The 8 Superpowers of

Successful Entrepreneurs
The 8 Superpowers of
Successful Entrepreneurs
From Zero to Hero: The Business
Strategies Adopted by Global Icons

Marina Nicholas
The 8 Superpowers of Successful Entrepreneurs: From Zero to Hero:
The Business Strategies Adopted by Global Icons

Copyright © Business Expert Press, LLC, 2021.

Cover design by Nick Hexter

Interior design by Exeter Premedia Services Private Ltd., Chennai, India

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

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First published in 2021 by

Business Expert Press, LLC
222 East 46th Street, New York, NY 10017
www.businessexpertpress.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-63742-000-3 (paperback)

ISBN-13: 978-1-63742-001-0 (e-book)

Business Expert Press Entrepreneurship and Small Business

Management Collection

Collection ISSN: 1946-5653 (print)

Collection ISSN: 1946-5661 (electronic)

First edition: 2021

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
 Dedicated to my wonderful son, Bruno

Author’s royalties donated to Pencils of Promise.

A non-profit organization that builds schools and increases

­educational opportunities in the developing world. Pencils of ­Promise
believe where you start in life shouldn’t dictate where you finish.

https://pencilsofpromise.org/
 Description
THESE STRATEGIES WILL GIVE YOU SUPERPOWERS

Many books have been written about the high-performance habits suc-
cessful entrepreneurs adopt, from their daily meditation to how they lead
their teams. For Marina Nicholas, her fascination was more about their
entrepreneurial journey.

1. From Zero: When starting a business, what strategies did they

adopt to overcome the odds?
2. To Hero: As a highly successful entrepreneur, how did they use
their wealth to help humanity and the planet?

After years of extensive research, Marina discovered that just eight strate-
gies were adopted by billionaire entrepreneurs.

PROBLEM—PERSEVERANCE—POSITIONING—PROXIMITY—
PEOPLE—PARTNERSHIPS—PROCESS—PLANET

Whether you enjoy inspirational stories or seek to discover your super-

power, the strategies and exercises in this book will help you. Each of the
eight strategies is illustrated by real case studies.

Over 25 case studies like these:

• A white trouser problem led to a billion-dollar empire

• The invention of a passionate surfer leads to sales of 35 million
cameras
• A 7-year journey of poverty and rejection led to a $500 million
franchise
• A happy tribe built a $1.2 billion company
• A monk builds a tribe of 35 million followers within 4 years
• A village visit resulted in 100 million pairs of shoes gifted

Keywords
entrepreneurism; social entrepreneurs; growth strategy; impact entre­
preneurs; small business management; social sustainability; start up;
leadership; visionary; millionaire mindset
 Contents
Testimonials������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xi
My Story���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xiii
Acknowledgments�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xvii
Introduction���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� xix

Category 1 Mindset����������������������������������������������������������������������������1
Chapter 1 Power of Problem��������������������������������������������������������������3
Chapter 2 Power of Perseverance�����������������������������������������������������13
Category 2 Marketing�����������������������������������������������������������������������21
Chapter 3 Power of Positioning�������������������������������������������������������23
Chapter 4 Power of Proximity���������������������������������������������������������35
Category 3 Masses����������������������������������������������������������������������������45
Chapter 5 Power of People���������������������������������������������������������������47
Chapter 6 Power of Partnerships������������������������������������������������������59
Category 4 Method���������������������������������������������������������������������������71
Chapter 7 Power of Process��������������������������������������������������������������73
Category 5 Movement����������������������������������������������������������������������85
Chapter 8 Power of Planet���������������������������������������������������������������87
Chapter 9 Power of the 8 P’s����������������������������������������������������������101

References�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������113
About the Author��������������������������������������������������������������������������������119
Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������121
 Testimonials
“A timely publication for a post COVID19 world and for the new
greener and socially orientated entrepreneurs seeking to make an impact.”
—Dr Dane Anderton, Alliance Manchester Business School,
­Manchester University

“Wow. What an uplifting and action-orientated must-read for Entrepreneurs

for our times. If you want to lead now and build for the future, then read
this easy to digest and learn from work by Marina Nicholas. An uplifting and
inspirational book on how to be a successful Entrepreneur and Leader and
build a great business to grow and sustain society” —Professor Phil Harris,
Executive Director, University of Chester Business Research Institute

“A must-read book for entrepreneurs looking to understand and unlock the

“superpowers” of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in recent history.
Refreshingly, Marina recognizes the power of being socially aware within these
strategies which are unpacked through a range of inspirational case studies,
practical tips and invaluable self-reflection points.” —Sarah Trouten, CEO,
Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs

“The essence of the iconic journey of global entrepreneurs is captured in eight

success mantras by Marina in her inspiring book. The work is so current and
relevant, leaving atrial for those inclined towards entrepreneurship to realise
their self-worth and later for the philanthropic reach out to society. Local and
global perspectives shared through case citings are lucid and truly remarkable.”
—Professor Biju Toms, Director, Professional Studies, Christ
University, Bangalore

“Using an easy going and accessible style, Marina draws on her vast experience
in leading and advising businesses to identify, what she calls, the eight most
significant success strategies for entrepreneurs. A very relevant and timely pub-
lication that draws easy to understand narratives from the profiles of some of
xii Testimonials

the World’s most high-profile entrepreneurs to shed light, both on the distinct
opportunities that surround each of us and on the entrepreneurial process.
This book contains invaluable case-material, shaped into a simple and novel
structure, that stimulates entrepreneurial thinking and gives insight into the
paths to entrepreneurial success.” —David W. Taylor, Principal Lecturer
in Entrepreneurship, Manchester Metropolitan University and
Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs.

“The publication tackles on a wide range of topics applicable to everyday

entrepreneurial pursuits but also including ‘place’ and ‘plant’, two key compo-
nents that are increasingly gaining attention across the policy and practitioner
world. Light is shed on the role of entrepreneurial ecosystems and how each
one is different, further emphasising the role of ‘place’ in strategy and value
capture. A timely publication for a post COVID19 world and for the new
greener and socially orientated entrepreneurs seeking to make an impact”.
—Dr Dane Anderton, Director of Programmes in Executive
Education and Senior Lecture in Strategy and Innovation, Alliance
Manchester Business School, Manchester University
 My Story
Successful entrepreneurs. How do they launch their ideas to the ­forefront
of a crowded market? How do they discover the needle-in-a-haystack
route to overwhelmingly exceed all of their goals and drive toward
immense success? And most importantly, what do all their stories have
in common? For decades, these have been the questions I have been ask-
ing myself. My journey toward the answers started when I was a 19 year
old University graduate, I read my first autobiography, Anita Roddick’s
“Body and Soul,” about her journey building the Body Shop. Still seeking
to accumulate more knowledge, the next book I devoured was Richard
Branson’s “Like A Virgin.” Their entrepreneurial journey’s building busi-
nesses from zero to hero inspired me to research, learn, and experiment.
At 24 years old, I had my first experience. I was approached by a
company to build a 60-seater telemarketing business within 3 months.
At that time, I was in a secure salaried position heading a telemarketing
unit. The prospect of venturing on my own excited me, so I took the leap
and handed in my notice, throwing myself into a career as a self-employed
consultant building businesses.
I remember walking into the empty floor of the building and the
CEO saying here it is, “let’s build it.” I was part of a team of four with
the brief to hire sixty people, create the operating framework, and start
generating sales, all within twelve weeks. It was a fabulous opportunity
that ignited my passion for building a business from zero to hero.
Having now worked for over three decades, I look at my career as hav-
ing three distinct acts, like a play. In my first act, I was primarily a DOER,
acting as a consultant helping build businesses.
In my second act, I discovered the joy of being a WRITER. Just after
I got married, I was given a 5% chance of having a baby by doctors. This
led to a seven year quest to achieve my dream of becoming a mother. After
testing most complementary and conventional medicines, my beautiful
son was born against all the odds. Being asked by many couples “how
did you do it?,” I was inspired to write the medical strategies I adopted in
xiv My Story

a book. 3 Steps to Fertility - A Couple’s Guide to Maximising Their Ability

to Conceive, was published in six languages and continues to help couples
globally achieve their dream of parenthood.
During this second act, I suffered a near death experience. Grateful for
a second chance at life, I decided to focus my efforts on small to medium
sized businesses (SME) who are passionate about doing business for good.
I felt I could make a greater impact faster and try to address the issue that
only 1 in 5 entrepreneurs successfully reaches five years in business.
Today I am enjoying my third act as a TEACHER. Coaching, mento-
ring, advising, and teaching business strategies to SMEs and large enter-
prises. I am thrilled that I can now combine all three acts and be a DOER,
WRITER, and TEACHER.
This book is a culmination of years of research into the business
strategies of highly successful entrepreneurs. Rather than be a teacher
who recites business strategies and theories to people, I am keen to
validate anything I coach, teach, or advise. I have personally tried and
tested business strategies on my own projects as well as with my clients
over the years. Some strategies I tried have failed, until I discovered the
eight strategies adopted by billionaires. I affectionately call them the
“8 SUPERPOWERS.”
In the last decade, I have implemented the eight superpower strate-
gies which has led to seven awards, ranging from International Business
Woman of the Year to an award for the most “Innovative Product” selected
from eighty global entrants, in a sector I had no experience. While these
accolades are pleasing, I am driven by how I can add value to people’s lives
and make a difference.
My goal with this book is to make a difference and pay it forward:
Harnessing the Power of the Planet, being a impact entrepreneur. The
royalties from my medical book enabled children in Nepal and Kenya to
benefit from education. With your help, I aspire to build a whole school,
through Pencils of Promise, a non-profit organization that builds schools
and increases educational opportunities in the developing world, from
the royalties from books and courses. This is a value that I embrace and
showcase throughout this book; a compilation of zero to hero stories of
successful entrepreneurs who now pay it forward.
 My Story xv

I am grateful to the entrepreneurs in this book for being my mentors.

Researching the strategies of how you went from zero to hero has inspired
me to learn, experiment, implement, fail, or succeed and try again. I am
also grateful to you, the readers of this book. You have taken valuable time
out of your day to read this book. You are here for a reason. You have
picked this book today as you have a calling to discover your entrepre-
neurial superpower. Join me on a voyage of discovery.
Marina
 Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Bruno, my son, for his wonderful support every
day. You light up my world in every way and motivate me to try my best.
Thank you for spending your school summer holiday editing this book.
Your mastery of the English language, storytelling and grammar is way
beyond your years.
Writing a book during pandemic times really brought home what is
important to me. I could not have written this book without the love and
support of my wonderful family and friends. The world around us has
been volatile and uncertain, but you motivated me to keep going when
it was a struggle.
Thank you to all the inspirational people featured in this book. It has
been an absolute joy to follow your journey from zero to hero. You truly
are the world’s greatest mentors paving the way for a generation of impact
entrepreneurs.
A thank you to Nick Hexter for his creative genius in bringing the
8 Superpowers images to life and designing an eye-catching book cover.
Thank you to the team at Business Expert Press for believing in me.
I wanted to write a book that if my 20-year-old self had read it I may have
discovered my superpower earlier and made a greater impact in the world.
Thank you for allowing me to be creative and for bringing it to life.
Thank you to my clients worldwide for giving me the opportunity
to implement my 8 P Method in your business. For putting your trust
in me to grow your business and for teaching me so much. Without you
I would not have been able to make an impact on so many people globally.
Finally, thank you to you, the reader. If you are familiar with my
work, you will know that I am grateful for this second chance at life after
a near death experience. Every day is a blessing to connect and be of
service to others. I truly believe that each one of us has a superpower.
Thank you for allowing me to take you on a journey of discovery. Together
we are making a difference to humanity and the planet.
 Introduction
We are living in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where how
we live, work, and relate to one another has fundamentally changed. An
era where technology is embedded within societies and the relationship
between man and machine has never been so intertwined.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
TRANSFORMING INDUSTRIES AND INNOVATION

INDUSTRY 4.0
INDUSTRY 3.0
• Cyber Physical
INDUSTRY 2.0
•Automation Systems
INDUSTRY 1.0 • Internet of things
•Mass production •Computers
•Mechanization •Assembly line, •Electrics • Networks
• Steam power •Electrical energy
•Weaving loom

1784 1870 1969 TODAY

In 2008, Microsoft featured as one of the largest companies in the

world and it was the only technology based company. Today, seven out of
the top 10 are technology led, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem
Report. We have shifted from the Third Revolution, which began in the
1950s, with advances in digital systems, communication, and computer
power enabling the processing and sharing of information, to the Fourth
Industrial Revolution, which has resulted in the rise of entrepreneurism.
The advances of the Third Revolution has enabled increased connectiv-
ity around the globe making it easier for people to set up a business. Today,
you can raise funds within a day, recruit talent from anywhere in the world,
xx Introduction

download business processing tools that improve efficiency and promote

your business to millions across social media platforms. This is why the
global start up economy has seen a rise of 20% from 2017 and is worth
nearly $3 trillion. That’s the size of a not-so-small economy, larger than the
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United Kingdom, France, or Brazil.

The Rise of the Entrepreneur

Silicon Valley is heralded as the first startup ecosystem where entrepre-
neurs, investors, and talent became aware of their commonality to build
businesses and think and act as a community, sharing knowledge, and
resources; a hive mind mentality.
Today, Silicon Valley is home to thousands of startups as well as
the world’s top technology companies, like Google, Apple, Cisco, and
­Facebook. As a result of a successful community based ecosystem model,
there are now 270 global centers of entrepreneurship. The Top 10 are:

1. Silicon Valley
2. New York City
3. London
4. Beijing
5. Boston
6. Tel Aviv—Jerusalem
7. Los Angeles
8. Shanghai
9. Seattle
10. Stockholm

This ranking, assessed by StartUp Genome, is driven by one ques-

tion. Which ecosystem will an early stage startup have the best chance
of having global success? The ranking looks at key factors such as the
number of exits over $50 million, market reach, connectedness, talent,
and knowledge.
Ecosystem Value is a measure capturing the value of startups funded
and exited in an ecosystem over two and half years. In number one position
is Silicon Valley with an ecosystem value of $677 billion (global average is
$10.5 billion) and the total early stage funding at $18 billion (global avg.
 Introduction xxi

$431 million). New York City is $147 billion with early stage funding at
$8.3 billion, then London at $92 billion with total early stage funding at
$6 billion. Compare this to an ecosystem ranked 20th, Seoul, which has
$1 billion early stage funding and $39 billion ecosystem value. It is easy to see
why the location that an entrepreneur chooses to build a business is crucial.

Today, more than 80 ecosystems globally have produced a billion-dollar startup

When term was popularized on 2013, only 4 ecosystems produced unicorns or billion-dollar exits
Ecosystems with Billion-Dollar Club Strartups (Unicorns or exits), 2013–2019
90 84
80
70 67
60
50 48
42
40 34
30 23
20
10 4
0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Year

Startup ecosystems are an important driver of economic growth.

­London and New York City ecosystems emerged following the 2007–2009
Great Recession—in an attempt to diversify from reliance on traditional
strengths in finance. Today, the Asia Pacific region is demonstrating the
fastest growth among all the continents.

Percent of Ecosystems from Continent among Top Global Ecosystems

Asia–Pacific Europe North America South America

50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
20
15
12

19
17
20

20

20

20

20

Year

As a result of growing ecosystems, the rise of the entrepreneur is

e­vident. There are 472 million entrepreneurs worldwide, 305 million
total startups annually with 100 million opening each year. 1.35 million
are tech startups, 3,173 companies accelerated from 185 accelerator pro-
grams and 182 exits (of companies accelerated). With female founded
startups around the world landing a record 4,399 investments in 2019,
according to data from All Raise.
xxii Introduction

The Covid-19 Ripple Effect

It would be remiss of me to not highlight the scenario in the present
moment as I write this book. An unprecedented event occurred in the
first quarter of 2020, a virus pandemic paralyzed the world socially and
economically. Like an earthquake, the ripple effect tore through the global
startup ecosystem resulting in two significant effects, capital challenges
and demand drop.

1. Capital Challenges
4 out of 10 startups had less than 3 months’ capital, meaning col-
lapse would be inevitable unless they fundraise or demand kicks
in. Classed as a “fundraising fiasco” as 3 out of 4 startups had their
fundraising process disrupted. 18% of startups with term sheets
had a funding round cancelled by investors and 54% experienced
a f­ unding round delay.

4 out of every 10 startups today are in the “red zone”, up 29% since Dec. 2019
This means they have 3 months or fewer of capital runway
African (56%) and South American (44%) startups are in the most trouble, while Oceanian (31%) and
European (35%) startups are doing relatively better
South American Oceania North America Europe Asia Africa Global Avg
Dec, 2019 Mar–June, 2020

440% Global Avg

Global Avg 31%

2. Demand Drop
72% startups experienced a drop in revenue since the crisis hit, with
an average experiencing a 32% decline. According to the Startup
Genome Covid-19 Impact Insights report, 10% expect revenues
to grow, 40% expect to stay the same, and 28% predict a drop in
­revenue over the coming years. 60% have laid off employees or
reduced salaries. The main jobs to suffer are 36% direct sales, 29%
marketing, 31% research and development, and 32% with product
roles. 71% of startups have reduced expenses by an average of 22%.
 Introduction xxiii

This is a Recession coupled with an acceleration into the digital

­economy. The 4th Revolution on steroids!

Winners and Losers

With the human population mobilized and daily lives disrupted, it is
undoubtedly the worst economic downturn since 1929. The pandemic
has accelerated the demise of companies that were already in trouble and
the bankruptcy announcements across industries will continue over the
coming years. The automotive, aviation, retail, oil, and gas sectors being
the hardest hit. Well-known brands like Hertz, Latam Airlines, JCPenney,
Neiman Marcus, and Whiting Petroleum have all filed for bankruptcy
within six months of the pandemic. Daily announcements of companies
laying off people and closing their doors is becoming the new normal.
However, every crisis creates opportunity. History tells us that 50%
of the Fortune 500 companies started during a recession. Companies like
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Dropbox. During Lockdown times, the depen-
dency on digital and technology products accelerated as humans desire to
continue behaviors like shopping, entertainment, and socializing. Covid-19
accelerated the growth of tech companies like Zoom, Slack, and Spotify. As
demand for online shopping skyrocketed, Amazon boss, Jeff Bezos saw his
fortune grow by $31 billion and is predicted to be the world’s first trillionaire
by 2026. Overnight, online conferencing company Zoom became a remote
working essential, a multi-generational connection tool, and a household
name. Zoom Founder, Eric Yuan enjoyed a 140% rise in his fortune to $8.5
billion. In the 2020 Top 10 Billionaires Index, eight people are in technology.
Like the dinosaur era, we are experiencing an extinction event with
millions of companies, from large corporations to startups, are in survival
mode. It truly is an era of the “survival of the fittest.” As Charles Darwin
said 150 years ago in 1869, “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who
will survive but those who can best manage change.”

Success Matters
In order to navigate the long term ripple effect of Covid-19, two factors
are critical to an entrepreneur’s success.
xxiv Introduction

1. The Ecosystem
The property development adage, “location, location, location” is also
true for Startups. Immersion into an ecosystem with like-minded
people passionate about innovation, growth, and scale is a proven
success model. Chapter 4 dives into the Power of Proximity in detail.
2. The Strategies
While the WHERE to be in business is important, the focus of
this book is on the HOW. You can have hundreds of entrepreneurs
in the same ecosystem, yet only one may achieve Unicorn status.
­Entrepreneurism can be likened to the ‘4 minute mile’ analogy. In
1964, Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile barrier that had stood
for decades. Within a year, another four people broke the record after
seeing it was possible. Since then, over 1,000 runners have adopted
the high performance strategies to complete a 4-minute mile.
In entrepreneurial terms, in the 1900s, a century ago, a ­billionaire
individual did not exist. Fast forward to today, there are 46.8 m ­ illion
millionaires with a combined wealth of $158.3 trillion. Of which,
2,825 have risen to billionaire status, according to Wealth-X.
­Millionaires now have about half the total global wealth. In 2019, the
number of millionaires rose by 1.1 million in one year alone globally.
As a result, new terms to describe the levels of ­entrepreneurial
achievement have emerged. A “Unicorn” is a business with
$1 ­billion to $10 billion turnover. “Decacorns” have $10 billion to
$50 billion turnover and “Titans” $50 billion plus. Let’s put that
into perspective.

• 1 second is 1 second
• 1 million seconds is 12 days (a vacation)
• 1 billion seconds is 30 years (a career)
• 50 billion is 1,500 years (a human lifetime plus some)
• a trillion is 30,000 years (longer than human civilization)

It’s about understanding the scale to truly appreciate entre-

preneurs who have scaled these heights. Once we have this scale,
entrepreneurs who have built companies from zero to hero inspire
us to learn HOW. Many books have been written about the high
performance habits successful entrepreneurs adopt, from their daily
meditation techniques and fitness routines to how they lead their
 Introduction xxv

teams. I have always been more fascinated about their journey from
zero to hero.

• From Zero: When starting a business, what strategies did

they adopt to overcome the odds?
• To Hero: As a highly successful entrepreneur, how did they
use their wealth to help humanity and the planet?

What is an Entrepreneur?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of an entrepreneur
is “someone who sets up a business taking on financial risks in the hope of
profit.” Let’s look at the definition from an entrepreneur’s perspective.

Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like most

people won’t so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people
can’t.
—Anon.

Being an entrepreneur isn’t just a job title, and it isn’t about starting
a company. It’s a state of mind. It’s about seeing connections others
can’t, seizing opportunities others won’t, and forging new directions
that others haven’t.
—Tony Birch.

Being an entrepreneur is sexy for those who haven’t done it. In

­reality it’s grotty, tough work where you will be filled with self doubt.
­Entrepreneurs are survivors.
—Mark Suster, American Venture Capitalist.

Entrepreneurship is about turning what excites you in life into ­capital,

so that you can do more of it and move forward with it.
—Richard Branson, Virgin Group.

Entrepreneurship is not only a mindset but a skillset.

—Mitchell Kapor, one of the pioneers of the personal
­computing industry.
xxvi Introduction

The Superhero Selection Criteria

There are millions of entrepreneurs globally, so how do you select ones to
feature in a book about success strategies? Entrepreneurs were required to
meet two criteria.

Criteria #1: Zero to Hero

Millions of talented people lead companies in roles such as Chief ­Executive

Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD). Whilst they are great cap-
tains of the boat steering it to success, they did not invent the boat. This
book only features entrepreneurs, not leaders of companies, who demon-
strated they adopted a superpower strategy to create, build, and launch a
new product or service thereby achieving global success.

Criteria #2: Philanthropic values

While showcasing the zero to hero stories and the strategies adopted by
successful entrepreneurs is inspirational and educational, for me, discov-
ering how they distribute their wealth through philanthropic endeavors
to help humanity and the planet, remains at the heart of this book.
Societal expectations of “giving back” have risen, regardless of whether
you are rich or poor. From small acts of daily kindness and charity runs to
championing front line workers during Covid, human consciousness has
been raised. Only entrepreneurs with a demonstrable philanthropic track
record of redistributing their wealth are featured in this book.

Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a

difference.
—Kathy Calvin, CEO & President of the United
Nations ­Foundation

If you’re in the luckiest 1% of humanity, you owe it to the rest of

humanity to think about the other 99%.
—Warren Buffet
 Introduction xxvii

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

—Winston Churchill

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.

—Albert Einstein

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing
for others?’
—Martin Luther King Jr.

Categorization
With the selection criteria applied and the entrepreneurs shortlisted to
feature in this book, the next phase was to categorize the entrepreneurs
into industrial revolution, sector and strategy.

Table I.1 By industrial revolution

Second (1870–1950) Third (1950–2011) Fourth (2011 onwards)

The Age of Science The Digital Technological
and Mass Production Revolution Revolution
Sam Walton Sara Blakely Jay Shetty
Warren Buffet Brian Chesky and Anne Boden
Joe Gibbin Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad
Steve Chen and Yatsenko
Chad Hurley Sean Rad
Nick Woodman
James Dyson
J.K Rowling
Bill Gates
Tony Robbins
Tony Hsieh
Richard Branson
Bernie Ecclestone
Judith Faulkner
Reed Hastings
Steve Jobs
Anita Roddick
Muhammed Yanus
Blake Mycoskie
xxviii Introduction

Table I.2 By sector

Personal
Development Finance IT Media
Tony Robbins Warren Buffet Bill Gates J.K Rowling
Jay Shetty Anne Boden Judith Faulkner Reed Hastings
Sean Rad Nikolay Storonsky Steve Chen and
Muhammed Yanus Chad Hurley
Reed Hastings
Manufacturing/ Multiple
Retail Hospitality Sport sectors
Sara Blakely Brian Chesky and Bernie Ecclestone Richard Branson
Nick Woodman Joe Gibbin
James Dyson
Sam Walton
Tony Hsieh
Steve Jobs
Anita Roddick
Blake Mycoskie

Table I.3 By superpower strategy

PURPOSE PRODUCT POSITIONING PROXIMITY

Sara Blakely James Dyson Sam Walton Sean Rad
Brian Chesky and J.K. Rowling Bill Gates
Joe Gibbin
Chad Hurley
Nick Woodman
PEOPLE PARTNERSHIPS PROCESS PLANET
Tony Robbins Richard Branson Judith Faulkner Anita Roddick
Warren Buffet Bernie Eccelstone Reed Hastings Muhammed Yunus
Nick Swinmurn Anne Boden Blake Mycoskie
Jay Shetty Nikolay Storonsky

What do I Mean by a Superpower?

A curious mind asks a curious question, “How did they do it?” To me,
a Superpower is a trait, characteristic, or strategy adopted that uniquely
sets them apart from the norm to succeed. A Superpower is the primary
reason they overcame the odds and became a success.
 Introduction xxix

How to Use This Book

This book was written such that you can either read the book in sequence
or dive into a Superpower or an entrepreneur’s story that appeals to you.
Either way works.

The Categories

The book is split into categories, the 5 M’s, in which the superpower
strategies, the 8 P’s, fall.
Category 1—MINDSET—Problem and Perseverance
Category 2—MARKETING—Positioning and Proximity
Category 3—MASSES—People and Partnerships
Category 4—METHOD—Process
Category 5—MOVEMENT—Planet

The Mantras

Before diving into the book, read the following entrepreneur mantras
and instinctively choose the mantra that feels like you. Which one are you
drawn to most?

“I’m driven to create something new to solve the problem”

“I will keep trying until I succeed”
“I will boldly go where no-one has been before”
“Right people, right place”
“I will create a tribe to succeed”
“Let’s collaborate”
“Let’s simplify”
“Be the change you want to see in the world”

Each mantra relates to one of the 8 superpowers. The one you are
drawn to is likely to be your underlying superpower.
xxx Introduction

The Exercises

If you wish to evolve your superpower further, the exercises at the end of
each chapter will guide you. Chapter 9 brings the 8 superpower strategies
together under the 8 P framework. Why just tap into one superpower
to succeed? What would happen if you adopted all 8 strategies to your
business simultaneously?

Contribution

Before we get started, I would like to invite all readers to take part in
this journey together by embodying the two superpower criteria from the
­outset. This book will provide you with the first criteria, the strategies,
and tools to accelerate your success. Only you can proactively embrace
the second criteria of philanthropy. By helping humanity, even in a small
way, you are stepping into the persona of a superhero entrepreneur.
There are two ways to contribute:

1. Inspire others
Many business books become outdated when they rely on case
studies to support their methods. People and companies get pro-
filed all the time and even as I write this book, companies are ris-
ing and falling. This is why I founded the Impact Community
to remain current and champion the entrepreneurs of today who
make the impossible, possible. Entrepreneurs who are not only
surviving, but thriving during challenging times. If you are pas-
sionate about making an impact, please join the Impact Com-
munity. It’s free. We share stories and strategies to inspire others.
We believe in the POSSIBLE! Please visit www8superpower.co
“To be inspired is great, but to inspire others is incredible.”

2. Educate others
The superhero entrepreneurs in this book were selected not only
for their business success but also for their philanthropic endeavors.
I know this book is in your hands for a reason. If you would like to
help educate those less fortunate, donations made by readers will
be channeled toward Pencils of Promise. A non-profit organization
 Introduction xxxi

that builds schools and increases educational opportunities in the

developing world. https://pencilsofpromise.org/
250 million children of primary school age lack basic
­reading, writing, and math skills. To date, Pencils of Promise
have built 531  schools, supported 2,151 teachers and impacted
110,380 ­students in the poorest regions of the world. To build a
classroom requires $10,000, to build an entire school $50,000. My
ambitious goal is to build an entire school.
Join the 8 Superpower Tribe in making this happen. Either
donate or generate.

• Donate—donations gratefully received at www.8superpower.co

• Generate—recommend this book to someone else. Pay it
forward. Promote the book on social media. Book sales
generate royalties. All royalties from this book will be
donated to Pencils of Promise.

Pencils of Promise believe where you start in life shouldn’t dictate

where you finish.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change
the world.
—Nelson Mandela
Category I

Mindset
 CHAPTER 1

Power of Problem
4 The 8 Superpowers of Successful Entrepreneurs

Solving Problems
Entrepreneurs with a problem solving mindset are driven to create solu-
tions. Products are used daily that trigger thoughts like “this would be
better if….” and “if only this was faster…,” yet the majority of us accept
the status quo. There are a minority who decide to take action, create and
launch a new product. What drives these entrepreneurs? Do they have a
unique outlook and approach?
There are several approaches to problem solving.

1. Algorithms
Algorithms simplify the complex by using step-by-step instructions
that will produce the same result every time they are performed. The
earliest algorithm recorded was in the Babylonian times, 1600 BC, on
a clay tablet, an early form of an instruction manual to solve a class of
problems. Today, the most famous publicized algorithm is PageRank,
Google’s algorithm to rank the pages on the search engine, created
by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while studying at Stanford University.
2. Heuristics
Heuristics, derived from Greek word meaning “to discover,” uses
shortcuts to produce good-enough solutions in a given timeframe.
They enable quick decisions particularly when working with
­complex data. You may solve the problem through trial and error,
having an educated guess or using rule of thumb thinking.
3. Insights
Defined as the moment of sudden comprehension of a problem and
the solution is often accompanied by an aha experience (Ollinger
et  al. 2013). Researchers say that an insight occurs because you
realize that the problem is actually similar to something you
­
have dealt with in the past. In most cases, the underlying mental
­processes that lead to insight happen outside of awareness.
In the field of cognitive psychology, studies show that i­ntuition
and insight problem solving are intertwined. Intuition is an
unconscious process, which provides a gut feeling or hunch for
the ­situation. Often called the “Eureka Moment” as the solution
­presents itself suddenly and unexpectedly.
 Power of Problem 5

Studies assessing brain activity during insights show increased

activity in the right side of the brain compared to problem solving
not requiring insights. Many studies have shown that unconscious
problem processing may take place while a person is asleep and the
solution presents itself in a dream or upon awakening. Some of
the world’s most celebrated artists, scientists, athletes and inventors
had their eureka moment during sleep.
• Chemist Dmitri Mendeleev spent 10 years trying to create
a pattern that connected the chemical elements together. It
was in 1869, the inspiration for the Periodic Table came to
him. Writing in his diary, Medeleev said, “I saw in a dream
a table where all the elements fell into place as required.
Awakening, I immediately wrote it down on a piece of
paper.”
• One of the greatest golfers of all time, Jack Nicklaus
struggled to understand why his game was below par
until a new grip and golf swing came to him in a dream.
Jack has won 117 golf tournaments and 18 major
championships over his career.
• Film director James Cameron created both The Terminator
and Avatar during dream states. The Terminator franchise
has generated over $3 billion in revenue and Avatar
remains the highest grossing movie with $2 billion in
revenue. Not bad for a dream!

Regardless of which method the entrepreneurs featured in this chap-

ter adopted, the common characteristic they share is a p
­ roblem solving
mindset. This is their superpower.

The Mantra
“I’m driven to create something new to solve the problem.”

Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your g­ reatest
strength and ensure that you do things differently from ­everyone else.
—Sara Blakely, SPANX
6 The 8 Superpowers of Successful Entrepreneurs

When you start a company, it’s more than an art than a science
because it’s totally unknown. Instead of solving high-profile problems,
try to solve something that’s deeply personal to you. Ideally, if you’re an
ordinary person and you’ve just solved your problem, you might have
solved the problem for millions of people.
—Brian Chesky, Airbnb.

A really important thing when you come up with a concept is that you
solve a pervasive problem for people, and you don’t try to create a new
way to do something that isn’t necessarily broken.
—Nick Woodman, GOPRO

Someone has an itch for a problem and that they’re annoyed enough to
actually go out and seek a solution for it.
—Daniel Ek, Spotify

BRIAN CHESKY, JOE GEBBIA, and NATHAN

BLECHARCZYK, AIRBNB
Not being able to pay the rent led to a $10 billion dollar company

In 2008, Brian, Joe, and Nathan decided to rent out three air mattresses
in their San Francisco loft apartment to help pay the rent. They noticed
that all the hotels in town were fully booked for the design trade show;
accommodation was scarce. The flatmates successfully rented out three air
mattresses with breakfast for $80 each. This led them to think—what if
we could find more places to rent out? This initial success provided Brian
and Joe with the momentum to explore if they were onto something.
Shortly afterwards, they successfully raised $30,000 initial invest-
ment but, to their dismay, they found that sales weren’t increasing. After
reviewing the website, they realized the photos were not that appealing to
customers. The Founders embarked on improving the quality by visiting
each listed house door to door themselves. They had successfully elimi-
nated the source of their problem, and with a higher quality online rental
website, sales doubled within a week. This growth continued and in 2011,
Airbnb celebrated taking its one millionth booking. In 2012, the business
doubled in a 5 month period to achieve its ten millionth booking.
 Power of Problem 7

Where are They Today?

Airbnb offers over 5 million places to stay, employs 13,000 people, and
operates in 191 countries. Airbnb has hosted over 400 million guests
since its launch. What started as a personal problem has resulted in a
business that has disrupted the online accommodations industry.
Today, the Founders’ combined wealth is $12.2 bn. In 2016, Brian
Chesky, Joe Gebbia, and Nathan Blecharczyk joined The Giving Pledge,
a movement of philanthropists dedicated to giving away the majority of
their wealth to charitable causes.

Quotes from the Founders

If we tried to think of a good idea, we wouldn’t have been able to
think of a good idea. You just have to find the solution for a problem
in your own life.
—Brian Chesky

We believe the best solutions come from solving your own problem.
If you have a real problem, there’s likely someone else who can relate.
That’s how Airbnb was born.
—Joe Gebbia

SARA BLAKELY, SPANX

A white trouser problem led to a billion dollar empire

Wishing to wear white trousers to a party, Sara realized she didn’t have the
right underwear to complete the look, so she improvised and cut off the
feet to create a footless pantyhose. Knowing that other women may have
the same challenge, Sara decided to take her ‘crazy idea’ forward and use
this gap in the market. In 2000, Sara launched Spanx with her $5000 of
savings. Within two years, she had completed prototyping, production
and gained her first sale at Neiman Marcus, a U.S. retailer.
8 The 8 Superpowers of Successful Entrepreneurs

During the early years, Sara adopted a secondary strategy: The

Power of Positioning. Being inspired by brands Kodak and Coca Cola
to have the memorable “K” sound in the company name, Sara named
the company SPANX. Combining this with a bold positioning strat-
egy; stand out red packaging among a sea of white, black and beige
retail products and with accolades from the “Queen of Media”, Oprah
Winfrey who shared her SPANX experience during her “Favourite
Things” segment on ­television in 2000, catapulted SPANX into the
mainstream.

Where are They Today?

20 years on, Spanx is a global company in 50 countries with hundreds
of products, employing over 150 people. Before Spanx, “Shapewear” was
not even a market segment. Sara’s creativity had formed a whole new
market consumers didn’t know they needed!
Sara turned her $5000 savings into a billion dollar empire and became
the youngest self-made female billionaire. In 2012, Blakely was named in
Time magazine’s “Time 100” annual list of the 100 most influential people
in the world. Outside of her own business, she co-owns a basketball team,
the Atlanta Hawks, and has set up The Spanx by Sara Blakely F ­ oundation
to offer scholarships and empower women through ­education. Sara has
also joined The Giving Pledge.

Quotes by Sara Blakely

“There is a hidden blessing in the most traumatic things we go through
in our lives. My brain always goes to, ‘Where is the hidden blessing?
What is my gift?’”

“My Dad encouraged us to fail growing up, he would ask what

we failed at that week. If we didn’t have something he would be
­disappointed. It changed my mindset at an early age that failure is
not the outcome, failure is not trying. Don’t be afraid to fail.”
 Power of Problem 9

STEVE CHEN and CHAD HURLEY, YOUTUBE

More content is uploaded in 60 days than
3 major networks created in 60 years

Chad Hurley and Steve Chen were inspired to start YouTube after expe-
riencing difficulty sharing a video that Chad took at a dinner party in
San Francisco. This frustration led them to question if a faster and better
solution could be built. At that time, Vimeo, a video sharing service, was
the leading video sharing platform.
In 2005, when Chad and Steve shared their problem story to a group
of investors, they jumped on board. A new video sharing service that
prioritized video creators was born. By December that year, YouTube had
8 million views per day. By July 2006, 65,000 new videos were being
uploaded daily achieving 100 million views. Fast forward 9 years to 2015
and YouTube had 15 billion visitors per month.

Where are They Today?

This exponential growth continued. By February 2017, there were more
than 400 hours of content uploaded to YouTube each minute, and one
billion hours of content being watched on YouTube every day. As of May
2019, more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded to ­YouTube
every minute. Based on the reported quarterly advertising r­evenue,
YouTube is estimated to have U.S. $15 billion in annual revenues.
­
Google acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion. In 2019, YouTube
has two billion users worldwide (Statista, 2019). The only social ­network
that has more monthly active users than YouTube is Facebook and
­generated U.S. $15 billion in ad revenue.

Quotes by Chad Hurley

“If something excites you, go for it!”

“I think success around any product is really about subtle insights. You
need a great product and a bigger vision to execute against, but it’s
really those small things that make the big difference.”
10 The 8 Superpowers of Successful Entrepreneurs

NICK WOODMAN, GOPRO

The invention of a passionate surfer leads
to sales of 35 million cameras

As a passionate surfer, Nick wanted to film his action on the water in

order to demonstrate his skills and fulfill his desire of “going pro.” Ini-
tially, filming with a camera attached to his hand with rubber bands, he
was inspired to create a belt to attach the camera to his body. He used his
mother’s sewing machine to create the first prototypes and raised money
by selling seashells out of his mobile van. In 2002, the idea for GoPro
was born. His passion to find a solution that could successfully film on
the water took GoPro from a niche product for surfers into the main-
stream enabling anyone keen to capture their activities on film. GoPro’s
fast growth, from selling out of a mobile van to becoming a billion dollar
company has made Nick a billionaire.

Where are They Today?

With so much content being created by GoPro users, the company started
its transformation to become a media company in 2014 broadcasting its
content to YouTube, Virgin America, XBox Live, and the PlayStation net-
work. In 2019, GoPro celebrated selling its 35 millionth HERO camera
since the launch of the first HD HERO in 2009.
Nick Woodman’s surfing passion led to the creation of the world’s
most versatile camera that empowers people to be creative, capture their
adventures, and share it globally.
Through the Jill and Nicholas Woodman Foundation, donations have
been made to a variety of causes, from child abuse prevention to entrepre-
neur and community building projects.
 Power of Problem 11

Quote by Nick Woodman

“As soon as I stopped trying to think about the business idea and
started focusing on what I’m passionate about, that’s when it came
to me.”
 The POWER OF PROBLEM Exercises
“I’m driven to create something new to solve the problem.”

Do you feel this is your Entrepreneur persona? If so, why? If not, why
not? Either answer helps provide insights.
Another problem solving example is Ben and Jerry’s. School friends
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield attended a $5 correspondence ice
cream making course in the 1970s. As a result of Ben’s inability to taste
or smell, chunks of chocolate, fruit, and nuts were added to provide
texture to the ice cream and sold in pint tubs. This simple innovation
to satisfy the Founder’s taste deficit led to a successful global franchise.

1. Do you look at problems from different perspectives and tend to

generate multiple solutions?
2. Which problem solving approach are you most drawn to?
­Algorithms, heuristics, or insights?
3. Do you get inspired thoughts during dream time? If so, how do
you capture the ideas?
4. Can you list any three times in your life you have encountered
a problem?
5. Did you try an existing product or service to help you
overcome it?
6. Could you create something better? If so, what would it do?

Join us

Can you think of other entrepreneurs with this superpower? If you

want to meet like minded people or be a contributor sharing real world
entrepreneur success stories, please visit www.8superpowers.co.

JOIN the conversation on social media #8superpowers

 Index
Agile, 74–78 Bundle pricing, 25
common methodologies, 77–78
philosophy, 75 Cameron, James, 5
rise of, 77 Capital challenges, xxii
twelve principles, 75–76 Categories, 102–112
Algorithms, 5 power of partnerships, 108–109
Airbnb, 6–7 power of people, 107–108
Alphabet, 62 power of perseverance, 105
Alter Eco Foods, 91 power of planet, 110–111
AltSchool, 92 power of positioning, 105–106
Amazon, xxiii, 80 power of problem solving, 104
Amazon River Basin, 94 power of process, 109–110
Apple, xx, 28 power of proximity, 106
Apple iTunes Music Store, 30–32 Chen, Steve, 9
Ashoka, 88, 89 Chesky, Brian, 6–7
Atlanta Hawks, 8 Cisco, xx
Avatar, 5 Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank
(CBYB), 65
Badeen, Jonathan, 39–40 Coca Cola, 8
Bannister, Roger, xxiv Community builders approach,
Barnes & Noble, 61 51–53
Beef up the board approach, 51 5 key steps to, 52–53
Bezos, Jeff, xxiii Competition pricing, 25
Bill and Melinda Gates Cost positioning, 24
Foundation, 30 Covid-19 ripple effect, xxii–xxiii
Billionaire population and total Cradles to Crayons, 92
wealth (2019) Customer expectations, 74
by city, 41–42
by country, 41 Darwin, Charles, xxiii
by region, 40 Decacorns, xxiv
Blakely, Sara, 7–8 Delivering Happiness : A path to
Blecharczyk, Nathan, 6–7 Profits, Passion and Purpose
Bloomberg, 62 (Tony), 53
Boden, Anne, 82 Deloitte Human Global Human
Body and Soul: Profits with Principles Capital Trends Report, 93
(Roddik), 95 Demand drop, xxii–xxiii
Body Shop, 94–95 Disney, 60–61
Branson, Richard, 64–66 Drayton, Bill, 88
Brazil nut oil, 94 Dropbox, xxiii
Brin, Sergey, 4 Dweck, Carol, 14
British Airways, 64 Dyson Dual Cyclone cleaner,
Buffet, Warren, 50–51 15–16
122 Index

Dyson Institute of Engineering and Fixed mindset, 14

Technology., 16 Fleming, Alexander, 18
Dyson, James, 15–16 Flexibility positioning, 24
Formula One, 66–68
EAT, 38 Formula One Management (FOM),
Ecclestone, Bernie, 66–68 66
Economic climate, 74
Economy pricing, 25 Gate, Bill, 28–30
Ecosystem maturity, 89 Gebbia, Joe, 6–7
Ecosystem Value, xx–xxi Genome Valley (Hyderabad), 37
Edehan Trust Barometer, 88 The Giving Pledge, 7, 8, 50, 79, 81
Emerging technologies, 74 GlaxoSmithKline, 62
Emerson Collective, 31 Google, xx
EMI, 64 Google’s algorithm, 4
Entrepreneur GoPro, 10–11
approaches to problem solving, 4–5 Graham, Benjamin, 50
categorization, xxvii–xxviii Grameen Bank, 92, 96–97
Covid-19 ripple effect, xxii­–xxiii Grinder, John, 49
defined, xxv Growth mindset, 14
persona, 19 Gruber, Peter, 49
problems faced by, 74 Guangzhou Automobile Group Co
rise of, xx–xxi (GAC), 63
success matters, xxiii–xxv
ecosystem, xxiv Harry Potter, 16–17
strategies, xxiv Hastings, Reed, 79–81
superhero selection criteria, xxvi– Hertz, xxiii
xxvii Heuristics, 4
winners and losers, xxiii Hewlett Packard, 60–61
Epic Systems, 78–79 Hsieh, Tony, 53–55
Eureka Moment, 4 Huffington, Arianna, 56
Exercises HuffPost Lifestyle segment, 56
power of partnerships, 69–70 Human Services Computing, 78
power of people, 57–58 Hurley, Chad, 9
power of perseverance, 19
power of planet, 99 IBM, 28
power of problem solving, 12 Insights, 4
power of process, 83 Intel, 28
power of proximity, 43 The Intelligent Investor (Graham), 50
problem solving, 12
Extreme Programming (XP), 77 JCPenney, xxiii
Jill and Nicholas Woodman
Facebook, xx, xxiii Foundation, 10
Faulkner, Judith, 78–79 Jobs, Laurene Powell, 31
Federation Internationale de Joint venture, 62–63
l’Automobile (FIA), 66 successful, 62
Feronia Forests, 92 unsuccessful, 62–63
Fiat, 62–63 Jordan, Michael, 18
 Index 123

Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Pasteur, Louis, 18

Foundation, 56 Pencils of Promise, 56
Kanban, 78 Penetration pricing, 24
Kayapo Indians, 94 People proximity, 36–37
Kodak, 8 Philanthropic values, xxvi–xxvii
Krating Daeng, 38 Place proximity, 37
PlayStation network, 10
Latam Airlines, xxiii Power of change, 48
Lean Software Development, 77 Power of 8 P’s, 101–112
Lego, 62 categories, 102–112
Lewis-Evans, Stuart, 66 framework, 103
LinkedIn, xxiii goals, 102
L’Oreal, 95 method, 102
Power of partnerships, 59–70,
Macro level proximity, 37–38 108–109
Mateen, Justin, 39–40 case studies, 64–68
Mateschitz, Dietrich, 38 exercise, 69–70
MBNA, 65 key success factors, 63
McClelland, David, 36 types of, 60–63
Mendeleev, Dmitri, 5 Power of people, 47–58, 107–108
Micro level proximity, 38–39 beef up the board approach, 51
Microsoft, xix, 28–30 case studies, 48–51, 53–56
Millennials, 88 community builders approach,
Mirror mentor approach, 48–51 51–53
Mission vs. vision statement, 92–94 exercise, 57–58
Moorjaniu, Dinesh, 39–40 mirror mentor approach, 48–51
Motorsport Valley (UK), 37 Power of perseverance, 13–19, 105
Munoz, Joe, 39–40 case studies, 15–18
Mycoskie, Blake, 97–98 defined, 14
exercise, 19
Nanjing Auto, 63 fixed vs. growth mindset, 14
Neiman Marcus, xxiii Power of physiology, 49
Netflix, 79–81 Power of planet, 87–99, 110–111
Neuro-linguistic Physiology (NLP), case studies, 94–98
49 exercise, 99
The New Psychology of Success, 14 mission vs. vision statement, 92–94
Nicklaus, Jack, 5 social enterprise, 88
Nike, 38 business models, 89–91
No One Without, 92 success factors, 91–92
No Rules Rules - Netflix and the Culture socially conscious movement,
of Reinvention (Hastings), 81 88–89
Norwich Union, 64–65 Power of positioning, 23–33,
105–106
One World, 61 case studies, 26–31
Orgoo, 39 defined, 24
exercises, 32–33
Page, Larry, 4 key areas, 24
PageRank, 4 pricing strategies, 24–25
124 Index

Power of problem solving, 3–12, 104 ShoeSite.com, 53

approaches to, 4–5 Silicon Valley, 37, xx
case studies, 6–11 Slack, xxiii
exercise, 12 Social enterprise
Power of process, 73–83, 109–110 business models, 89–91
agile, 74–78 defined, 88
case studies, 78–81 Socially conscious movement, 88–89
exercise, 83 SPANX, 7–8
problems faced by entrepreneurs, The Spanx by Sara Blakely
74 Foundation, 8
Waterfall, 74 Speed positioning, 24
Power of proximity, 35–43, 106 Spotify, 60, xxiii
billionaire population and total Stallone, Sylvester, 18
wealth (2019), 40–42 Stanford University, 14
case studies, 39–42 Star Alliance, 61
exercise, 43 Starbucks, 18, 38, 61, 62
principles, 36–37 Starling Bank, 82
Power of Storytelling, 49 Start Something That Matters (Blake),
Premium pricing, 25 97
Price anchoring, 25 StartUp Genome, xx
Price positioning, 24 3 Steps to Fertility - A Couple’s Guide
Price strategies to Maximising Their Ability to
consumer behavior focused, 25 Conceive, xiv
market focused, 24–25 Storonksy, Nicolas, 82
psychology focused, 25 Strategic alliances, 60–62
Problem solving successful, 60–61
approaches to, 4–5 unsuccessful, 61–62
exercises, 12 Successful joint venture, 62
Psychology pricing, 25 Successful strategic alliances, 60–61
PwC, 60 Superpower, xxviii
Sutherland, Jeff, 77
Quality positioning, 24 Swinmurn, Nick, 53–55

Rad, Sean, 39–40 Tata Global Beverages, 62

Randolph, Marc, 79–81 TED, 92
Red Bull, 38 The Terminator, 5
Revolut, 82 Tesla, 92
Rindt, Jochen, 66 That Will Never Work: The Birth of
Robbins, Tony, 48–50 Netflix (Randolph), 81
Roddik, Anita, 94–95 Theron, Charlize, 37–38
Rohn, Jim, 48–49 Time magazine, 8
Rowling, J. K., 16–17 Tinder, 37, 39–40
Titan, xxiv
Schultz, Howard, 18 TOMS, 92, 93
Schwaber, Ken, 77 TOMS Shoes, 97–98
Scrum, 77 Toyota Production System (TPS), 78
Shell, 62 Trade Not Aid program, 94
Shetty, Jay, 55–56 Trust, 88–89
 Index 125

Uber, 60, 62 Winfrey, Oprah, 8

Unicorn, xxiv Winners and losers, xxiii
UNSHAKEABLE, 49 WISTA Science and Technology Park
Unsuccessful joint venture, 62–63 (Berlin), 37
Unsuccessful strategic alliances, Wolfe, Whitney, 39–40
61–62 Woodman, Nick, 10–11

Venture Frogs, 53 XBox Live, 10

Virgin America, 10
Virgin Group, 64–66 Yanus, Muhammed, 96–97
Vision statement, mission vs., 92–94 Yatsenko, Vlad, 82
Volvo, 62 Yoovidhya, Chaleo, 38
YouTube, 9, 10
Walmart, 26–28, 38 Yuan, Eric, xxiii
Walmart Foundation, 28
Walton, Sam, 26–28 Zappos, 53–55
Whiting Petroleum, xxiii Zero to hero, xxvi
Windows, 29 Zoom, xxiii