Choosing Your Customer with Jonathan Byrnes
\u201cIn the old days, branding was a very broad thing. Today it's picking your spot.\u201d Jonathan Byrnes knows a thing or two about building a profitable brand for the long haul. He's a Senior Lecturer at MIT, founding partner of Profit Isle, and the author of two books and numerous HBR articles. He's also my guest this week on the On Brand podcast. Enjoy!\nAbout Jonathan Byrnes\nJonathan Byrnes is founding partner and chairman of Profit Isle, a highly successful MIT spin-off SaaS software company that helps organizations increase profits by 10\u201330 percent using its profitability analytics and management process. A widely followed thought leader on profitable growth and innovative customer-supplier relationships, Byrnes is a frequent speaker and writer who has advised over 100 companies and institutions. He earned a doctorate from Harvard and has been a Senior Lecturer at MIT for 30 years. In addition to his popular HBS column, \u201cThe Bottom Line,\u201d he is the author of Islands of Profit in a Sea of Red Ink, an Inc. Best Book for Business Owners and Choose Your Customer: How to Compete Against the Digital Giants and Thrive.\nEpisode Highlights\nBranding today ... \u201cAll you had to do was maximize revenue and minimize cost. In the old days, branding was a very broad thing. Today it's picking your spot.\u201d\nFirst things first. Throughout our conversation, Jonathan stressed the importance of choosing your spot. \u201cLook where you're actually making money,\u201d he notes. Unless, of course, your competition is Amazon. \u201cIf you're in a space with Amazon you're doomed.\u201d\nAccording to Jonathan, one of the best things you can do is ... \u201cAdd your CFO into the branding mix.\u201d This can provide a critical and profitable perspective.\nWhat brand has made Jonathan smile recently? Irony alert! \u201cThis is going to sound funny but Amazon. They perfectly meet my needs.\u201d\nTo learn more about Jonathan, check out his new book Choose Your Customer on his website or (where else?) on Amazon!\nAs We Wrap \u2026\nDid you hear something you liked on this episode or another?\xa0Do you have a question you\u2019d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.\nOn Brand is sponsored by my book\xa0Brand Now.\xa0Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world.\xa0Order now and get special digital extras.\xa0Learn more.\n\n\nSubscribe to the podcast\xa0\u2013 You can subscribe to the show via\xa0Apple Podcasts,\xa0Spotify,\xa0Google Play,\xa0Stitcher,\xa0TuneIn, and\xa0RSS.\n\n\nRate and review the show\xa0\u2013 If you like what you\u2019re hearing, head over to\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast.\n\n\nOK. How do you rate and review a podcast?\xa0Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes?\xa0Check this out.\n\nUntil next week, I\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices