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Do Business Like You’ve Seen It Before

Commoncog helps business leaders and investors make better decisions in uncertain times, by expanding the set of business scenarios that they recognise in their heads.

We research and publish business cases that help you do better, organised according to business concepts, using a theory of accelerated expertise that’s proven to work.

Read by peers at:

Microsoft logo Berkshire Partners logo Volaris Group logo General Catalyst logo Amazon logo Bloomberg logo

Business cases work better if you read them the way the experts do.

Commoncog’s Calibration Case Method helps you build the skill of business pattern-matching better, faster. Learn how experts in business and investing master their fields, and copy their method for yourself.

Watch a 13 minute video introduction

Watch on YouTube: Introduction to Commoncog's Calibration Case Method

Get a free, 7-day email course on the Calibration Case Method

One lesson a day, for seven days. No spam. Learn the principles of the Calibration Case Method, to use it in your life.

    The Commoncog Case Library

    is an evergreen collection of cases arranged into Concept Series — and home to the Calibration Case Method.

    Browse all concepts →

    You don’t have to go to school for a business syllabus

    A soup-to-nuts, practitioner-oriented journey through the game of business. We test business ideas so you don’t have to.

    Check out the Business Syllabus →

    OPERATIONS

    Operator Basics Process Improvement Operational Excellence Org Design and Org Culture The Limits of Operational Excellence Product Taste

    MARKETS

    Competitive Arbitrage The Idea Maze Sensemaking in the Market Markets as Complex Adaptive Systems Positioning 7 Powers

    CAPITAL

    Respecting Cash Flow The Expertise of Capital in Business Capital Allocation The Capital Cycle Capital Expertise Case Sequence

    Latest Writing

    More Writing

    Our First Accelerated Expertise Course

    A first attempt at putting the two theories of Accelerated Expertise (2016) to practice — in a live course, with real students. A field report from use.

    A Few Notes on Moats

    Some non-obvious, even surprising things about building competitive moats, including when they might not be necessary.

    “This One Can Make Money Or Not?”

    To do well in business, it helps to want to make money. The end of the Asian Conglomerate Series.

    Tycoon Skill: Holding on to Political Influence

    Dhirubhai Ambani vs Nusli Wadia, as an example of holding on to political influence as a form of tycoon skill.

    What We Learnt From Speedrunning the Idea Maze

    Our attempt at applying two theories of accelerated expertise to the first cohort of Speedrunning the Idea Maze.

    Announcing Cohort Two of Speedrunning the Idea Maze

    A live course, limited to 45 people. Applications close 16th January.

    ‘The Ultimate Business-Cycle Bottom Fisher’

    How Kwek Leng Beng turned a regional business into a global hotel empire, trampling over a distressed Donald Trump in the process. Part of the Asian Conglomerate Series.

    Guides

    • Feature image for Burnout

      Burnout

      What do we actually know about burnout? What does the research say? Is burnout preventable? All the research, in one free, updated place.

    • Feature image for The Starter Manager Guide

      The Starter Manager Guide

      The bare minimum you need to know to be an adequate manager. Short enough to finish in three hours. Meaty enough to take 6-8 months to master.

    • Feature image for Career Moats

      Career Moats

      The soup-to-nuts guide to building a career moat. We start from understanding your job market, executing a skills audit, all the way to building and then maintaining a moat.

    The Commoncog Forum

    is a private, members-only community for sensemaking on business and markets, and includes discussions like ....

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