June 9 - June 15, 2025 releases on StrategyTraining.com

Most organizations don’t fail for lack of strategy. They fail because the strategy isn’t operationalized, because there is no structured way to align daily decisions with long-term objectives.

We just released a full study for the Strategy Control Room Advanced members: 207 slides, detailing how to build a Business Management Process (BMP) using the Balanced Scorecard and Plan-Do-Review (PDR) approach. It’s the same structure we’ve used with global clients to drive meaningful value that earns you trusted advisor reputation. 

For Insider members, we continue our deep-dive series on building a consulting practice (Level II), managing promotions, and shaping a life that is not only successful but also has meaning and where you feel happy. As Albert Einstein said, "Do not strive to be successful. Strive to ensure that your life has meaning." 

Legacy members receive additional training on communicating under pressure, navigating uncertainty in career direction, and finding sponsors, not by asking, but by becoming the kind of leader people want to support.

If you're focused on execution, leadership, and career acceleration, these new releases are directly relevant. They are designed to support important decisions, even under severe pressure.

Here’s what was released for StrategyTraining.com members:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

A major update, a whole new study (207 slides released altogether), is available to the SCRA members.

Sunday
Balanced Scorecard Implementation -  A major update to the SCRA. 207 SLIDES. Business Management Processes (BMP) remain an essential way to run a business. They cannot be ignored. So we released a full new study showing how we created a BMP using the Balanced ScoreCard (BSC) and the Plan-Do-Review (PDR) process. You will see the entire scorecard, KPIs, and development process, an effective way of translating strategy to action. 

For Insider Members

These new training episodes were released.

Friday
The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted – Episode 14 of 18
This 18-part Insider program challenges the conventional wisdom of career growth, helping ambitious professionals rethink promotions, leadership roles, and long-term wealth creation.
Episode title:  Action Next Step #9

Saturday
(NEW) Building a Consulting Practice. Level II – Episode 4 of TBD
Building a Consulting Practice (Level 2) picks up where Building a Consulting Practice (Level 1) left off. While Level 1 lays the foundational principles of setting up or rebuilding a consulting business, whether as an independent firm or as a practice within a major consulting firm, Level 2 takes you into the advanced art of turning routine client work into an engine for long-term growth.

Michael opens the door to rarely discussed skills: how to reframe client conversations away from low-value, transactional tasks and into high-impact, strategic engagements. How to uncover hidden opportunities even when no obvious “problem” exists, and how to position yourself as a trusted partner invited into the most critical issues, not as a vendor chasing projects.

Through the lens of a real-world operations strategy study, you will see how an unglamorous project became the seedbed for a completely new consulting practice. You’ll learn how to apply sharp strategic thinking in operational contexts, how to triangulate discussions toward your strengths, and how to scale a practice that thrives beyond any single engagement.

Level 1 teaches you the business of consulting. Level 2 shows you how to expand that business into a powerhouse. Together, in addition to a few other programs on StrategyTraining.com, such as Partnership. Memoir, Rebuilding a Consulting Practice, How to Build an Innovation Division, these programs provide a roadmap for consultants at every stage who are ready to master not just delivery, but sustainable, long-term growth.
Episode title: Second take on the issue

Sunday
Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? – Episode 10 of 14
Practical insights to help you recognize the patterns that are draining your energy and how to stop them. 
Episode title: Memories are often wildly misleading

For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

Friday
Communicating Details - Episode 4 of 5
In every organization, there comes a moment when doing exactly what was agreed leads to frustration, disappointment or even blame. This program, Communicating Details, unpacks one of the most common but costly management traps: when plans are executed as approved, but shifting realities demand a different response.

Through the real-world case of one of our executive coaching clients, Michael explores why excessive upfront detail and rigid adherence to plans can backfire, even when managers explicitly sign off. You’ll learn the critical difference between following a plan and managing evolving priorities, why both employees and leaders share responsibility for context shifts, and how to apply a flexible problem-solving model that protects outcomes while maintaining trust.

This program equips consultants, managers, and senior leaders with the mindset and tools to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, where communication, adaptability, and strategic judgment matter far more than simply “doing what was agreed.”
Episode title: So, how do you communicate?

Saturday
I Don't Know If This Is What I Want to Do - Episode 7 of 7
Many clients are not certain that the work they are currently doing, or the industry they are currently in, is in fact the space where they want to continue building their career. If this is your situation, what is the way to decide a way forward?
Episode title:  Always be advancing and...

Sunday
(New) Why You're Unlikely to Get the Sponsor You Really Need - Episode 1 of 4
It is important to find the right sponsor, but what if the real power lies in becoming someone worth sponsoring? This program shows you why the path to sponsorship begins not with who you know, but with how visibly you create value.
Episode title: Focus on the correct question

Insiders can move to Legacy anytime and back to Insider without losing Insider status. Email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your Insider status.

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

Strategy Skills Podcast (top 5-10 for careers in many countries)

Monday
The Core Leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice on Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies - with Tim Koller

In this episode, our returning guest, Tim Koller, co-author of Valuation, the core leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, offers a substantive examination of capital allocation decisions under real-world constraints. The discussion moves beyond theory to explore how CEOs and CFOs should approach resource deployment in mature, capital-rich companies, where investment opportunities are limited not due to lack of ambition but due to economic reality.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Wednesday
Professor of Finance at London Business School on Why ESG and DEI Data May Contain Lies – with Alex Edmans

In this episode, our returning guest, a finance professor at London Business School and author, Alex Edmans, offers a rigorous examination of the narratives surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in corporate strategy. Drawing on his critique of widely cited studies, including those from McKinsey and BlackRock, Edmans illustrates how flawed data interpretations and confirmation bias contribute to the persistence of questionable claims. He warns against relying on correlation-based research that lacks causal rigor, especially when such findings are used to justify high-stakes decisions in boardrooms and policy circles.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Ready to begin?

Log in to StrategyTraining.com to access new episodes, resources, and keep moving forward.

May 19–May 25, 2025 releases on StrategyTraining.com

Clients remember one thing long after the consulting project ends: 

How much they trusted you.

And that changes everything.

Every client relationship starts the same way. But the best ones evolve into something more.

The goal from the very first project is not only to deliver results. It is to build a long-term relationship that naturally leads to more work and long-term partnership.

A relationship where you are not trying to sell more work.

Instead, client is drawing you into the issues.

That is when things shift.

You are not pitching anymore. You are partnering.

You are not chasing projects. You are being invited into them.

And those projects?

They can be anything from smaller strategy or operations work to change management or digital initiatives.

Or, if that is what you are aiming for, even large-scale transformations and turnarounds, the type we covered in our 200+ videos Corporate Strategy & Transformation study program within the Strategy Training app.

The scope expands when trust is built.

Clients do not need another consultant. They need someone they trust enough to invite in.

Members who fully engage with StrategyTraining.com change the course of their careers and lives.

And, over time, some long-term members and clients send us letters of appreciation, like the one Michael received this month.

There are three membership levels you should pay attention to. They are as follows:

Our reading library:

Strategy Control Room Advanced (SCRA) members gain access to our internal knowledge management system, including studies, proposals, Centers of Excellence, advanced books not available anywhere else, flip charts, slides from video programs, notes from The Consulting Offer, and more.

Our video/audio training library:

Insider membership is designed for long-term clients who want to deliver meaningful impact while accelerating their careers.

Legacy members receive everything in Insider, plus access to additional advanced programs and personalized guidance.

As you probably know, we add additional training and resources weekly. New training episodes and resources are now live and available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and ROKU.

Here is what is new this week:

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

You’ll receive this exclusive update:

Sunday

New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Update 7 (125 SLIDES) of TBD

For Insider Members

These new training episodes are being released this week.

Friday
The MasterPlan Advanced – Episode 30 of TBD
The MasterPlan Advanced builds on the most transformative career strategy work we’ve done to date. Based on Michael’s and Kris’s personal experiences and decades of coaching senior executives, it covers how to move from well-off to wealthy, across career, relationships, investing, health, and more. This is the next step for members who are working toward building a richer, more fulfilling life, not only a career that looks successful to people around.
Episode title: Creating a Viable Business Model

Saturday
Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? – Episode 7 of 14
Practical insights to help you recognize the patterns that are draining your energy and how to stop them. Members can submit questions for the next 7 days to shape future episodes/related programs.
Episode title: The Trap of Finding Happiness Alone

Sunday
(NEW) Building a Consulting Practice. Level II – Episode 1 of TBD
Building a Consulting Practice (Level 2) picks up where Building a Consulting Practice (Level 1) left off. While Level 1 lays the foundational principles of setting up or rebuilding a consulting business, whether as an independent firm or as a practice within an elite organization, Level 2 takes you into the advanced art of turning routine client work into an engine for long-term growth.

This is not about surface techniques or standard operations work. Michael opens the door to rarely discussed skills: how to reframe client conversations away from low-value, transactional tasks and into high-impact, strategic engagements; how to uncover hidden opportunities even when no obvious “problem” exists; and how to position yourself as a trusted partner invited into the most critical issues, not as a vendor chasing projects.

Through the lens of a real-world operations strategy study, you will see how an unglamorous project became the seedbed for a completely new consulting practice. You’ll learn how to apply sharp strategic thinking in operational contexts, how to triangulate discussions toward your strengths, and how to scale a practice that thrives beyond any single engagement.

Level 1 teaches you the business of consulting. Level 2 shows you how to expand that business into a powerhouse. Together, in addition to a few other programs on StrategyTraining.com such as Partnership. Memoir, Rebuilding a Consulting Practice, How to Build an Innovation Division, these programs provide a roadmap for consultants at every stage who are ready to master not just delivery, but sustainable, long-term growth.
Episode title: Know the, Usually, Boring Context

For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

Friday
A Mid-Life Strategy Update – Episode 44 of TBD
What if your health, relationships, wealth, and life’s work all demanded urgent attention at the same time? In this real-time program, Michael shares the exact strategies he’s using to rebuild every major area of his life. It’s rare to get this level of access. Even rarer to see it in real time.
Episode title: The Root Cause of an Issue is Rarely Known, Acknowledged, or Even Discussed

Saturday
I Don't Know If This Is What I Want to Do - Episode 4 of 7
Many clients are not certain that the work they are currently doing, or the industry they are currently in, is in fact the space where they want to continue building their career. If this is your situation, what is the way to decide a way forward?
Episode title: The Most Important Decision You Need to Make 2.0

Sunday
(New) Communicating Details - Episode 1 of 5
In every organization, there comes a moment when doing exactly what was agreed leads to frustration, disappointment or even blame. This program, Communicating Details, unpacks one of the most common but costly management traps: when plans are executed as approved, but shifting realities demand a different response.

Through the real-world case of one of our executive coaching clients, Michael explores why excessive upfront detail and rigid adherence to plans can backfire, even when managers explicitly sign off. You’ll learn the critical difference between following a plan and managing evolving priorities, why both employees and leaders share responsibility for context shifts, and how to apply a flexible problem-solving model that protects outcomes while maintaining trust.

This program equips consultants, managers, and senior leaders with the mindset and tools to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics, where communication, adaptability, and strategic judgment matter far more than simply “doing what was agreed.”
Episode title: A Common Problem

Insiders can move to Legacy anytime and back to Insider without losing Insider status. Just email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your Insider status.

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

We also released these free resources:

Strategy Skills Podcast (top 5-10 for careers in many countries)

Monday
From Ditch Digger to 9-Figure CEO: Building a Business That Runs Without You - with Ken Rusk

In this episode, Kris speaks with Ken Rusk, nine-figure CEO and bestselling author of Blue Collar Cash, on building and scaling a successful business.

Key insights:

- True growth comes from empowering entrepreneurial employees and building autonomous teams aligned with the company’s mission and motivated to perform.
- Rusk’s approach emphasizes the alignment of personal goals and corporate objectives, using a system of “timed pathways” where employees publicly commit to and pursue personal milestones, creating accountability and shared momentum.
- Strategic reinvestment in marketing, reputation, and customer experience fueled steady expansion, while maintaining a clear long-term vision kept the organization resilient during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.
- His leadership philosophy centers on building decision-makers, not just making decisions, and staying focused on time as the most valuable asset, balancing business success with personal well-being, family, and purpose.
- Rusk’s recent move to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) reflects his commitment to sharing long-term value and ensuring that the team that built the company benefits from its future growth.

Rusk’s message is that sustainable business success stems from developing others, aligning incentives, and ensuring that leaders stay focused on the long view, both in business and in life.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Wednesday
Founding Partner of DCM Insights on What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently – with Matthew Dixon

In this episode, Kris speaks with Matthew Dixon, founding partner of DCM Insights and bestselling author, about his latest research on business development in professional services. Drawing on a global study of 3,000 partners, Dixon outlines five distinct sales profiles and highlights the “Activator” as the only approach consistently linked to higher revenue performance.

Key insights:

- Traditional models of client loyalty are eroding, with fewer clients returning automatically to the same firm.
- Top performers distinguish themselves by proactively delivering value, leveraging internal and external networks, and consistently committing time to business development.
- Effective firms drive adoption of these behaviors not through mandates, but by enabling teams with tools, mentorship, and a culture of collaboration.
- Technology, including AI and network management tools, reduces the time required to execute these strategies, but success ultimately relies on human relationships and judgment.

Dixon’s upcoming book, The Activator Advantage, provides a practical guide for partners and leaders seeking to future-proof client engagement strategies in a more competitive and fast-changing market.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com / Kris Safarova YouTube Channels:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

The Systems Behind Sustained High Performance with ADHD - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Ready to begin?

Log in to StrategyTraining.com to access new episodes, resources, and keep moving forward.

“I get no joy in consulting anymore.
I don’t know if this is what I should do."

That’s not a casual thought.
It’s not something you say when everything is running smoothly.

It’s the quiet sentence that only surfaces when something deep inside feels really off.

And that’s exactly what came through from a client recently, a very successful executive in a tech space.

(Note: Some details have been changed to protect the client’s privacy.)

Here’s what he shared with us:

"I was having an afternoon in Barcelona... went to my usual places… visiting watchmakers and car dealers I know well.

And I noticed… I get joy doing this. When I offer gifts. When I create meaningful experiences.

But... when it comes to my work, I don't feel it's what I should be doing."

This is the real question many leaders quietly wrestle with.

Not "How do I grow my practice?"
Not "How do I scale adjacent services?"

But — "Am I doing what I’m supposed to do anymore?"

And here’s where it gets complicated.

You may still be successful.
Selling the largest projects you have ever sold in your career.
Adding new services to the consulting practice you are leading.
Launching successful products in a large tech firm.

But there’s no joy anymore.

And that’s dangerous in ways most never talk about.

“I didn’t feel I should do the call.”

“I was feeling that... discomfort.
The feeling when you know you should do something… but you really don’t want to.”

At first, it’s subtle.

You forget a call here and there.
You avoid certain meetings.
You push aside the new ideas.

But quietly, under the surface, something is breaking down.

It’s like what happened in the show The Office.

Remember when Jan, after that Jamaica trip with Michael Scott and the embarrassment of her private photo being forwarded across the organization, decided she deserved to be happy?

It didn’t fall apart instantly. But once that decision was made, her life slowly, and then suddenly, started to unravel.

Same idea here.

"If you're unhappy… at some point you are going to find the unhappiness intolerable.

And all your wheels will fall off."

That’s reality.

And this is why the story of Walt Disney, which we unpack in detail in the program, is so revealing here.

“Disney lost everything. The intellectual property. The team. The dream.”

And yet...

“Out of necessity, Disney and his colleague created Mickey Mouse.”

So what does that mean for people like us: senior leaders responsible for businesses and teams?

Is that deep frustration a sign to push harder and break through…
Or is it a signal that it’s time to let go and shift?

"You can have a vision.
You can have a business.

But unless there’s congruence... you’re going to struggle."

That’s the real decision point.

And in a new Legacy program, we go into this.

Not surface-level. 

But real, candid examples of what happened behind the scenes when world-class leaders faced this exact moment.

"The business model may not work with the vision.
And unless you have congruence… you are going to struggle."

We go deep into this inside Should I Invest in This New Business, a new Legacy program.
And if you’ve ever caught yourself wondering, “Is what I am doing still right for me?” — this is for you.

April 21-27, 2025 releases on StrategyTraining.com

The biggest reward of being a great team member is not just the immediate sense of fulfillment and a sense of success. It's that you'll always have a team that wants you. Someone will always want you in their corner, for the rest of your life.

And this is applicable both at work and in your personal life.

This fundamental truth drives our training releases this week.

Whether exploring 18-part series "The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted," listening to our new 14-part series "Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy?", or examining how to balance work and health in "My Work is Destroying My Health," each program helps you become not just more successful, but a more valuable team member (at work and at home) who others seek out.

Most professionals don't have access to the kind of training that produces lasting, meaningful results. Instead, they focus on surface-level skills, chase tactics, and hope that success will eventually follow.

If quick tips, hacks, and shortcuts were sufficient, we would see far more people achieving extraordinary levels of personal health, financial wealth, professional success, and lifestyle freedom. But we do not, because these methods alone are inadequate.

Shortcuts and hacks may offer occasional, short-term gains. Relying on AI to do the thinking may produce results in isolated instances. However, neither approach builds the deep capabilities required for sustained, exceptional performance.

Standing out today requires structured, advanced training that develops rare and durable skills, skills that distinguish you from the many others reading the same books and using the same AI tools.

StrategyTraining.com offers the most powerful library of video and audio-based training available in strategy, problem solving, critical thinking, communication, executive presence, leadership, case interviews, and consulting business building.

This is not theory. It is practical, high-impact training designed for individuals who are serious about becoming exceptional at what they do. And it is not limited to management consultants: more than half of our members and clients are outside of consulting, with no plans to enter the field.

As you probably know, we refresh the library weekly. New content is now live and available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and ROKU.

Insider membership is designed for long-term clients who want to deliver meaningful impact while accelerating their careers.

Legacy members receive everything in Insider, plus access to additional advanced programs and personalized guidance.

Strategy Control Room Advanced (SCRA) members gain access to our internal knowledge management system, including studies, proposals, Centers of Excellence, advanced books not available anywhere else, flip charts, slides from video programs, notes from The Consulting Offer, and more.

🔹For Insider Members

These powerful new episodes are being released this week.

Friday
The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted – Episode 8 of 18
This 18-part Insider program challenges the conventional wisdom of career growth, helping ambitious professionals rethink promotions, leadership roles, and long-term wealth creation.
Episode title: Action Next Step #5

Saturday
MasterPlan Advanced – Episode 26 of TBD
The MasterPlan Advanced builds on the most transformative career strategy work we’ve done to date. Based on Michael’s and Kris’s personal experiences and decades of coaching senior executives it covers how to move from well-off to wealthy, across career, relationships, investing, health, and more. This is the next step for members who are ready to build a richer, more fulfilling life, not only a career that looks successful to people around.
Episode title: Advisors, Who Often Implement

Sunday
(New) Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? – Episode 3 of 14
Practical insights to help you recognize the patterns that are draining your energy, and how to stop them. Members can submit questions for the next 3 weeks to shape future episodes/related programs.
Episode title: Your Love of X is Someone Else's Hatred

🔹 For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

Wednesday
Mid-Life Strategy Update – Episode 40 of TBD
What if your health, relationships, wealth, and life’s work all demanded urgent attention, at the same time? In this real-time program, Michael shares the exact strategies he’s using to rebuild every major area of his life. It’s rare to get this level of access. Even rarer to see it in real time. This is a critical episode to not miss.
Episode title: What is Your Identity Costing You?

Thursday
(New) My Work is Destroying My Health – Episode 3 of 4
There’s a point where stress stops being fuel and starts being poison, to the point that it impacts your health. Most people don’t act until the symptoms can’t be explained away. Yet, there is a way to recover your health and performance. 
Episode title: This Plan Has a 0% ROI

Sunday
(New) Should I Invest in This New Business Episode 1 of TBD
This program addresses a challenge at the core of what many high-performing professionals face: how to know if the work they are doing is the work they should be doing. Drawing on real-world examples, including the early journey of Walt Disney, the program unpacks the subtle but critical signals that indicate whether you are forcing yourself to stay in a field or pursuing something you genuinely believe in. Rather than giving surface-level advice, the program walks through counterintuitive insights, helping participants map where their energy, momentum, and personal fulfillment align, and where they do not. It is about understanding how to know, not what to do.
Episode title: Part 1: The First Rule of Investing

Insiders can upgrade to Legacy at any time and back to Insider without losing Insider status. Just email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your access.

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

🔹 For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

You’ll receive this exclusive update:

Sunday
New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Update 4 of TBD

We also released these free resources:

Strategy Skills Podcast (top 5-10 for careers in many countries)

Monday
Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review on the Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift – with Kevin Evers

What can a $2B concert tour teach us about business strategy? Quite a lot.

We often speak about innovation and reinvention in the corporate world. Yet, few embody it as consistently and successfully as the artist and strategist Taylor Swift.

In this episode, I spoke with Kevin Evers, Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift.

Kevin brings a rare perspective, someone who has quietly shaped the voices of influential business thinkers over nearly two decades, now stepping into authorship himself.

Kevin shares insights from his new book on Taylor Swift, noting her strategic decision-making and marketing tactics that led her to where she is today. He stresses the value of trust and consistency in building a brand, citing Taylor Swift's $2 billion Eras Tour and her 2% market share in 2024. Kevin also underscores how Taylor treats her fans, leveraging fan engagement for marketing success, and how we can adopt it in the business world.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Wednesday
CIA Hacker to Tech Entrepreneur: How Cybersecurity Can Make or Break Your Business – with Dr. Eric Cole

From CIA hacker to cybersecurity advisor to a U.S. President.

Now trusted by Fortune 500 companies, international banks, and leaders like Bill Gates.

(And he almost missed the CIA meeting... because it was raining.)

"Something told me, it was a Thursday afternoon. ... and something told me, you have to go to the co-op office today. You have to go today. ... I believe there’s this inner voice and ... this thing came over me, and I get out of class at 3:30. It’s raining. It’s a 10-minute walk... So the universe is testing me."

In this episode of the Strategy Skills podcast, Dr. Eric Cole — former CIA hacker, Cyber Wingman for the U.S. Air Force, and Commissioner on Cybersecurity for the 44th President of the United States — shares lessons from a career built on discipline, pattern recognition, trusting your instincts, and letting data — not emotions — drive decisions.

Today, his expertise is trusted by Fortune 500 companies, international banks, and some of the world’s most influential leaders, including Bill Gates.

If you're serious about operating at the highest levels, you’ll want to study this episode carefully.

We cover:

- Why cybersecurity is a competitive advantage when used properly
- How to build $7M companies that sell for 9–10x revenue
- Why protecting your intellectual property early can create millions in extra value
- Why minimizing exposure — in business and in security — is key to surviving long term
- How real entrepreneurs use data, not emotions, to make decisions
- Why building businesses in "Blue Oceans" (no competitors) is critical
- Why ethical sales beat high-pressure tactics every time

Plus:

→ The simple morning routine he uses to stay sharp 
→ How he protects his personal AI to avoid being replaced by it
→ How to build companies designed for high-value exits — not 30 years of exhaustion

If you’re thinking long-term about leading, building, and protecting real value, you will find this episode helpful.

Listen to the episode here (you can also watch or read the transcript).

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com YouTube Channel:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.
 

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Ready to begin?

Log in to StrategyTraining.com to access new episodes, resources and keep moving forward.

April 14–20, 2025 releases on StrategyTraining.com

Most professionals never get access to the right kind of training.

They focus on surface-level skills. They chase tactics. They hope things will eventually fall into place.

But to stand out requires structured, advanced training built by people who have actually done the work at the highest levels.

That’s why we built StrategyTraining.com, the most powerful library of video and audio-based training in strategy, problem solving, critical thinking, communication, executive presence, leadership, case interviews, and consulting business building.

This is not theory. It’s not motivational content. It’s effective training for people who want to be exceptional at what they do. Here is what some of our members say:

We refresh the library weekly. New content is now live and available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and ROKU.

Insider membership is designed for long-term clients who want to deliver meaningful impact while accelerating their careers.

Legacy members receive everything in Insider, plus access to additional advanced programs and personalized guidance.

Strategy Control Room Advanced members gain access to our internal knowledge management system, including studies, proposals, Centers of Excellence, advanced books not available anywhere else, flip charts, slides from video programs, notes from The Consulting Offer, and more.

For Insider Members

These powerful new episodes are being released this week.

Friday
The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted – Episode 7 of 18
This 18-part Insider program challenges the conventional wisdom of career growth, helping ambitious professionals rethink promotions, leadership roles, and long-term wealth creation.
Episode title: Being Promoted Into a New Role is Not a Reward for Past Work, But We See It That Way + Action Next Steps #3 & #4

Saturday
MasterPlan Advanced – Episode 25 of TBD
The MasterPlan Advanced builds on the most transformative career strategy work we’ve done to date. Based on Michael’s and Kris’s personal experiences and decades of coaching senior executives it covers how to move from well-off to wealthy, across career, relationships, investing, health, and more. This is the next step for those ready to build a richer, more fulfilling life.
Episode title: Identity Shifting vs. Shaping

Sunday
(New) Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? – Episode 2 of 14
Practical insights to help you recognize the patterns that are draining your energy, and how to stop them. Members can submit questions for a limited time to shape future episodes.
Episode title: Tolerance Always Becomes Intolerable

For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

Wednesday
Mid-Life Strategy Update – Episode 39 of TBD
What if your health, relationships, wealth, and life’s work all demanded urgent attention, at the same time? In this real-time program, Michael shares the exact strategies he’s using to rebuild every major area of his life. It’s rare to get this level of access. Even rarer to see it in real time.
Episode title: When Your Life Experiences a Prison Break

Thursday
(New) My Work is Destroying My Health – Episode 2 of 4
There’s a point where stress stops being fuel and starts being poison, to the point that it impacts your health. Most people don’t act until the symptoms can’t be explained away. Yet, there is a way to recover your health and performance. 
Episode title: You're Living in Ayn Rand's World

Sunday
(New) I Don't Know if This Is What I Want to Do - Episode 1 of 7
Many clients are not certain that the work they are currently doing, or the industry they are currently in, is in fact the space where they want to continue building their career. If this is your situation, what is the way to decide a way forward?
Episode title: We Will Always Fail at Analyzing Happiness

Insiders can upgrade to Legacy at any time and back to Insider without losing Insider status. Just email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your access.

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Audio Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom audio answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide tailored guidance for your unique situation

• Subject line: Legacy Question

For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

You’ll receive this exclusive update:

Sunday
New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Update 4 of TBD
Most IT projects fail, not because of bad technology, but because of poor thinking. This Center-of-Excellence shows you exactly why projects go off track and how to prevent it. 

We also released these free resources:

Strategy Skills Podcast

Monday
Chief Investment Officer at T. Rowe Price on the Psychology of Leadership – with Sébastien Page.
Sébastien shares lessons drawn from 20 years of experience and in-depth research in positive and sports psychology. Sébastien introduces the PERMA model (Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Accomplishment) and explains how it can be applied to leadership and organizational success. He also shares insights from studying billionaires and what drives their success beyond money. 

Co-founder of Peak 360 Wealth Management on Understanding Embodied Wealth – with Elizabeth Husserl.
We explore how fulfillment, stability, and meaning factor into what it really means to be wealthy. Elizabeth explains how our “scarcity brain” influences money decisions, why understanding your financial DNA matters, and how daily practices like journaling and meditation can change your relationship with money. 

Additionally, here are the recent releases on FIRMSconsulting / StrategyTraining.com YouTube Channel:

IT Strategy vs. Corporate Strategy: Microsoft - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Build Consulting Storyboards in 3 Weeks (This is How McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte Do It) - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

How to Feel Comfortable on Camera - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Management Consulting Storyboard | Storyboarding used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, Deloitte, PwC et al. - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

McKinsey’s Rise to Prominence Under Marvin Bower - with Kris Safarova
Access here.

Ready to begin?

Log in to StrategyTraining.com to access new episodes, resources and keep moving forward.

How to Perform Above Average with a Brain That Works

Nothing Like Most People's

When I worked in consulting and banking, the open-plan layout (endless desks, no offices except for the most senior leaders) was pure torture.

For example, having a conversation with a colleague while someone else was speaking loudly next to me was a constant test. My attention would lock onto the louder voice, and I would miss a lot of what the person I was speaking to was saying.

I did well, getting accelerated promotions, despite all of this because I built systems that allowed me to do well.

I constantly looked for quiet places to get work done. 

I found the best noise-blocking headphones you can buy. The kind that allow you to block noise completely. When possible, I would position my chair so I was facing the wall, even if it is just a cubicle wall, and that would help me focus better. The only issue is that if someone tried to talk to me, I would get startled. 

I also utilized the following:
- Unbooked boardrooms.
- Deserted corners of the office building.
- Coming at 6 am.
- Staying long after everyone else had left.
- Doing a lot of the work on weekends and at nights from home. 

Most people don’t see what it takes to get through a day when your brain isn’t wired like that of most people.

In consulting, we value structured thinking. We often expect linear thinking.

I’ve built a career in a profession where clarity, speed, and polish are the currency.

There’s tension in that.

I process differently. I work differently.

It doesn’t mean I’m unfocused or difficult.

Sometimes, I need more time, but I get a better answer than most people. 

I test more paths than most before committing.

I need quiet to think. 

Over the years, I have become better at being able to perform above average while having a brain that works differently from most people.

Here’s what helps me:

- Music that helps me stay focused
- I get up to 10x more done if I work at night (9 pm to 5 am). This is not possible or healthy on an ongoing basis but when needed, the option is there
- My mind switches on as soon as the sun sets, so while many people rest in the evening, I work until it is time to sleep. And if you look at my calendar, I have meetings and podcast recordings all the way to 9 pm. And some solitary work is done well after 9 pm. 
- I have to work in a quiet space with no one talking around me. Ideally, it needs to be a room with a closed door. An open-space office is pure torture for me
- Fresh air helps, so my windows are often open, even during the depths of winter or in the peak of summer
- It helps me focus if I work in a larger room
- I get good work done in a quiet space outside. In fact, if I work outside without any people around, I can get up to productivity level of 9 pm to 5 am (up to 10x)
- If my mind spaces out during a discussion, it is ok to ask a person to repeat. I am doing everything I can to stay focused. That is all I can ask of myself. And I know that what my mind produces (solutions, ideas, insights) is well worth the trouble for everyone involved
- Planning for what should be accomplished in a day must happen the night before, not the morning of
- I keep categorized to-do lists for a day, a week, a month, plus the main list with everything else. I also have a separate column for the highest priority tasks where I can’t drop the ball
- I have people on my team who are highly organized and keep the “trains” moving on time
- My main business partner, Michael, is the most organized person I have ever met. He is also the most talented person I have ever met. If I had to describe him in one word, it would be Godsend. And I don’t use that word lightly
- I leverage the power of my mind to see what others don’t see by regularly spending time in spaces (such as solitary walks in nature) where my mind can most effectively come up with new ideas and solutions. I am diligent about it because I get very important insights not just for my life but for our clients (e.g. for our executive coaching clients)

Neurodivergent consultants and leaders bring something unique. Not just one strength but a constellation of abilities that often show up in unexpected, high-impact ways.

1. A unique lens on the same data
Neurodivergent leaders often approach problems from non-traditional angles. This can lead to insights others overlook.

2. Focus others can’t sustain
This is characteristic of ADHD. While the focus is generally difficult to initiate or sustain on not engaging tasks, once interest and clarity are present, many experience "hyperfocus," an intense, sustained concentration that can last hours. In my particular case this also shows up as being able to remain regularly hyperfocused on the same topics for decades.

3. A natural resistance to groupthink
Many neurodivergent thinkers are less influenced by social pressure or convention. They may ask uncomfortable questions, raise red flags early, or propose contrarian ideas. This strengthens decision-making.

4. Creativity shaped by constraints
Working around neurotypical systems often forces creativity. The need to build workarounds often translates into sharper creative problem-solving.

5. Precision with language or logic
Some neurodivergent people are extremely sensitive to ambiguity, unclear phrasing, or flawed reasoning. This can elevate the rigor of a team’s thinking and the quality of the team's output. This is one reason I sometimes struggle in meetings. If a question involves a lack of clarity because of a lack of understanding of what the situation demands to be asked, I will first adjust what the question should be before I can answer it. For someone who is not paying as much attention as I do to unclear phrasing or flawed reasoning this can be frustrating.

6. Pattern recognition and systems thinking
Many neurodivergent thinkers may notice relationships across concepts, data points, or systems that others miss. In consulting, this ability to “see the whole chessboard” is a significant advantage.

7. Unusual memory strengths
Some neurodivergent people have strong episodic memory (remembering past experiences vividly), or working memory (keeping many ideas in mind simultaneously). This helps in synthesis, client conversations, and complex analysis. For example, when I was editing courses with Kevin P Coyne, such as How to Solve Big Problems, I pulled insights from all takes, not just from one selected take of a particular episode. And I stitched them together into one episode to ensure our members would not miss out on additional insights and examples. That means keeping in mind about 3-4 takes for each module. Each module has multiple episodes. If there are 10-12 modules in just one program, and I was editing multiple programs, that is a lot and most people would not do it. 

8. A deep sense of fairness or principles
Many neurodivergent leaders are extremely values-driven. They may resist political games, hold teams to high ethical standards, and be unafraid to voice dissent when something feels wrong. Personally, this trait has gotten me into trouble more than once. But it’s one I deeply respect in myself and in others.

9. Relentless curiosity
An intrinsic drive to understand can lead to better questions and better answers. This curiosity often drives deep expertise in specialized areas.

But to benefit from all that, we need to make room, not just in principle, but in how we actually work.

If you want your team, family member, a friend, or whoever you have in your life who has ADHD to deliver the value they can deliver, make it possible for them to do well.

That’s the part most people miss.

If we only reward those who perform a certain way, who think in a certain way, who come across in a certain way, we lose out on the outsized value others can bring. 

Quietly. Deeply. Differently.

And if you are the one who is neurodivergent, embrace your strengths. In my experience, they far outweigh the weaknesses if you are willing to put in the work, and what you can produce is well worth the trouble. What you can create is something the world really needs. And only you can deliver that unique work. No one else can. 

If You Think a 20% Buffer is Enough for Your IT Project...

...You Haven’t Seen the Data.

Strategy Control Room Advanced members can access the new IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence, Updates 1 and 2, here. 

---

A vision, as wonderful and ambitious as it may be, is not enough to
deliver a successful project.

According to a database of over 16,000 projects from 136
countries from 20+ different fields, only 8.5% of projects are
completed within the budget and on time.

Further, out of the 8.5% successful projects, only 0.5% delivered the promised benefits.

Megaprojects are almost always doomed to fail.

But why?

This slow progress-more problems pattern is driven by two distinct
forces. 

These two are constant in all projects, from major IT projects to space stations down to garden renovations. Basically, whenever someone wants to turn a dream/vision into reality.

We break these forces down in the second update for the new IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence.

There is a way to achieve the opposite and finish a project on time, on budget, and with its intended benefit, if not more.

Most people are aware that budget and time overruns are common
on projects, especially on the large ones.

As mentioned earlier, 91.5% of projects result in being over budget, over time, and under benefits. This occurrence is so common that it can be considered as a natural law.

But this statistic is not yet the whole truth – which is much worse.

If 9 out of 10 projects are bound to be over budget and over time, any
sensible person would say to just increase the budget (cost and time) to allow a buffer.

But by how much?

Typically, people would make a 10-15% buffer; let’s even say that you’re very cautious and you want 20%.

But is this enough?

According to a database of large projects, the mean cost overrun of a
major building project is 62%.

I can attest that this number checks out. And not just in major IT projects but in major projects related to personal life, such as a large-scale home renovation. When I was renovating my house, the budget overrun was shocking. So was the time overun (more than 50%).

In fact, I had to move back into the house while it was still under renovation to finally pressure the contractor to finish the job.  

If you’re a project manager for a building project, and you managed to
talk to your financial backers for hundreds of millions to allow a 62%
buffer for your project, then you still drastically underestimated the risk
of project overrun.

It was found out that a lot of megaprojects are fat-tailed. 

You may say, "Kris, what do you mean by fat-tailed?"

Excuse the MBA/consulting speak. When distributions contain far more extreme outcomes in their tails, they are called “fat-tailed”.

This piece of data makes things simpler, clearer, and more alarming: Most big projects are at risk of going disastrously wrong. Yet traditional project management literature rarely addresses the systemic nature of fat-tailed risk. 
 

Events with low probability but high impact, the so-called "Black Swan events", can derail even steady progress and create lasting damage.
 

Just look at the LA fires and the damage they caused. Many families impacted by LA fires may never recover from this (emotionally or financially). 

The more complex a system is, the more susceptible it is to these events. And if your project is ambitious, with many interdependent parts and stakeholders, you are almost certainly embedded in a complex system.

Cities. Markets. Energy. Transportation. Debt. Viruses. Climate change. Organizations. These are all complex systems. And every day, the world gets more complex.

Project failures can be prevented by starting to understand what causes it. If we follow the patterns from different projects – big and small – around the world, we can infer that failing projects tend to drag on, while successful projects tend to be completed quickly. 

Imagine a project timeline as an opening. The more open it is, the more opportunity for it to catch black swans and cause trouble.

Then, the answer is obvious: simply get the project started as quickly as possible by setting aggressive timelines, right?

Unfortunately, no.

Being able to run a successful IT project requires a very different way of thinking about how projects should be planned and led.

We cover this in detail in the IT, Digital, AI & Cloud Center of Excellence. Update 2 was just released for the SCRA members and can be accessed here. 

If you have questions or want guidance on which memberships/resources are recommended given your career/business goals, email us at team@firmsconsulting.com.

Thank you for being part of the StrategyTraining and FIRMSconsulting community.

This Week on StrategyTraining.com

April 7–13, 2025

StrategyTraining.com is the world’s largest library of video and audio-based training in strategy, problem-solving, critical thinking, case interviews, consulting practice building, executive presence, communication, and leadership. We refresh our library weekly, and this week, we’ve added new episodes across several key programs.

New content is available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, and ROKU.

Insider membership is designed for long-term clients who want to deliver meaningful impact while accelerating their careers.

Legacy members receive everything in Insider, plus access to additional advanced programs and personalized guidance.

Strategy Control Room Advanced members gain access to our internal knowledge management system, including studies, proposals, Centers of Excellence, published and unpublished books, flipcharts, slides from video programs, notes from The Consulting Offer, and more.

🪶For Insider Members

These powerful new episodes are being released this week:

Thursday
The Real Reason You Are Not Being Promoted – Episode 6 of 18
You’re doing the work. Why are others moving up? Promotions. Power. Pay. Legacy. Here’s what really matters, and why.

Friday
The Annual – Episode 9 of TBD
Most people drift through the year. The Annual is for those who want to decide what matters and commit to it. We’ll help you stay focused, make progress, and finish the year stronger than you started.

Saturday
Why Am I Not Happy? How Can I Be Happy? – Episode 1 of 14
You’ve followed the rules, hit the milestones and still feel off. This program explores why success alone doesn’t deliver happiness, and what to do when the life you built no longer fits.

Why the symbol for Insider?
The feather represents discretion, quiet privilege, and access to deeper knowledge. The kind passed on from mentor to mentee. It’s a mark of quiet power, elevated thought, and meaningful insight.

🏛️ For Legacy Members

In addition to all Insider episodes, Legacy members receive these exclusive episodes:

Thursday
The Existential Mistake When Immigrating – Episode 9 of 11
This 11-part program helps you think through relocation the same way top investors assess risk. The cost of getting it wrong is rarely visible, until it’s too late.

Friday
Mid-Life Strategy Update – Episode 38 of TBD
What if your health, relationships, wealth, and life’s work all demanded urgent attention, at the same time? In this real-time program, Michael shares the exact strategies he’s using to rebuild every major area of his life. It’s rare to get this level of access. Even rarer to see it in real time.

Sunday
My Poor Health Is Impacting My Work – Episode 1 of 4
You can recover your health and performance. It starts here.

Why the symbol for Legacy?
The classical pillar represents gravitas, enduring wisdom, and the kind of leadership that shapes institutions and families. It reflects what Legacy members are building: not just success, but something timeless.

Insiders can upgrade to Legacy at any time using any remaining credit from their annual Insider membership. If you decide to return to Insider later, you won’t lose your Insider status. Just email us at team@firmsconsulting.com so we can manually restore your access.

Ask Us a Question — Get Tailored Audio Feedback

Legacy members are invited to submit one personal or professional question twice per month. We’ll respond with a custom audio answer recorded by a partner.

• Deadlines: Submit by the 15th and 30th of each month

• Format: One paragraph emailed to team@firmsconsulting.com

• Include: Context and details so we can provide specific guidance

• Subject line: Legacy Question

🗝️ For Strategy Control Room Advanced Members

You’ll receive this exclusive update:

Sunday
New IT, Digital, AI, and Cloud Center-of-Excellence – Update 3 of TBD
Most IT projects fail, not because of bad technology, but because of poor thinking. This Center-of-Excellence shows you exactly why projects go off track and how to prevent it. 

Why the symbol for SCRA?
The key symbolizes privileged access to insights few receive. SCRA is always recommended as an add-on to, not replacement for, Insider or Legacy, helping you unlock the systems and thinking required for your next level.

Ready to begin?

Log in to StrategyTraining.com to access new episodes, resources and keep moving forward.

Your Address is Part of Your Portfolio of Assets.

When we think about moving someplace, for the majority of people, they get these starry eyes and they think:

“I can finally sit on the beach, work on my laptop, be a digital nomad, live the dream.”

But you’ve got to think of the address, your location, as one part of your portfolio of assets.

It always comes down to risk and investment. Because that’s what we’re doing. We’re investing here.

A very fundamental question to ask is: how does the new address and location compare against your old one?

Because where you live confers status, legitimacy, and certain assets and rights, just based on where you’re located, where you run your business, and where you operate.

Certain addresses confer more legitimacy. More prestige.

When I buy something and people look at my address, their behavior changes. People who live in a certain area have a certain stature. There’s a cost to doing business if you put yourself in a location considered less prestigious.

The cost of capital. The cost of insurance. The cost of borrowing. The cost of customers seeing your location and deciding they don’t know it well, don’t trust it, and don’t want the transaction to go through.

What are you giving up when you change locations?

Because from the eyes of the consumer, they’re going to know you were in one place, and now you’re in another. And they are going to judge you, whether or not they want to do business with an entity in that new region.

There are jurisdictions that confer more certainty, more safety.

And some that don’t.

There are places in the world that are not set up for appeals. Not set up for civil disagreements.

We call this the destination tax.

It’s a term we use when advising companies moving headquarters, manufacturing, or even just relocating senior leadership.

If someone knew a Porsche was made in a different part of the world, and wouldn’t buy it, that’s a destination tax.

It’s real. And it applies to you too.

If you’re willing to leave California to avoid 13.3% in personal income tax, then clearly you’re willing to make a trade. But what if the trade ends up being much more than you expected?

What are you giving up in terms of capital cost, legitimacy, consumer trust, or ability to operate?

Are you funding a lifestyle… or giving up the structure that funds your life?

And that’s just the first layer.

Let’s say something goes wrong.

What would happen if you had a disagreement with a powerful government or corporate entity like a bank or immigration?

What would happen if a check bounced?

If you passed a debt threshold?

If you went into bankruptcy?

Some countries hit your credit score. Some hit you.

Some let you file for bankruptcy. Some don’t.

Some protect you in a civil dispute. Some don’t care.

There are a lot of things we take for granted where we are.

The right to appeal. The right to recourse. The right to just live life normally, even if something goes wrong.

But will those rights be there where you’re going?

And then there’s ownership.

Corporate finance is not just valuation and return on investment.

It’s governance. Asset control. Your ability to allocate and repatriate.

Do you really own your business, your property, your copyrights, your capital?

Because you can own something and have no ability to do anything with it.

You may not be able to move it.

You may not be able to exit it.

You may not even be able to prove it’s yours.

And that’s a problem when your life and assets are tied to systems that operate under different rules.

Every country is different.

Some let you liquidate. Some don’t.

Some let you move money. Others require permission.

Some let you keep assets as a non-resident. Others don’t.

So the question is not just where you want to go.

The question is: do you know how that country treats people like you when something goes wrong?

That’s what we cover in Episodes 6–8 of The Existential Mistake Made When Immigrating.

They’re available now for Legacy members.

And if you haven’t gone through this program, I would seriously recommend you do. Before you’re forced to.

[Join Legacy (Scroll Down to Membership Options) & Access the New Episodes Now]

Watch the trailer for “The Existential Mistake Made When Immigrating”: http://www.strategytraining.com/programs/the-existential-mistake-made-when-immigrating-trailer

Access New 11-Part Program (Legacy Members)

There is a Critical Step in Strategy That Only
Audit Firms are Equipped to Deliver ...

... And Most Never Do

We just released the full new program for Insiders and Legacy members, The Superior Advantage Only Audit Firms Have. You can access the program here.

---

You’ve likely seen this before.

The charismatic new CEO steps into a legacy company. He promises bold moves. Announces a daring pivot. The media claps. Analysts cheer. And the share price bumps just enough to make everyone feel clever.

But then come the actual numbers.

That’s what happened here.

A global commodities giant, one of the best-run organizations in its sector, saw a 15-year supercycle forming. China’s insatiable demand. A new commodity group, still relatively untouched. Ten years of unrelenting volume growth. Four times the demand of their existing portfolio. Everyone at the table agreed it was the opportunity of a generation.

They moved fast. Structured a JV. Hired an operational wizard as CEO. Began building infrastructure before contracts were even finalized.

And then it all quietly unraveled.

They got the growth curve right. They got the supply model right. They even got the internal cost structure mostly right.

But they made one assumption that never should have survived the first executive workshop.

A single blind spot, small enough to miss in a boardroom, big enough to derail billions.

They lost capital. Years of momentum. Eventually, the division was offloaded in shame.

The markets punished them for it. Their board still speaks about it in hushed tones. And the worst part?

It was entirely avoidable.

We advised against the move. We showed them the flaw.

We recommended bringing in Big 4 firm to complete the final calculations. The CEO declined.

This program is a forensic breakdown of how a single overlooked decision point, one audit firms are uniquely positioned to lead, was ignored.

And why most consulting teams will never even see it.

What we reveal in this program changes how you build business cases. It reframes how you define value creation. And it will likely shift the way you see the role of audit firms...
 

Forever.

The insight we uncover is rarely spoken about. Because it's usually buried beneath pages of ratios and return models, passed around in late-night partner meetings, or discussed only after something has gone wrong.

You’ll see how a strategy that was flawless on paper unraveled in practice.

You’ll learn the critical point where good consulting becomes great value protection.

You’ll understand why Big 4 professionals, when equipped correctly, can outperform pure strategy firms on engagements that move markets.

This program is available to Insider and Legacy members on StrategyTraining.com.

If you're already a member, log in and watch the full program now.
If you're not, this is your moment to enroll (select Insider or Legacy membership).

Because the difference between a celebrated strategy and a capital catastrophe often comes down to one thing. And most will never know what it is.

But you can.

Why join as an Insider member on StrategyTraining.com?

Get access to the same partner-level strategy, leadership, and problem-solving skills taught behind closed doors at McKinsey, BCG, and other top firms. These are the tools and approaches senior partners use to advise Fortune 500 leaders on their toughest challenges.

Insider members unlock full Insider programs, step by step consulting studies designed to help you think, lead, and deliver like a senior partner, whether you're navigating a corporate career or building something of your own.

(Enroll as an Insider or Legacy member at StrategyTraining.com below.)

Access Insider