Play Bigger Book Summary

In 'Play Bigger', the authors reveal the secret strategies behind some of the most successful companies that have transformed their industries. They introduce the concept of 'category design', a bold approach that empowers businesses to dominate their markets by creating and owning new categories. Through engaging anecdotes and insightful analysis, the book challenges traditional thinking and inspires entrepreneurs to think bigger. Readers will discover how to identify opportunities that others overlook and how to position themselves as leaders in their field. This compelling read invites you to rethink your business strategy and find your unique place in the competitive landscape.

By Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin Maney

Published: 2016

"To create a category is to create a new way of thinking, and with that, you can redefine the rules of competition."

Book Review of Play Bigger

The founders of a respected Silicon Valley advisory firm study legendary category-creating companies and reveal a groundbreaking discipline called category design. Winning today isn’t about beating the competition at the old game. It’s about inventing a whole new game—defining a new market category, developing it, and dominating it over time. You can’t build a legendary company without building a legendary category. If you think that having the best product is all it takes to win, you’re going to lose. In this farsighted, pioneering guide, the founders of Silicon Valley advisory firm Play Bigger rely on data analysis and interviews to understand the inner workings of “category kings”— companies such as Amazon, Salesforce, Uber, and IKEA—that give us new ways of living, thinking or doing business, often solving problems we didn’t know we had. In Play Bigger, the authors assemble their findings to introduce the new discipline of category design. By applying category design, companies can create new demand where none existed, conditioning customers’ brains so they change their expectations and buying habits. While this discipline defines the tech industry, it applies to every kind of industry and even to personal careers. Crossing the Chasm revolutionized how we think about new products in an existing market. The Innovator’s Dilemma taught us about disrupting an aging market. Now, Play Bigger is transforming business once again, showing us how to create the market itself.

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To create a category is to create a new way of thinking, and with that, you can redefine the rules of competition.

Play Bigger

By Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin Maney