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Name: Pivot to the Future
Rating: 4.5 (16 reviews)
Author: Omar Abbosh, Paul Nunes, Larry Downes

Omar Abbosh, Paul Nunes, Larry Downes

Discovering Value and Creating Growth in a Disrupted World

4.5 (16 ratings)

18 mins

Brief summary

Pivot to the Future examines how companies can continuously adapt and innovate in a rapidly changing world. It offers frameworks for resurfacing growth opportunities, reviving legacy assets, and ensuring sustained success in the modern economy.

Topics

Digital Transformation Innovation Career Progress Leadership Entrepreneurship Strategy

Table of Contents

Pivot to the Future
Summary of 6 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 6

What’s in it for me? Continuously reinvent your business to stay competitive, profitable, and ahead of disruption.

The pace of change in today’s business world is relentless. Industries that once seemed stable are being upended by new technologies, shifting consumer expectations, and ever more disruptive competitors. Companies that cling to outdated models risk falling behind, while those that embrace reinvention have the chance to unlock new growth. But transformation isn’t just about adopting the latest technologies or chasing the next big thing – it requires a fundamental shift in how businesses operate, invest, and think about the future.

In this Blink, you’ll learn how leading companies successfully pivot to new opportunities without abandoning their core business. You’ll see how they invest in emerging technologies, restructure their workforce, and reshape corporate culture to stay ahead of change. Most importantly, you’ll discover how to apply these lessons to your own organization, ensuring that reinvention becomes a way of doing business – not just a reaction to crisis.

Trapped value as opportunity for growth

Technology is advancing faster than most businesses can keep up with. Every day, new tools make it easier, cheaper, and more efficient to meet customer needs. But while opportunities are constantly emerging, many companies fail to act on them, leaving value trapped inside outdated business models. When this happens, disruptors – whether startups or fast-moving competitors – step in and capture that value for themselves. The companies that fail to adapt don’t just lose future growth. They risk losing everything.

Retail is a clear example. For years, brick-and-mortar stores dismissed online shopping as a niche market. They hesitated to invest in e-commerce, fearing it would eat into their physical store sales. Meanwhile, Amazon and other digital-first companies focused on making shopping cheaper, easier, and more convenient. They built personalized experiences, fast delivery networks, and seamless customer service.

While traditional retailers were cutting costs and reducing staff, digital players were making shopping effortless. By 2019, half of U.S. households had Amazon Prime memberships. Sears, once a retail giant, had lost as much revenue as Amazon had gained. The shift wasn’t inevitable – retailers had decades to adapt. But instead of embracing technology, many resisted it, allowing disruptors to dominate.

This failure isn’t just about retail. Across industries, companies struggle to move beyond their existing systems. They focus on short-term stability, not long-term reinvention. They invest in technology, but only for small improvements, never fully committing to innovation. The cost of computing, automation, and AI has dropped dramatically, making it easier than ever to improve efficiency and personalize customer experiences. Yet many businesses still operate as if technology is an optional add-on rather than a fundamental driver of success.

To avoid being left behind, you need to rethink how your company uses technology. Don’t just add digital tools – build your business around them. Instead of seeing innovation as a risk, recognize it as the only path to sustainable growth. Focus on releasing trapped value: reduce inefficiencies, improve customer experiences, and look for untapped demand. The companies that thrive aren’t the ones that resist change. They’re the ones that see it coming and act before it’s too late.

Seven strategies to stay ahead in times of disruption

It’s clear that many companies fail to adapt when their industries shift. They resist change, hold onto outdated models, and watch as faster, more agile competitors take over. But businesses that thrive in disruption follow a different approach. They anticipate change, act quickly, and consistently unlock new growth. They do this by applying seven key strategies that keep them ahead.

Strategy number one is to embrace technology, not just to improve efficiency but to drive innovation. Haier, a Chinese appliance giant, transformed itself by integrating automation, IoT, and direct-to-consumer platforms. Instead of just selling products, it built a flexible, tech-driven business model. Companies that embed digital tools into their core operations aren’t just prepared for change – they shape it.

The wise pivot: balancing the old, the now, and the new

Many companies know they need to change but struggle to make it happen. Some focus too much on their current business and don’t see the future coming. Others rush into new opportunities without the resources to support them. The companies that consistently outperform their competitors take a different approach. They master what’s called the wise pivot – a strategy that balances where they’ve been, where they are, and where they’re going.

A wise pivot isn’t about making a single bold move. It’s about managing three business stages at once. There’s the old, which includes legacy products and services that are still profitable but slowing down. There’s the now, the core business that’s growing but will eventually face saturation. And finally, there’s the new, the emerging areas that could fuel future growth but are still uncertain. Most companies focus too much on one of these stages and neglect the others. The ones that win find a way to strengthen all three at the same time.

Scaling a business means growing today while investing in tomorrow

A successful wise pivot ensures that companies maintain a balance between their legacy businesses, their current operations, and their future opportunities. But maintaining this balance is only part of the challenge. For companies to turn strategic decisions into real impact, they must scale effectively, growing their core business while expanding into new areas without overextending their resources. Scaling is about executing growth in a way that builds resilience and long-term sustainability.

Comcast shows how this works in practice. Instead of abandoning its legacy business, Comcast invested in new technology to make traditional TV more appealing. It developed the X1 platform, which integrated voice controls and streaming services like Netflix, making its offering more competitive. At the same time, it expanded aggressively into high-speed internet, mobile services, and content production – acquiring NBCUniversal, revitalizing its film studio, and transforming its theme parks into a major revenue driver. The result was a business that continued to dominate cable while positioning itself for the future of entertainment and connectivity.

Financial strategy determines the success of a business pivot

Many companies set out to reinvent themselves but fall short because they underestimate the financial shift required. A successful pivot depends on strategic financial management, ensuring that assets, capital, and resources are allocated effectively. Without a clear plan, even the most promising business adjustments can lose momentum before they deliver results.

How a company manages its physical infrastructure, working capital, and human capital determines whether its pivot succeeds. Businesses that reassess their fixed assets – deciding what to own, upgrade, or divest – gain agility. Retailers, for example, often assume they must scale back physical stores in response to e-commerce, but Uniqlo took a different approach. Instead of abandoning brick-and-mortar locations, it upgraded them with RFID tracking and digital integrations to improve inventory accuracy and customer engagement. By balancing physical retail with a strong online presence, the company strengthened its competitive position rather than retreating from it.

Strong leadership and adaptive culture drive business reinvention

Even with the right financial strategy and a well-trained workforce, reinvention stalls without strong leadership and the right culture. Leaders set priorities, define company values, and shape decision-making, while corporate culture determines whether employees embrace change or resist it. A company’s ability to adapt isn’t just about having skilled workers—it’s about having an organization that encourages innovation, rewards risk-taking, and stays aligned in the face of disruption. Without these elements, even the best-laid transformation plans struggle to take hold.

Leadership plays a decisive role in balancing stability with disruption. Effective leaders understand when to maintain core operations and when to take risks. T-Mobile’s transformation under John Legere is a clear example. Facing stagnation, the company shifted its business model by removing long-term contracts, simplifying pricing, and investing in network upgrades. Legere’s unconventional, aggressive approach, supported by Deutsche Telekom’s leadership, helped T-Mobile break into the top tier of US mobile carriers. The strategy proved that combining structured corporate oversight with bold, entrepreneurial leadership can unlock trapped value.

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What is Pivot to the Future about?

Pivot to the Future (2019) explores how companies can achieve sustainable growth by reinventing their existing businesses while embracing new technologies. It introduces the concept of “wise pivots,” strategic shifts that help organizations balance legacy operations with future innovation. Through real-world examples, it demonstrates how businesses can unlock hidden value and stay competitive in an era of constant disruption.

Who should read Pivot to the Future?

Forward-thinking business executives seeking sustainable growth strategies
Innovation-driven entrepreneurs navigating digital transformation challenges
Curious professionals interested in business innovation and adaptation

About the Author

Omar Abbosh is a business leader and former Chief Strategy Officer at Accenture, where he played a key role in driving digital transformation initiatives. With extensive experience in technology and strategy, he has helped major organizations navigate disruption and unlock growth opportunities.

Paul Nunes is the Global Managing Director for Thought Leadership at Accenture Research and a leading expert on business strategy and innovation. He has co-authored several influential books, including Big Bang Disruption and Jumping the S-Curve, which explore how businesses can stay ahead of rapid market changes.

Larry Downes is a technology and strategy expert known for analyzing digital disruption and its impact on industries. His best-selling books include Unleashing the Killer App and Big Bang Disruption, both of which examine how emerging technologies reshape competitive landscapes.

Categories with Pivot to the Future

Entrepreneurship Technology & the Future Career & Success Management & Leadership

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