What Equipotential stands for

In mathematics and physics, equipotential refers to a region in space where every point in it is at the same potential. But I am not so much into maths and physics. Equipotential for me has two different meanings: one personal and one professional. 

Personal (long version)
About my personal story what Equipotential stands for. In my first year working for Philips I went alone to a back street restaurant in Shanghai. Although I clearly was the only not-local, the small restaurant seemed prepared to serve foreigners. Whereas the menu only showed Chinese characters and no pictures, a dirty-old-crumpled leaflet translating about ten simple commands from English to Chinese characters came with it. The piece of paper showed common, yet very direct small sentences like "more drinks", "where toilet", and "pay now". Except for one odd one out that absurdly read: "go to equipotential". It had me puzzled. I just could not figure out what going to equipotential might be. The other commands, and the order in which presented, followed a logic flow that covers the restaurant basics in a guest-waiter conversation. Back in the hotel that evening (it was pre-mobile internet days) Google with all its links did not make me any wiser other than it was supposed to be some sort of space where every point in it has the same potential. The next day talking with bi-lingual colleagues did not give me a clue either. It was not until I flew back home that I realised I should have pointed out to the waitress "go to equipotential" and just wait and see what would have happened. Half a year later I had to work in Shanghai again. Full of anticipation I went the last evening to the very same restaurant, prepared for a totally fantastic experience. But too bad for me, the leaflet was gone. And the waiters of course had no idea what I meant by telling them in English more than once I wanted to go to equipotential. I knew then and there I would probably never find out what they had meant with it. But for me it had already gotten a meaning. For me personally going to equipotential is going to a fantastic end-point that I will probably never reach, but I will never stop trying and along the way learn a lot and have fun. 

Professional (very long version)

For me professionally, Equipotential stands for the principle that every B2B company has the potential to become (or remain) market leader in its industry. You probably disagree. I hear you thinking: some companies become market leader because they simply have bigger budgets, more talented employees and better distribution points. So there seems no equipotential for the smaller fish in the pond, right? Let's start sharing a point we do agree on. Indeed, no company has the same Opportunity, nor is it able to Offer and Activate the same. But to my opinion, following that obvious reasoning path of more and bigger is only half the story. I have seen companies with great budgets/people/distribution partners loose it all overnight or even worse; slowly but gradually. Sometimes true disruptors are the ones with the smallest budgets - it simply forces them to be innovative. Sometimes market leaders with the cleverest employees get too complacent and get caught off guard by newcomers on the market. Sometimes new launches require abandoning trusted distribution partners in finding new routes to market. So it is not just about more and bigger. No, I believe it as about how you put your potential to use. Please allow me to share my view through first the Opportunity and then the Offer side of how to become market leader. I believe no company has the same Opportunity because each company sees the market differently. Through their own lens, filtered with their own set of business criteria, gathering Insights from the right (or wrong if you will) interviewees in Market research, etc. So it is not the size of the budgets and employees´ brains and partner network. No, it is about how you as an organisation put this to use. Therefore a solid Strategic Marketing approach and guidance is needed to unveil the Opportunity. Discover the true target, get your finger behind the insight and get alternatives on the radar. When you manage to do that in a proper way, you will outsmart your competitors. Over to the Offer side. No company will offer the same Value Proposition, besides because it sees the outside differently as mentioned herefore, above all because every company processes things and then activates differently. Some competencies are not invited or over-represented in the creation process, supported (or blocked if you will) by their own Marketing operating model, superiority is not found or articulated enough in the Offer, etc. When you manage to organise for that in a proper way, your Offer will be superior to those of your competitors. Again, therefore a solid Strategic Marketing approach and guidance is needed to craft the superior Value Proposition and offer and activate this successfully. I believe every company can grow to its fullest potential to uncover (the same) Opportunities and create a superior Offers and consistent Activation. So every company has the potential to become Market leader. It´s a matter of unleishing their potential. I committ myself to the companies I (will) work for to never stop trying reaching their fantastic end-potential and along the way learn a lot and have fun.