The Business of Platforms

“We’re in a connected, data-rich world and countries have to think about data to stay competitive, rather than just about resource holding and talent holding.”

Sangeet Paul Choudary is one of the leading consultants and thought leaders on platforms. In conversation with Vivaldi CEO Erich Joachimsthaler, Sangeet reflects on the main themes in his book, “Platform Revolution,” that covers the shift from pipelines to platforms over the past five years, analyzes the current landscape, and looks into the future of platform businesses.

Sangeet believes that huge potential lies in industries that are moving towards a digitized platform economy as they unlock new values by building business models that manage data as an asset. Not only does Sangeet apply platform thinking to industries, he is also confident that a platform strategy can help countries attract data flows and become competitive in a connected world.

If you’d like to suggest someone to be a guest on The Business of Platforms email hello@vivaldigroup.com.  

Foreseeing the Future of Platform Thinking, with Sangeet Paul Choudary from AdvertisingWeek on Vimeo.

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Ian Arthurs the Chief Operating Officer of TaskRabbit (and Vivaldi alum) joins us to the discuss the importance of consumer relationships, the human impact of the gig economy, and worldwide expansion plans for TaskRabbit with new parent company Ikea by their side. In conversation with Vivaldi founder and CEO Erich Joachimsthaler, Ian shares how growth wouldn’t be possible without the shared partnership between consumer and tasker, a unique two-sided marketplace that has allowed TaskRabbit to flourish into a household name.

Connect with Ian Arthurs here.
Connect with Erich Joachimsthaler here.

10: How TaskRabbit uses Platform Dynamics to Skip Forward, with Ian Arthurs from AdvertisingWeek on Vimeo.

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An industry leader in translation and localization, Lionbridge has embarked on a journey to shift its business model and rebrand to stay ahead of the pack. Jaime Punishill, CMO at Lionbridge, shares the journey they embarked on to become a transformative platform business. In conversation with our host, Vivaldi CMO Agathe Blanchon-Ehrsam, Jaime shares how Lionbridge has begun to recast the way it structures projects and leverages relationships, both internally among employees and externally with customers to build a dynamic ecosystem. Tune in to find out how transitioning to a platform business can reframe and reposition a company’s core values to unlock hidden opportunities.

Connect with Jaime Punishill here.
Connect with Agathe Blanchon-Ehrsam here.

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“Data is collected from the wisdom of the crowds. We often think of data as points on a map or numbers in a database, but there’s a collective wisdom that data-collecting taps into.”

Numaan Akram, founder and CEO of Rally, believes platform businesses depend on the wisdom of the crowd to truly excel. Rally is a crowd-powered travel service that enables rideshare on buses with an underlying goal of connecting those who share a passion. In conversation with our host, Vivaldi CCO Tom Ajello, Numaan discusses how a platform should not only initiate ideas but also invite its customers to create inspiration and engage their own communities. Tune in to learn how the nature of ownership has changed due to the extent to which platforms and consumer behavior impact each other.

Visit Rally.co to learn more.

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“Companies should be excited by new technology and the changes it means for how people behave. They should have a proactive and open-eyed sense of the world, they should not live in denial, and they should choose their own paths.”

Disruptors approach problems from a different point of view, from a customer-centric perspective, and end up fundamentally shifting any given market to another paradigm, and that to Tom Goodwin, Zenith Media’s Head of Innovation, is the nature of digital Darwinism. In conversation with Vivaldi CEO Erich Joachimsthaler, Goodwin shares key insights from his recent book Digital Darwinism that captures the most recent and important developments in business, technology, and innovation. Goodwin explains why leading incumbents find it difficult to engineer their own disruption and offers an alternative to the Clayton Christensen’s Disruption Theory that centers around the concept of paradigm leaps.

Connect with Tom on LinkedIn here.
Connect with Erich on LinkedIn here.

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“It’s crucial for leaders to nurture the entrepreneurial spirit within their company. When you do it well you can unwrap hidden value that was previously locked in the system.”

Entrepreneur and growth advisor Aaron Schildkrout reveals the importance of encouraging entrepreneurialism in companies that truly want to thrive. With Aaron’s insights as founder of HowAboutWe and top marketing and data executive at Uber, you’ll be ready to empower your team for the future.

Connect with Aaron on Twitter: @schildkrout
Connect with our host Tom on LinkedIn here.

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