Matter: Move Beyond the Competition, Create More Value, and Become the Obvious Choice

People want to buy from, work for, and partner with companies that matter.

So how do you build a company that matters?

Companies and people that matter have successfully become the obvious choice in the hearts and minds of their customers, their employees, and their communities. They elevate themselves by consistently finding ways to solve the most pressing needs their markets face. The result? They create more value year after year and build a sustainable, differentiated organization.

In Matter, Peter Sheahan and Julie Williamson show you how to identify the place where you can create the most value—your edge of disruption—at the intersection of old and new, where your existing profits, reach, and reputation enable you to create the markets of the future. This is the place where the most important problems are solved and where the fewest people can solve them. Your edge of disruption is where your opportunity to matter is found.

Matter uses extensive case studies of real companies that have successfully become the obvious choice in their markets—from high-profile corporations like Adobe and Burberry to lesser-known brands like Littlefield and BlueShore Financial. Their stories define innovative and impactful approaches to business that you can use to influence and partner with the right customers and clients to win in our radically changing world. Through their journeys, you will find the inspiration and courage to lean in to complexity and solve the higher value problems that matter most.

Don't just read this book—use it to identify and act on opportunities to create the most value and accelerate your own journey to becoming a person and a company that matters.

Peter Sheahan, Group CEO and Founder of global consultancy Karrikins Group, is known internationally for his innovative business thinking and thought leadership. Having successfully grown his own global company, Peter knows first hand the challenges of building a business in a volatile and disruptive world. He has worked with some of the world's leading brands, including Microsoft, IBM, AT&T, and Wells Fargo. In addition to being a leading business author (including Making It Happen, Flip, and Generation Y), Peter has been named one of the "25 Most Influential Speakers" by the National Speakers Association and is the youngest member to have ever been inducted into the Association's "Hall of Fame."

Julie Williamson, PhD, is a Vice President with Karrikins Group, responsible for strategy and research. She is a leading voice in how organizations link together communication, design, strategy, sales, marketing, and service to deliver sustainable growth. Julie is a grounded theory researcher, and she uses traditional and progressive resources in her strategy and transformation work. She focuses on helping clients arrive at solutions that are informed by data and inspired by creativity. Julie has a passion for working with clients on customer and employee engagement, as well as building strategies focused on growth.