Rogue Waves by Jonathan Brill Summary
Overview of Rogue Waves
In "Rogue Waves," Fortune 500 innovation expert Jonathan Brill reveals how to transform sudden market threats into profitable opportunities. Endorsed by Adam Grant, this actionable framework helps businesses navigate radical change. What if the next disruption isn't your downfall, but your biggest breakthrough?
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Key takeaways
The Storm That Sinks Even the Mighty
A hundred-foot wall of water rises from nowhere. No warning, no gradual swell-just sudden, catastrophic force capable of crushing the most advanced vessels. These rogue waves were dismissed as folklore until 1995, when an oil platform in the North Sea recorded an 85-foot monster during a storm. Scientists now know these giants appear roughly every ten hours in turbulent conditions, forming when smaller waves converge with devastating precision. Your business faces the same phenomenon. Right now, technological shifts, social upheavals, economic pressures, and political conflicts are building beneath the surface. When they collide, they don't just create change-they create transformation so sudden and complete that entire industries vanish. Blockbuster. Yellow Pages. Kodak. These weren't failures of effort or intelligence. They were organizations built for yesterday's storms, obliterated by today's reality. The question isn't whether these waves will hit. Research shows they're arriving faster and with greater force than ever before. The question is whether you'll capsize or learn to roll upright like a kayak-vulnerable to tipping, yes, but designed for rapid recovery. Porter's Competitive Strategy couldn't save Porter's own consultancy from bankruptcy. Blue Ocean Strategy didn't prevent Cirque du Soleil's collapse during the pandemic. These frameworks dominated business schools for decades, yet they share a fatal flaw: they assume tomorrow resembles today. Consider Carl Icahn, a legendary investor who lost $200 million doubling down on Blockbuster's brick-and-mortar stores while Netflix rode the broadband wave to become the decade's top performer. Years later, he tried acquiring HP with Xerox, only to watch the deal collapse when COVID-19 decimated Xerox's office copier business while HP's diversified portfolio weathered the storm. What's needed isn't invulnerability but resilience. Not the unsinkable ship but the kayak that tips easily yet rights itself faster than competitors can capitalize.
How Predictable Patterns Create Monster Waves
The Invisible Currents Reshaping Everything
Seeing Reality and Understanding Your System
Preparing for Futures and Identifying Vulnerabilities
Building Portfolios and Strategic Trigger Points
Thriving Through Experimentation and Resilient Leadership
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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