At a recent workshop, I asked a room full of business leaders to do something radical.

Kill their own business.

Not physically, of course.

But in their minds, they had to wipe it out.

Gone.

No legacy systems, no ‘we’ve always done it this way,’ no sacred cows.

Then, I gave them a challenge: Rebuild it from scratch using only the lessons from the world’s most innovative companies.

It wasn’t easy.

But it was powerful.

Fast Company just released its list of the world’s 50 most innovative companies.

As I read through it, I saw patterns—clear signals of what the best businesses are doing differently.

I shared these insights with my group and asked them:

What if your biggest competitor was built on these principles? Would you survive?

What if your industry was about to be rewritten by a company that thinks like this? How would you respond?

What if YOU became that company before someone else does?

Here are three of the biggest lessons we explored:

AI Is No Longer Optional

Nvidia’s dominance and the rise of AI-powered everything show us one thing: If AI isn’t in your strategy, you won’t be in the conversation. Whether it’s automation, data-driven decision-making, or AI-enhanced customer experience, businesses that don’t adapt will be left behind.

Your exercise: What part of your business could be AI-driven today? What part will be AI-driven tomorrow—whether you like it or not?

Sustainability Is the New Competitive Edge

Companies like Cemvision are proving that solving big environmental problems is no longer just a compliance issue—it’s a strategic advantage. Green business isn’t a side project; it’s a core driver of innovation, customer loyalty, and profitability.

Your exercise: If your business had to be carbon-neutral by 2027, how would you do it? What would you need to change today?

Digital-First Thinking Wins Every Time

Nubank and other fintech disruptors are proving that entire industries can be rewritten by businesses that strip away legacy systems and put customer experience first. Digital-first thinking isn’t just about apps and websites—it’s about completely rethinking how you deliver value.

Your exercise: If you launched your business today, from scratch, how would it look? Would it be a digital company that happens to have a physical presence—or a physical business struggling to be digital?

Now, Over to You

Take a hard look at your business. Pick one or two of these lenses.

Now—kill your business (mentally).

Start again. Reinvent it with these principles in mind.

What’s different? What’s better? What’s impossible today but necessary tomorrow?

That’s where the future lives.

Drop a comment—if you had to start your business again today, what’s the first thing you’d change?

and for more listen to my segment on Hong Kong Radio 3, where Phil Whelan and I chat through this concept and also why it applies just as much to our lives as it dos o business (17 minutes 14 seconds):

#Innovation #Strategy #FutureOfBusiness #AI #Sustainability #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #BusinessGrowth #Disruption