The Archive

Every issue of Exec Edge, from day one. Sharp thinking for leaders, one idea at a time.

78 issues published

IBM saved 3.9 million hours doing this

IBM saved 3.9 million employee hours in 2024 by following one key principle: eliminate unnecessary work before automating anything. Learn their proven 4-step framework.

4 min read

Ask these 5 questions before you sell

McKinsey research reveals successful acquisitions happen when buyers have specific plans. Here are 5 critical questions to ask any potential acquirer before you sign.

5 min read

Raise prices without losing customers

Shopify's 33% price increase generated zero meaningful churn. Here's the exact 60-day plan they used, plus free tools to calculate your optimal pricing strategy.

4 min read

How to run a think-week

Bill Gates's think-weeks redirected Microsoft toward the internet. Jeff Bezos came back from solo retreats with Amazon's organizational breakthroughs. Here's how to plan your own.

4 min read

Your best recruiter isn't a recruiter

When Buffer published every employee's salary online, job applications doubled in 30 days. Learn why transparency is your most powerful recruiting and retention advantage.

4 min read

No succession plan? Start here (Template inside)

91% of employees threatened to quit when OpenAI had no succession plan. Get the templates you need to create emergency authority documents and transition plans today.

3 min read

Fewer partners, more revenue

80% of B2B partnerships fail, but smart companies focus on the 10-20% that actually drive revenue. Learn how to evaluate your current partners and build deeper relationships.

3 min read

4 ways to know it's time to scale

Growth advice often focuses on experimentation frameworks, but when do you know enough to scale? Here are four data-driven methods to determine if your startup is ready to shift from testing to growth mode.

3 min read

Board meetings (80% decisions, 20% updates)

Transform your board meetings from status updates to strategic decisions. Discover the written pre-read structure that maximizes director engagement and impact.

3 min read

11 hours a week goes to email

McKinsey data reveals executives waste 11 hours weekly on email. This systematic approach cuts that time to 2-3 hours through strategic delegation and smart automation.

4 min read

5 metrics beat 30

Why Amazon's business reviews focus on 5 controllable input metrics instead of 30 output charts—and how this approach cuts presentation time while driving better decisions.

3 min read

Your first market abroad

Strategic framework for international expansion: 5 readiness thresholds, market selection criteria, and team structure for SaaS leaders.

4 min read