Latest news with #businessmodel
Forbes
20 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Z Grills CEO Unveils Radical ‘Reward Crowdfunding' Strategy
Z Grills unveils bold, new business shift. In a marketplace cluttered with promotional noise and fleeting brand loyalty, Z Grills is taking a radically different path—one that redefines what it means to do business with consumers. The company, best known for its high-performance wood pellet grills, is moving beyond the conventional sales model and launching what it calls a "Reward Crowdfunding" strategy. In this exclusive interview, Mr. Zhou, CEO of Z Grills shares why this long-term vision may just be the future of customer-brand relationships. Z Grills first grabbed attention with a campaign titled "Buy One, Get Ten," which sounded like a classic sales promotion. But as Zhou explains, 'It was often mistaken for a discount deal. In reality, it was the beginning of something much bigger.' That "something" is the Reward Crowdfunding model—a fresh take on customer engagement that aims to transform a single transaction into a decades-long partnership. 'You support us today, and we reward you for the next 50 years,' Zhou says. 'It's a completely different way of thinking about business.' So how does it work? In traditional models, profit margins remain with the company. Z Grills flips that script. 'We treat that margin as your investment in us,' Zhou explains. For customers, that investment pays off over time: Every five years, for up to 50 years, participants receive a brand-new wood pellet grill of equal value. It's a bold commitment, rooted in growth and loyalty. 'As Z Grills grows—through product innovation, market expansion, and brand building—we share that growth with you,' he adds. One of the central goals of the new initiative is to deepen customer trust—and keep it. The CEO lays out several key components of this trust-building framework: The company also draws confidence from its long manufacturing legacy. With over 30 years in grill manufacturing—and the last decade spent pushing innovation in the pellet grill sector—Z Grills has built products for major industry players. 'Now we're building something even bigger under our own brand,' he says. The CEO also views this model as a strategic defense against global uncertainties, including tariffs. 'By building a mutually beneficial relationship, we create a more resilient business,' he notes. The company has also taken proactive steps to optimize its supply chain, reducing the direct impact of tariffs on both the business and its customers. Z Grills' Reward Crowdfunding initiative isn't just about customer retention—it's a complete rethinking of how value is created and shared. In a time when customer loyalty is increasingly elusive, the company is betting on long-term commitment and shared success as the ultimate differentiators. 'Our vision isn't about the next quarter,' the Zhou says. 'It's about the next half-century.' If you'd like to learn how data and AI come together to deliver exceptional business value and help your business stay ready for what's next, click here.
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Reinvent Or Fall Behind: 5 Hard Truths From The Frontlines Of Business
Reinvent or Fall Behind: 5 Hard Truths from the Frontlines of Business This April, leaders from 38 countries and countless industries gathered in Dublin for the Reinvention Summit 2025. As one of the co-founders of the Summit—alongside Aidan McCullen, Michael Durkan, and Neil Jordan—I had a front-row seat to the most urgent questions in business today: - Why are our old tools no longer working? - What does a successful leader look like in this age of permanent disruption? - And how do we actually prepare for a future we can't predict? The answers were loud and clear. Here are five hard truths that emerged from the keynotes, panels, and off-the-record conversations at the Summit—insights every professional needs to hear right now. The data is alarming. The 2024 research from the Reinvention Academy, which I shared at the Summit, shows that the average lifecycle of a business model has dropped from 75 years to just 6. Every fifth company in the world is reinventing their products, processes, and business model every 12 months or faster, which means the shelf life of an idea, decision, or product is getting very, very short. Rita McGrath—Columbia Business School professor and bestselling author—delivered a powerful keynote that echoed the ideas she first introduced in her groundbreaking Harvard Business Review article, 'Transient Advantage.' A new approach to management is needed, where we are not betting on one 'silver bullet,' spending years to perfect it. As Alexander Osterwalder, creator of the Business Model Canvas, reminded us in his keynote: If your organization is placing all its bets on a single idea—or failing to retire outdated ones—you're not adapting. You're aging. Most companies divide responsibility for the future among siloed teams: strategy, innovation, and change management. But in today's environment, these functions are interdependent. Misalignment isn't just inefficient—it's lethal. That's why a new leadership role is gaining traction: the Chief Reinvention Officer. This emerging role brings together what used to be fragmented and conflicting parts of the organization into a single, integrated reinvention process. Instead of handing off initiatives from one silo to another, the Chief Reinvention Officer - a leader who can integrate strategy, innovation, and implementation into one cohesive, end-to-end reinvention system. Gary Graham, Chief Reinvention Officer at 3i's Group and the Keynote Listener at the Summit, put it best: 'When most leaders think of reinvention, they think of strategy, technology, or AI. But the real secret? It's about trust.' He referenced McKinsey research that shows leaders often overestimate employee buy-in by a factor of three. People resist change not because they don't care—but because they fear becoming irrelevant. Change fatigue is very real—and growing. In a world where disruption is constant, reinvention must be continuous—and coordinated. Every company grows along an S curve: from start-up and early traction to scale and maturity. But without reinvention, the final stage is decline. In earlier eras, that curve might have lasted decades. But as Aidan McCullen, co-founder of the Summit and author of 'Undisruptable,' explained in his keynote, today's curves are getting shorter and steeper, leaving little room for reaction. The wisdom of jumping the S-curve at the right time is not limited to companies. As Marina Donohoe, Head of Research, Innovation & Infrastructure at Enterprise Ireland, reminded us during the 'Reinventing Ireland' panel, countries must make that crucial choice as well: Ireland, long celebrated for its economic strength through foreign direct investment and global entrepreneurship, now faces a new wave of challenges—from shifting global tax rules and climate change to talent shortages and AI-driven disruption. The question on the table was bold:Can an entire nation become a model for reinvention? Just like companies and careers, countries ride the S-Curve. And just like them, if they don't reinvent, they decline. That's why reinvention isn't a one-time event. It's an operating system—one that must be embedded across every function, every quarter, every decision. When people talk about reinvention, they often focus on what needs to be improved, updated, or removed. But that's just one side of the equation. In this keynote, Charles Conn, Chairman of Patagonia, reminded us of the other side, of what must be preserved: the purpose. Purpose isn't just a slogan. It's an operating anchor. A source of resilience. In times of turbulence, it's easy to become reactive—shifting strategies, chasing trends, abandoning the core. But true reinvention is not about changing everything. It's about knowing what to protect at all costs. In the chaos of reinvention, purpose can become the eye of the storm. It reminds people why they're there. It aligns teams when strategies shift. And it gives companies the courage to choose long-term integrity over short-term gain. Finally—and perhaps most importantly—reinvention isn't something you do alone. The command-and-control model of leadership was designed for stability. But today's leaders are managing through perma-crisis. Instead of top-down control, we need swarming leadership—cross-functional, cross-generational teams that tackle problems quickly and collaboratively, then disperse. These swarms are faster, more adaptive, and more resilient. At the Summit, we heard over and over again that what leaders need most right now isn't another playbook or case study. It's a community. A place to learn from others facing similar challenges. A space to prototype new solutions. A network to lean on when things get tough. Patrick Gormley, Global Lead for AI and Data Science Consulting at Kyndryl, put it simply: This applies to both your employees and your customers. Seth Godin, my personal marketing obsession and bestselling author, captured this new approach with his call to focus on the Minimum Viable Audience: In today's environment, the winners won't be the smartest or fastest. They'll be the ones who stay in motion—and do it together. We're not in a period of temporary turbulence. We're in a new normal. Uncertainty is not a phase—it's the permanent context of our work. In this reality, reinvention is no longer a luxury for the bold—it's the operating system of modern business. If you haven't rethought your strategy, your team structure, or your leadership approach recently—you're probably already falling behind. But the good news? You're not alone. Across industries and continents, leaders are finding new ways to build, adapt, and thrive. The tools, the models, and the community are already here. The future doesn't belong to the biggest or the fastest. It belongs to the most reinventable.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Cash-Heavy Stock with Exciting Potential and 2 to Avoid
A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always. Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow. Not all businesses with cash are winners, and that's why we built StockStory - to help you separate the good from the bad. That said, here is one company with a net cash position that balances growth with stability and two with hidden risks. Net Cash Position: $80.24 million (15.2% of Market Cap) Created through a settlement between NRG Energy and the California Public Utilities Commission, EVgo (NASDAQ:EVGO) is a provider of electric vehicle charging solutions, operating fast charging stations across the United States. Why Does EVGO Worry Us? Historically negative EPS raises concerns for risk-averse investors and makes its earnings potential harder to gauge Cash-burning history makes us doubt the long-term viability of its business model Depletion of cash reserves could lead to a fundraising event that triggers shareholder dilution EVgo is trading at $3.95 per share, or 33.4x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why EVGO doesn't pass our bar. Net Cash Position: $385.6 million (10.9% of Market Cap) With clients including 97% of the S&P 100 and operations in 103 offices across 51 countries, Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) is a global consulting firm that helps organizations design optimal structures, recruit talent, develop leaders, and create effective compensation strategies. Why Do We Think KFY Will Underperform? Sales tumbled by 2% annually over the last two years, showing market trends are working against its favor during this cycle Demand will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street's estimates imply tepid growth of 1.4% Earnings per share decreased by more than its revenue over the last two years, showing each sale was less profitable At $68.29 per share, Korn Ferry trades at 13.3x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than KFY. Net Cash Position: $744,000 (0.1% of Market Cap) Established in 1901, Limbach (NASDAQ: LMB) provides integrated building systems solutions, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services. Why Is LMB on Our Radar? Operating margin expansion of 5.3 percentage points over the last five years shows the company optimized its expenses Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 53.3% annually, topping its revenue gains Industry-leading 22.9% return on capital demonstrates management's skill in finding high-return investments, and its rising returns show it's making even more lucrative bets Limbach's stock price of $127.50 implies a valuation ratio of 30.7x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it's free. Market indices reached historic highs following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November 2024, but the outlook for 2025 is clouded by new trade policies that could impact business confidence and growth. While this has caused many investors to adopt a "fearful" wait-and-see approach, we're leaning into our best ideas that can grow regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Take advantage of Mr. Market by checking out our Top 5 Growth Stocks for this month. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-small-cap company Exlservice (+354% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free.
Reuters
6 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Southwest Airlines to charge $35 for first checked bag
May 27 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab on Tuesday said it will charge customers $35 for one checked bag and $45 for the second, bringing an end to the airline's free luggage policy. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Tuesday. Southwest was the only major U.S. carrier that allowed customers to check two bags at no cost. The Dallas-based airline had said earlier in March that it would end its "bags fly free" policy by charging some customers, as the company's lackluster earnings have fueled pressure to revamp its business model.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Airlines to charge $35 for first checked bag
(Reuters) -Southwest Airlines on Tuesday said it will charge customers $35 for one checked bag and $45 for the second, bringing an end to the airline's free luggage policy. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news on Tuesday. Southwest was the only major U.S. carrier that allowed customers to check two bags at no cost. The Dallas-based airline had said earlier in March that it would end its "bags fly free" policy by charging some customers, as the company's lackluster earnings have fueled pressure to revamp its business model. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
