Seth Godin doesn't disappoint! This newest book is full of stories from his unique lens to help define and support readers to implement strategies in their business. Definitely a book I will read multiple times.

A manifesto of vignettes, This Strategy proposes to distil in a concise and lucid fashion, strategies that would enable not just entrepreneurs, but also aspiring individuals to pursue their aspirations. Consisting of two-hundred and ninety-se slim Chapters, this latest book by American author and a former dot-com business executive, Seth Godin is a fast paced read interspersed with riveting real-life examples of both success and disaster in terms of strategy – or a lack of it.

Godin places emphasis on what he terms to be four ubiquitous and omnipresent elements, time, games, empathy, and systems. These interlocking quadrants feed on and support each other. Time plays a crucial role since strategies play out over time. The presence of multiple individuals/players each holding out a myriad of outcomes is representative of the facet of games. Empathy results in people not seeing what you see or not desiring the same things as what you want. Finally, systems that are created wherever there is a human element. Working together creates systems that may turn out to be enduring, if not ever lasting.

Throughout his book, Godin stresses upon the need for a strategist to focus upon serving the “smallest viable market.” While it is very tempting to succumb to the allure of scale in terms of number of customers, number of products sold and revenues generated, it is catering to the smallest viable market that would provide the necessary traction for the future. Successful businessmen and leaders are unrelenting in their quest to expend their efforts, time, and costs on a specific/niche group. Such groups not only enhance, exacerbate, and embellish the network effect, but also lead to fostering connections that are repetitive, meaningful, and virtuous.

The Corporate Industrial complex, according to Godin, always works overtime to buck the trends that rail against maintaining status quo. The system keeps drumming the metrics of market share and profits into the veins of many an unsuspecting and seasoned entrepreneur. However there have been instances where the system has been made malleable to move away from the conventional. Dutch journalist Tuen van de Keuken’s efforts to name and shame unscrupulous chocolate companies and complacent and complicit Governments, led to the establishment of Tony’s Chocolonely (since his was the only voice that was crying aloud). Today Chocolonely has garnered 20% of the Netherlands chocolate market.

Godin also cites the examples of acclaimed artists such as Andy Warhol, Rembrandt and Kehinde Wiley while elaborating three key ways in which efforts may be directed at a project: Chores and tasks, leverage, and emotional labour. Chores and tasks consist of the jobs to be performed by the project owners themselves. Leverage refers to the exact opposite. If resources need to be delineated and used judiciously, there needs to be outsourced functions that may be executed by people other than the project owners themselves. Finally, emotional labour deals with inculcating and assimilating new skills, identifying, and implementing real change. The artists referred to above followed this principle to the core. They not only built their own studios, and hired craftspeople, but also leveraged their skills by hiring others to contribute.

Godin also warns leaders to not get enmeshed in the entrapment of agreement and assent. A leader must know when to say “no” in the strictest and most uncompromising of terms. "When you say yes to everything, you end up doing nothing important," writes Godin. Repeatedly saying yes not just has the adverse impact of diluting projects but would also result in the vulnerable leader losing credibility in the eyes of his customers and the markets.

This is Strategy – a rousing nudge for the learned and the lay to not lose sight of strategy, irrespective of the type of business they may be engaged in.

THE HOOK/APPEAL: Learning from Godin on what it takes to look outside the box and make a strategy that works.

THE REVIEW: Godin is one of our great thinkers, and this further proves that. Strategy is this nebulous idea, but in a way only he can pulls off, he grounds the reader as an active partner in finding its definition and purpose.

THE RATING: Clear 5

This book was filled with so many ideas and different approaches that it took quite some time to digest. A bit light on exactly how to implement all the ideas present but still solid for those just beginning to grasp strategy. It’s also great to help you generate ideas if you feel a bit stuck in the strategy category.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Many years ago, Seth Godin’s books inspired me to set up a business and gave me confidence to create and put my work out into the world. I have a lot of respect for his work, and he has influenced many to get out there and ship their work.
That said, it is possible that I have outgrown this style of business writing. I found this book to be metaphor-heavy (sometimes confusingly so) and light on meaning. It skims the surface of strategy but lacks nuance and doesn’t explore issues to a depth that I wanted.
This is probably a reflection of where I am in my own career, and the experiences I have had, so I hope that young people will use this book to delve deeper into Godin’s earlier work and be inspired.

Disclosure: Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher of my ARC. All opinions are my own. All opinions are 100% my own.

I've been a fan of Seth Godwin's for some time now. He has always provided solid advice and input for entrepreneurs. He hasn't grown his presence lightly; he's strategic in his approach.

In This is Strategy, he provides a ton of information. The book description makes you think you'll learn how to create your own strategic guide for making your business successful. However, that is not what I got from reading this book.

Since I am a woman who enjoys reading little bits of food for thought and being given things to ponder, I honestly enjoyed this book. I gave it a three-star rating solely because the description does not tell what it offers.

It did feel like I was gaining more insight into how other companies have achieved success or failure than into how I could grow strategically. However, since I tend to analyze what I read, it gave me things to consider with my business. So, if you're a thinker, then you will see Seth's method as still helpful in this book.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, there were some great tidbits about strategy in there. The small sections felt very bite-sized so you could read one or two of them and then move on; excellent for a busy reader. Seth Godin's writing style is fairly clear and concise, doing a solid job of communicating what he was trying to say.

A couple of things I wasn't a fan of: first off, this book was definitely presented as if it was more of a how to on strategy, not a collection of little blurbs about the subject. Another thing that bothered me was that randomly right near the end of the book he started talking about politics. It only very barely applied and felt a bit more like it was shoved in there so he could make his opinions about this or that known to the public.

Otherwise a solid book, I'm glad to have read it.

Such a fun read! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A collection of short, often abstract thought pieces interspersed with more tangible insights, aimed at helping readers navigate complex environments and drive meaningful change. While it includes some great anecdotes, much of the book feels like a series of disjointed blog entries. Only in the second half does a sense of cohesion emerge, with stories building on each other to inspire deeper thinking.

I found the book lacking a clear structure, a division in chapters or themes to guide them. While some may breeze through the book, for me it was a slower read, as each story prompts reflection on its relevance to personal goals and work.

Though Godin effectively challenges conventional thinking and advocates for long-term, purpose-driven work, his advice echoes his previous works. Longtime followers may find the ideas familiar, though still insightful.

Godin is a master! Just when you think its not possible for him to come up with fresh new ideas, he delivers another masterpiece...brilliant! This is one of those books that you can just sit down and read a lot at once. Full of short ideas that had me pausing to ponder and reflect. I will restate, Godin is a master...brilliant!

This was fine. Nothing revolutionary and definitely not Godin's best book. Very basic and probably an ok introductory book to strategy.

Are you tired of quick fixes and short-term thinking? Do you want to make a lasting impact but feel stuck in outdated systems? This is Strategy is a modern classic – a must-read for anyone seeking to drive positive change, whether you’re revolutionizing an industry, sparking a movement, or building a career. With Godin's trademark clarity and insight, this provides a framework for effective and elegant strategic thinking, offering essential building

This book has a lot of good insight and clarity, but I feel like it lacked a cohesive, clear message. It felt disorganized. (I think some of that was the formatting, which hopefully will get cleaned up for the final version.) There's a lot of good stuff in this book, but it isn't presented in a clear and direct enough manner for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Hmmm… interesting individual facts and stories. I counldnt quite see the value when not set in a framework for the book.s logic and messaging. Would suit someone who likes to dip into anecdotes, historical facts and figures. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.