Argentina, Dad, Tracksmith, Hype Cycle, STEM, Errol Gerson

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Brigadoon Weekly
September 8, 2019
Curation and commentary from Marc A. Ross

Reporting from Alexandria, Virginia

Argentina, Dad, Tracksmith, Hype Cycle, STEM, Errol Gerson

ROSS RANT

What Alibaba can learn from Argentina

Alibaba looks wonderful until you realize it is protected from Amazon in its home market of China.

Is Jack Ma up to the challenge of Jeff Bezos?

Possibly.

But we will really never know.

How to properly manage the balance between protection and competition has been a challenge for governments for centuries.

Leaders know the steps you take to build a modern, world-class economy matters - do you protect it with subsidies and limiting market access or do you challenge it with trade and open market access?

Time and again those nations that challenge their home companies to be competitive globally are the most prosperous and most successful. Germany, the United States, Britain, Japan, and Italy are all prime examples.

In the 1930s, Argentina ranked among the ten richest nations in the world, after the likes of Australia, Britain, and the United States, but ahead of France, Germany, and Italy. With all the benefits of land, natural resources, and immigration, Argentina should have been able to maintain its position on this table and even possibly overtake the United States.

As it now stands, we know how this turned out for each country.

Argentina chose protectionism while the United States chose competition.

China and the leadership of Alibaba should consider Argentina and grasp that what looks good and sensible today, may not last forever.

-Marc

Marc A. Ross is a strategist and advisor 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 Brigado

FIVE TO READ

The marvel of the human dad: Among our close animal relatives, only humans have involved and empathic fathers. Why did evolution favor the devoted dad? http://bit.ly/2A3uedO

How running brand Tracksmith has taken an anti-Nike approach to building a brand http://bit.ly/2A3uxFu

How language shapes our perception of reality: The many subtle differences across languages might actually change the way we experience the world. http://bit.ly/2A3uZUc

The marketing hype cycle: Marketers have heard the “hype” about a bewildering amount of new marketing technology (martech), but sometimes hype is just hype. Vendors might pitch artificial intelligence as a game-changer and personalization as the next big thing, but how can marketers really know where to invest and what will make the biggest impact? http://bit.ly/2zZvxuf

Mind over STEM: With universities around the world cutting liberal-arts programs and even eliminating entire majors such as history, there is every reason to worry about the fate of the humanities. In an era of deepening technological determinism, we are going to need these disciplines now more than ever. http://bit.ly/2A3Mfst

EVENTS

Brigadoon Sundance 2020
February 23-25

Brigadoon is organizing its eighth gathering of entrepreneurs and thought leaders at Sundance Mountain Resort next winter.

Think of three days in the Utah mountains, engaging subject matter experts, meeting new entrepreneurs, hearing from thought leaders, enjoying winter mountain sports, a spa, yoga and meditation classes, the Owl Bar, delicious meals, relaxing by a fire, powerpoint free sessions, and discussions with fellow participants on emerging issues shaping commerce and culture.

The event is more retreat and less conference.

The gathering is less transactional and more transformational.

2020 Topics:

Space Exploration
Ocean Adventure
Internet of Things
Immigration + Border
Robots + Automation
Modern Monetary Theory
Architecture
Mental Wellness + Performance

2020 Bonus Activities:

High West Brunch + Tour
Thought Leader Training
Concierge Service

More information and tickets - here.

PODCAST

The Futur: Contagious selling with Errol Gerson http://bit.ly/311njhf

SOTD

Minstrel Boy - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros http://bit.ly/316Avl1


Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc

Take time to get your 50 mission cap

A fifty mission cap was a stiff cloth cap with a visor issued to Allied bomber pilots in World War II when they had completed fifty missions. 

After fifty missions, the pilots were known to weather and beat their cap into a more rugged and worn look. Cheating death and pushing the envelope makes one want to display a roughness and not wear a stiffer and newly issued flight cap.  

These worn and personalized hats obviously made these pilots more identifiable and therefore more respected by the rookies. 

The cap was thus a status symbol.

A symbol that you had the knowledge.

A symbol that you had the experience.

A symbol that you had the professionalism.

Junior pilots were known to work in their caps to look like a fifty mission cap. They too wanted to appear that they had more than they did.

Sure you may have the cap, you can work it in to look like that, but that doesn't mean you have the knowledge, experience, and professionalism.

Not all us can have a fifty mission cap for the simple reason such a cap requires, time, experience, and commitment.

Most of us want the cap as soon as possible.

But why?

The journey is needed. 

Most overnight successes take decades. Most artistry is gained by failure. Most skills are gathered by doing the reps.

Sure the journey has stress. Sure the journey has unknowns. Sure the journey has complications.

But at the end, you're a different person. You get the fifty mission cap. You earned it.

The journey takes you beyond, propels you to achieve more, and contribute to others along the way. 

The journey is needed.

The challenge as entrepreneurs and thought leaders is to find a journey worthy of your heart and your soul.

That's when you want to put the cap on.

-Marc

Marc A. Ross is a globalization strategist and communications advisor. Ross specializes in helping entrepreneurs and thought leaders make better connections and better communications. He is the founder of Caracal Global and Brigadoon.

Four cities. One table.

Brigadoon is bringing together a peerless group of entrepreneurs and thought leaders for a series of salon dinners across the United States this fall.

We will gather for exclusive dinners and engaging discussions in Annapolis, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Cincinnati.

Each venue for these gatherings has been highly curated to capture the distinct vibe of each city while ensuring maximum participation engagement.

Plus we will be dining in some of the top restaurants each city has to offer, enjoying the skills of acclaimed chefs, bespoke cocktails, and well-stocked wine collections.

More event details and tickets here: www.thebrigadoon.com

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