Simple Strategy Lessons from TS

Last night, I went with my family to the Taylor Swift Era's Tour concert at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis [my daughters are 13 and 15 years old, so this was the highlight of the year, if not the decade, for them].

While my daughters are obsessed with her music and her persona, I am intrigued by Taylor's business savvy. A few years back, the Acquired podcast released a fascinating 160-minute episode—Taylor Swift (Aquired's Version)—which dove deep into business aspects of TS's career (it's fascinating and worth a listen - see below). This is how they describe the episode:

Not only is Taylor Swift the biggest music artist of our generation by nearly every metric (it’s not even close!), with the re-recording of her original albums she’s in the process of reshaping the entire music industry in a way no band or artist ever has before. And oh yeah — she’s still only thirty-two. We dive into the incredible business story behind perhaps the new “last great American dynasty”… the TSwift empire.

What simple strategy lessons can we learn from Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift’s strategic approach to her career has contributed significantly to making her a cultural phenomenon. Here are three simple but powerful lessons that one can take from her playbook:

1. Create and Own Your Narrative: TS has consistently and actively taken control of her story, whether through her lyrics, appearances, social media channels, documentaries, or even in legal battles to own her music. You can take a page from this approach by shaping and controlling your own and your business's narrative. When you define your story and communicate it clearly through multiple dimensions, you prevent others from doing it for you and can position yourself in the minds of audiences as you wish to be perceived.

What is your story and how are you sharing it with the world?

2. Reinvent to Remain Relevant: TS has never hesitated to reinvent her sound and her image, moving from country to pop and beyond, always anticipating where culture is headed. This sense of where things are going and willingness to adapt to what's emerging has helped her stay ahead and remain relevant. For leaders, sensing what's coming over the horizon and adaptability to changing trends is essential in a shifting world. Fostering a culture of experimentation and willingness to evolve (in yourself and your team) ensures you stay relevant and innovative.

How are things chaning in your industry or domain and what are you doing to remain relevant?

3. Invest Directly in Your Fans (or Customers): TS's loyal fanbase feels valued because she continuously engages with them and shares her love for them—from surprise album drops to social media interactions to inside jokes—Swift puts her fans first. Leaders can replicate this by putting customers first. Personalize your customer interactions and find ways to make them feel valued and a part of your brand's journey so that they advocate for you when you need them to.

Who are your most important fans (or customers) and what are you doing to connect with and invest directly in them?

4. Pick Your Battles, then Give it Your All. The final thing that struck me about TS is that she picks her projects carefully and then gives 100% and more to every project. She is committed to doing whatever she does best she possibly can - she strives for excellence. She does not "phone in" an assignment or half-ass anything. If she is going to write a song, create a video, put on a performance, fight a legal battle, or build a persona, she is going to do it with all she has. This might not pay off immediately, but striving for excellence accumulates over time to create something valuable.

Are you carefully selecting your projects and then giving all you have to make them the best they can be?

Here is the Acquired episode discussing TS's business journey: