- Is it easier for him the second time around?
- Don’t ask. He’s trying his best, but serious fatherhood is like a DLC he's still struggling to download.
She looks into the clear weekend sky.
- Honestly, I'm not sure how I'd cope if my kids weren’t serviced by a subscription.
- Are you kidcycling your children?
- Oh yes, from the very beginning. Lifecycling is all about maximising your time within your price range. For 90% of parents, spending time with their kids is much nicer than endless research and shopping for clothes or toys, and at this point, I’m sure these services have saved our relationship. We’re also petcycling our dog.
- Mum, mum, can I get one more capture on the slide?
A panting six-year-old interrupts them.
- You already got a princess and a pirate.
- But now we are playing as astronauts.
- Ask dad.
The girl enthusiastically shakes her dad’s knee.
- Dad, dad, can I have an astronaut shot on the slide?
He shakes off an absent-minded smile and looks at the girl.
- Sure thing. Let's turn the slide into a space station and get you a few more shots, but that would be the last one for today. You have enough footage for all your games. Do you remember your password?
- Yes, One Octopus, Five Lemons, Three Umbrellas.
She runs away, waving at the rest of the kids.
- Can’t you look at your daughter from time to time?
- Sorry. A big decision is coming up at work, and I’m not ready with my recommendation.
Their friend interrupts.
- What are you working on?
- Oh, a strategic dilemma. Companies build playgrounds like the one we’re sitting in and sell motion capture and other services for kids to use in their games. Upfront investment in exchange for recurring revenue, licensing rights and service fees.
She nods, encouraging further explanation.
- At my roadworks company, our projects are optimised for most tenders to make money upfront or on service fees. We could switch to a new, durable tech that will lower our service fees and, in the process, build up competitive expertise for future projects.
He opens both palms in a ta-daa gesture.
- Picture this: some random puzzle enthusiast discovers a new shape, and a few years later, asphalt coatings using aperiodic monotile mesh are so stiff and durable that roadwork companies need to rethink their business models.
- The simpler the discovery, the bigger the impact.
- Who said that?
- Well, it wasn’t your son!
Shouts a man in a white shirt who sneaked their bench from behind. They laugh and stand up to greet him.
- Hi Rubén, your humour never disappoints.
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome back from the future, where the joy of having children, pets or hobbies can be optimised with helpful subscriptions.
Let's jump into our weekly practice, where we use futures thinking and product sci-fi to enhance your strategic imagination and prepare your leadership for the future.
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Start here to make the most of your time if this is your first
rodeoedition.
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Weekly Self-Reflection Prompts
Let's start by making products and services mentioned in the story a bit more relatable by grounding them in your personal life.
You can start with this quote for extra inspiration.
“The idea that the future is unpredictable is undermined every day by the ease with which the past is explained.”
Daniel Kahneman
Personal life reflection prompts
What are the three individuals and/or aspects of your life that a lifecycling subscription would help you enjoy more by saving time or reducing stress?
How do you balance the benefits of the convenience of technology with the importance of personal interaction and involvement in your loved ones’ lives?
What is your battle-tested piece of advice for coping with personal challenges better?
Name two tools you use to streamline daily chores and free up more time for more meaningful activities.
When considering investing more time in personal growth, which area of your life could benefit the most in the short term and which in the long term?
What are your two favourite types of places to preserve special moments?
In what two ways do you balance fulfilling your family’s immediate needs with working towards long-term personal goals?
What is your latest new habit that positively impacted your daily life?
Good job!
Let’s move on to the context of the industry, organisation, team, service, or product you are working with.
Professional life reflection prompts
What two aspects of your team’s day-to-day collaboration could be lifecycled to improve employee retention?
When choosing between immediate or recurring profits, what two factors should influence decisions in your industry?
In what three ways could implementing a subscription model for your organisation’s offering create new value for end users?
How would shifting from a traditional upfront payment to a recurring revenue model affect your company’s customer relationships?
What two operational challenges would your industry face if subscriptions were widely adopted?
What resources or support systems can you offer to help your colleagues handle new roles and responsibilities?
Name two companies with the most customer-centric business models.
You did great!
Hungry for more?
Try the recommended follow-up for this story next:
This edition was written in Jeonju.
Next time you visit, stay at a charming Hanok village for an opportunity to park a Tesla in front of a traditional wooden house built in the 14th-century style.
Have a great week, and see you soon.
Pawel Halicki
Join strategic thinkers preparing to lead in the age of AI. Ten minutes a week is all it takes to start.
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