Last week I was in Atlanta for a television appearance on FOX TV to talk about how companies and managers can be successful in a tough economy. As I sat in the Green Room (actually only the door was green) waiting for my interview, in walked Federico Castelluccio (aka Furio, from the HBO series “The Sopranos”) who was also a guest on the show for a later segment. I asked what he’s been working on since the Sopranos and he’s been writing films, directing and acting. He then shared with me some of his paintings via his iPhone (isn’t technology grand?), as he also happens to be an accomplished artist.
When I asked about a particular piece that consisted of a bread roll on a plate resting on a white table cloth with a steak knife creating a potent border, he said it’s power came from the use of lighting. By focusing the light in a unique way, he was able to turn a common plate of bread into art.
In the car ride back to the airport, I considered his insight relative to strategy. We tend to invest all of our time focusing on our product or service (the bread roll in the painting), but often that alone isn’t unique. W
hat is the “light” that truly makes your product or service stand out?