Reflect on a business strategy assessment—what did you learn that you immediately applied at work?

Reflect on a business strategy assessment—what did you learn that you immediately applied at work?

One of the most impactful experiences during my FlexPath journey was completing a business strategy assessment focused on competitive positioning. The assessment required me to conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis, evaluate market forces using Porter’s Five Forces, and identify strategic opportunities for growth. I decided to base my project on the organization where I work, a mid-sized technology solutions provider facing increased competition from both established players and disruptive startups.

During the assessment, I discovered something surprising: while our product quality was strong, our brand positioning was ambiguous. We were marketing ourselves as a premium provider, but our messaging and sales approach didn’t consistently convey that value proposition. This disconnect meant that potential customers often compared us solely on price—a battle we were unlikely to win.

The analysis also revealed that one of our biggest untapped strengths was our deep expertise in customization. Unlike many competitors, we could tailor solutions down to the smallest detail, but this capability wasn’t highlighted in our marketing or sales pitches. Armed with these insights, I immediately scheduled a meeting with our marketing and business development teams.

We restructured our brand messaging to emphasize our ability to deliver tailored solutions that precisely fit client needs. This meant revising our website copy, creating new case studies, and training sales staff to lead with customization as our core differentiator. Within three months of implementing these changes, we saw a noticeable shift—prospective clients were asking more questions about customization options and were less focused on negotiating price reductions.

This was the first time I had applied a major academic project directly to my work without any time lag. The immediacy of FlexPath allowed me to bring these insights to my team while they were still fresh, and the results were measurable. It reinforced the idea that academic learning doesn’t have to exist in a silo—it can be a direct driver of workplace impact.

The assessment also changed my long-term perspective on strategy work. I learned that strategic evaluations aren’t one-time exercises; they should be living processes. Now, I regularly revisit our competitive positioning, updating our SWOT and market analyses every quarter. This practice, rooted in my FlexPath coursework, keeps our business strategy aligned with changing market conditions.