it means for America, the players and policies, the importance of Dominic Cummings, and how culture and history shape economics and politics.
Brigadoon on the Beach | Los Angeles, California
Brigadoon is bringing together a peerless group of entrepreneurs and thought leaders for our first salon dinner in Los Angeles, California.
We will gather for a special dinner at the Jonathan Club in Santa Monica, California on Thursday, September 26 and Blue Duck Scooters Chief Business Officer Michael Keane will be our special guest speaker.
Why attend?
✔️ This will be an intimate event limited to only 20 attendees and provides open and frank discussions with all participants. Plus, you feel like a guest rather than a delegate.
✔️ Brigadoon gatherings are all powerpoint free and governed by Chatham House rules to ensure maximum conversations.
✔️ There are no lanyards or apps involved – by the end of the gathering you’ll be on first-name terms with subject matter experts from numerous industries including finance, government, business, media, architecture, design, retail, and hospitality.
✔️ Enjoy a discussion with fellow attendees on topics shaping commerce and culture in an informal and relaxed setting. Alongside the conversations and discussions, there is joyful, relaxed hospitality.
✔️ Regardless of your profession or skill set, you will be exposed to people who will inspire you to think about your work, life and home.
✔️ Brigadoon gatherings are transformational, not transactional.
Guest Speaker: Michael Keane
Michael is the President and Chief Business Officer for Blue Duck Scooters. Michael is an international business executive with 25 years of experience in strategy, operations and finance. He was previously Head of Strategy at Digital Domain, a leading Hollywood digital film production studio, and Chief Strategy Officer for an international security company. Michael is Chairman of the Board of Group 42, Inc., and was Vice Chairman of a NYSE-listed energy company. Michael is a former Fellow of the US Department of Defense’s National Security Education Program. He has an MBA from the U. of Chicago, JD from the University of Texas and BA from the University of Southern California.
Flamant = Belgium + Intimate Party + Brigadoon
Brigadoon is bringing together a peerless group of entrepreneurs and thought leaders for our second annual event in Annapolis, Maryland.
We will gather for a special dinner at Flamant on Thursday, September 12 and enjoy a morning cruise of the Chesapeake Bay on Friday, September 13.
Seven reasons to join us:
1. Brigadoon has had a long-running affair with Annapolis.
2. Annapolis, Maryland’s capital city, is on the Chesapeake Bay. Its historic district includes 18th-century brick houses, the domed 1700s Maryland State House and the US Naval Academy.
3. Flamant is recognized as one of the best restaurants in the Washington, DC metroplex. The Washington Post reports, "Washington’s loss is a coup for West Annapolis, where former District chef Frederik De Pue has set up shop in a handsome, 40-seat bungalow, invitingly staged with an herb garden on the side and a semicircle of chairs out front."
4. Maryland has a vibrant entrepreneurial community.
5. Plus, we speak about thought leaders breaking new ground.
6. Custom built for sailing, comfort, and fun, the Liberte is a grand experience for all.
7. You’ll have at least one discussion on how to start up a side-hustle (that one you’ve long yearned to get on with) or expand your current operation confidently.
