TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Philippe Bouissou, PH.D.​

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Philippe Bouissou is a name that resonates through the heart of Silicon Valley. For over three decades, he has danced on the cutting edge, donning the hats of an entrepreneur, a CEO, and venture capitalist. Philippe has served on the boards of no fewer than 23 companies. He is a growth expert and bestselling author of Aligning the Dots. He pioneered a revolutionary methodology called A4 Precision Alignment™ that's lighting the fires of faster, sustainable revenue growth across the business world. It is brilliantly illuminated in his landmark TED talk, The Secret to Grow Any Business, that received over one million views.

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Philippe’s groundbreaking work and innovative concept of market alignment is encapsulated in Blue Dots Partners, LLC, the firm he founded in 2014 in Palo Alto, California. Philippe and his team of highly accomplished CEOs and business builders diligently apply the Blue Dots data-driven analytical methodology to advise CEOs on how to grow their business and soar above their competitors across many industries.

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Philippe's storied career includes launching and scaling Apple’s eCommerce business from zero to $350 million, under Steve Jobs. He steered over 240 management consulting projects. As a venture capitalist, he invested $44 million generating double-digit cash-on-cash returns. With an illustrious background that boasts a BS in Mathematics, an MS in Physics, and a PhD in non-linear physics and chaos theory from the prestigious École Normale Supérieure in Paris, Philippe brings a scientific precision to the business world.

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We had the privilege of delving into Philippe’s inspiration behind this transformative paradigm and how Blue Dots is propelling companies to new heights of success.

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What inspired your groundbreaking methodology and the creation of Blue Dots?

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During my three decades in Silicon Valley, I struggled with a simple, yet perplexing question that haunts every CEO: "What do I do on Monday morning at eight o’clock to grow my business?" It's a seemingly straightforward question, yet no one had a definitive answer.

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So, I dove deep. I reflected on the 23 boards I sat on, analyzed 2,300 companies, spoke with 140 CEOs of successful companies. I conducted extensive research to uncover why some businesses thrive while others falter. My findings revealed a single, crucial reason for their failure to reach their growth potential: misalignment. I then discovered that there are four universal axes of alignment: Claim vs. Pain, Message vs. Perception, Purchase vs. Sale, and Customer Delight vs. Offering. Miss one, and it negatively affects the entire growth trajectory.

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As a physicist, I wanted to quantify these alignments. So, over the past ten years, I invented a way to measure these four coefficients of alignment from 0% to 100%. These measurements unveil the obstacles to growth and enable us to craft the right bespoke growth playbook for each Client we serve.

 

You see Apple as a perfect example of delivering alignment across all four axes. Can you share some details?

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I learned many insightful lessons from Steve Jobs. One, in particular, struck me: I came to the realization that there is one and only one business on this planet. That unique business is the manufacturing and delivery of delight.

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So, in the grand tapestry of global commerce, there exists but one singular pursuit: the crafting and conveyance of delight. This is not merely a practice, but a philosophy, deeply etched into the very essence of Apple. It's a principle Apple upholds with every device, every interaction, every experience. That’s why Apple is so profoundly alignment with its market.

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Can you share a success story of a company that’s benefitted from your unique approach?

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Consider that there was a company delivering healthy meals to employees. Business was good, but they yearned for more. Growth, that is.

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So, they came to us. And we realized that the second axis, perception vs. message—had been out of whack. Our data analysis unearthed a key insight: this company wasn’t merely in the business of delivering meals to busy employees. No, they were in the business of prolonging life, of ensuring people ate healthy to live happier, longer lives.

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So, we reframed their message and changed their claim to good health and happiness. Same product, different story. And as a result, their growth rate soared by 28%.

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That’s the kind of transformative work we do at Blue Dots. That’s how we engage with our clients. 

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Another element that makes Blue Dots unique is that you’re all former CEOs. How does this play a critical role in your approach?

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How would you feel is someone were lecturing you for two hours on parenting, and then you find out they never had children on their own? To truly grasp the weight and responsibilities that come with being a CEO, one must have borne that title, lived that life, attached to that roller coaster with a lot more angst that amusement! This is where we differ from the McKinseys, BCGs and Bains of the world.

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We have a profound respect for the CEO’s time and duties. That's why we don't burden them with requests that would detract from their crucial focus. No, we roll up our sleeves and take on the work ourselves.

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Tell us briefly about your book, Aligning the Dots.

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I penned Aligning the Dots with a singular purpose: to provoke a shift in how people think and approach the daunting challenge of revenue growth. My book unveils our A4 Precision Alignment™ methodology, designed to slice through the tangled Gordian knot of growth to unlock sustained growth.

Today, countless readers turn to this book as their trusted companion, ensuring they remain perpetually aligned with their customers and target markets.

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Philippe Bouissou, PH.D.

Founder & CEO, Blue Dots Partners LLC

Blue Dots site: https://bluedotspartners.com

Personal site: https://philippebouissou.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phbouissou