b'PRODUCTIONTwo Ways to Make Sure Your Competitors Dont Run Your BusinessJIM SCHWEIGERT President, Gro Alliancejim.schweigert@groalliance.comgroalliance.com@GroAllianceMARKET INTELLIGENCE ISone of the cornerstones of lead- Is The Decision Right for Today and for 10 Years from Now?ing a business. Clearly understanding the motivations and goalsBusiness decisions should always be made with the idea that the of your competitors can lead to insights into how theyll makecompany will exist in perpetuity. There are so many examples future decisions. This can allow you to position your companyof company decisions that are designed to produce outstand-for the best chance of success. ing short-term results but carry unintended negative long-term But, your competitors arent you. Even very similar compa- impacts. This is most common are when a company plans to nies in the same market segment have unique challenges andIPO, raise additional private capital or transition ownership. I call strengths that influence their relative opportunities and threats.these events sugar highs since the company gets a short term Putting too much focus on what the competitors are doing canburst and then crashes after the stimulant wears off and the put your company into a reactionary cycle rather than makingdesired exits dont occur.your own path. Some of the riskiest sugar highs are those done for defen-Here are two ways Gro Alliance leadership ensures we staysive purposes: events like major discounting to hold customers, focused on our own goals. aggressive hiring to defend a sales territory or a major capital outlay in hopes of retaining market share. Without a long-term Vision and Mission Statements Need to be Meaningful view, such decisions can destabilize the business.Many companies put effort into crafting vision and missionRegular leadership discussions on the competitive landscape statements but rarely revisit them. Keep them relevant byare essential for business planning. However, these talks should reviewing them annually and using them to guide major deci- focus on advancing your own goals, not reacting to competi-sions. Ensure each move aligns with these statements; otherwise,tors. If decisions are only responses to others, youre letting their you might just be reacting to short-term trends. strategy drive yours.BUSINESS GROWTHYou Dont Have to be a Superhero to Declare Your Origin StorySHAWN BROOK President, Seed World Groupsbrook@seedworldgroup.comseedworldgroup.com@SeedWorldGroupIN MY CONVERSATIONSwith companies across the seedUnder the name Issues Ink, we launched with a singular purpose: industry, one question keeps resurfacing: How do we defineto amplify the voice of the Canadian seed sector and give its our mission and vision in a way that truly unites our team? Forpeople a platform in a world that hadnt yet fully grasped their many, it comes down to writing a mission statement, but I oftenimportance. find that a written mission statement isnt enough. It wont culti- As Seed World Groups influence grew, so did its ambitionsvate the culture most organizations are after. we expanded across North America, then Europe, and then into Instead, I encourage leaders to take a step back and exploreLatin America, evolving into what we are today. Now, weve gone their origin story. Why did the company begin? What initial needbeyond storytelling and are an ally of the seed industry, equip-sparked its creation? And if theres been an evolution, why didping it with strategic insights and communication powers to tell that happen? These questions dig right to the core of what aits own stories and inspire change.company stands for and where its going.So why is this important? Just like superheroes are loved for Defining an origin story might sound straightforward, but itstheir origin stories, a strong origin story clarifies a companys pur-no easy feat. It requires clear focus, trimming away redundantpose and inspires loyalty. People want to know where you came details and honing in on whats essential. from and what youve accomplished. Its proof that what you set The challenge lies in simplicity, not complexity. An origin storyout to do is making a real impact.should reflect this approach. It may seem simple to recount why aIn a world overflowing with information, the organizations with company existswe saw a need in the industry and stepped upthe best stories are the ones that cut through the noise. Crafting to fill itbut to convey that succinctly and powerfully takes effort. an origin story is more than revisiting history; its about laying a In 1987, a small but powerful team of ag communicators tookfoundation for the future and helping others see why what you their first steps on a mission that would transform an industry.do matters.68/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2024'