Getting off the Ship: How the Original Apple Conquered the World
Getting off the Ship: How the Original Apple Conquered the World
From exporting products to expanding globally with intangibles.
Here is an insight on what’s shifting in the world and how it can shape the way you think, act, and lead globally.
The Original Apple
In the late 1970s, an Australian apple grower named John Cripps had an idea: combine the best qualities of two apple varieties, the Golden Delicious (originally grown in the United States) and the Lady Williams (a variety from Western Australia), to create a new kind of apple. The result was the Cripps Pink - a variety with a crisp, sweet flavor and a distinctive blush skin. However, it was under the Pink Lady trade name that this apple variety became globally recognised.
Initially, Pink Lady apples were grown primarily in Australia and exported internationally. However, this early business model presented obstacles. Long lead times in production and the need for intermediaries increased costs and slowed growth. The reliance on physical export logistics limited the brand’s ability to scale rapidly and efficiently.
Recognising these barriers, Cripps and his team saw an opportunity to move beyond the traditional agricultural export model by transforming the tangible product into an intangible asset. By trademarking the Pink Lady name, they established a licensing model that allowed global growers to cultivate Pink Lady apples under strict quality standards. This shift from relying on physical exports to leveraging a global brand turned Pink Lady into a multi-million-dollar business.
Source: https://pinkladyapples.com/
Today, Pink Lady apples are cultivated in diverse regions across the globe, including France, Israel, Serbia, and the United Kingdom, as well as their original growing regions in Australia and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, demand for Pink Lady apples overtook Granny Smith apples in market value in 2012, two decades after the first shipments arrived from Australia.
The story of Pink Lady is one of moving from a tangible, agriculture-based business to a powerful, intangible brand that can be licensed, scaled, and protected globally. Their ambition to make Pink Lady apples available worldwide was made possible through a smart leverage strategy.
By leveraging intellectual property, the business was able to unlock exponential growth across borders. It provides a clear example of how leveraging intangible assets can drive global expansion.
The Historical Use of Leverage: Defense and Expansion
Leverage has historical roots, not just in business but in the way civilizations have defended and expanded themselves. Historically, the physical lever - whether used in constructing the pyramids or catapulting stones during sieges - has been a tool of both growth and protection.
In ancient warfare, leverage played a key role in defense and siegecraft. Catapults and other siege engines worked on the principle of leverage, using a small force to create significant impact. These tools allowed armies to breach fortified walls or defend against invaders. Beyond warfare, leverage was essential in constructing fortifications, raising massive stones to build walls and protect cities. The application of physical force to achieve much larger outcomes became a recurring theme.
However, as societies advanced, leverage took on broader economic and strategic roles, moving from physical tools to financial and operational leverage in expanding and defending empires. From using land ownership to exert power in agricultural societies to pooling capital for industrial growth, the concept of leverage shifted towards achieving more with less. Over time, it became apparent that successful leaders and nations were those that could best use leverage to protect their assets and expand their influence.
De-Risking and Diversifying: Leverage in the Industrial Age
The Industrial Revolution marked a significant shift in how leverage was used, particularly in terms of de-risking and diversifying businesses. As entrepreneurs built factories and industrialists expanded their operations, they realized that debt could be used to scale their businesses far beyond their immediate means. Financial leverage, through borrowing or pooling investments, allowed leaders like J.P. Morgan to finance massive projects in railroads and steel, securing monopolistic control over critical sectors of the economy.
Yet this form of leverage came with risks. Businesses learned that while debt and financial leverage could fuel growth, it could also lead to collapse if not carefully managed. The crashes and downturns of the 19th and 20th centuries highlighted how leverage could both build empires and topple them.
To mitigate these risks, businesses began to focus on diversification as a form of de-risking. Leaders like John D. Rockefeller understood the importance of vertical integration - controlling every aspect of production and distribution to reduce dependency on external suppliers and markets. By using leverage to expand their control across the value chain, these leaders de-risked their businesses and maximized profitability.
Today: Leverage in the Digital Age
Leverage has evolved yet again. Today, intangible assets including data, intellectual property, digital platforms, and global talent pools are the key drivers of business leverage. Companies no longer need massive physical infrastructure to scale globally. Instead, they can use technology, networks, and distributed workforces to create exponential growth with minimal investment in tangible assets.
Digital Platforms
Popular examples of Uber, Airbnb, and Canva have redefined how businesses scale, using platform leverage to connect users and services without owning physical infrastructure. Uber doesn’t own cars, Airbnb doesn’t own properties, and Canva taps into a global community of designers. By leveraging networks, these companies create value that scales far beyond the traditional business model.
Beyond big-tech, we see this in companies like Wise (formerly TransferWise) , a UK-based money transfer service. Wise leverages digital platforms to allow users to transfer money globally at lower costs by bypassing traditional banks. They use a peer-to-peer system to match currency exchanges between users, creating a win-win for customers looking for cheaper, faster international transfers.
Remote Work and Global Talent Pools
Similarly, remote work and global talent pools have transformed how businesses operate and scale. Companies like GitLab have embraced fully remote workforces, with employees distributed across more than 65 countries. By leveraging digital infrastructure, businesses can access a diverse range of skills and expertise globally, without being limited by geography. This reduces overhead costs and increases operational flexibility, while also enabling companies to tap into the best talent worldwide, enhancing innovation and competitiveness.
Beyond big-tech, this model is also used by Automattic, the company behind WordPress. Automattic operates with a fully distributed workforce spread across 90 countries. By removing the need for physical office space, Automattic saves on overheads and can source top talent globally, regardless of location.
Data
Data has become one of the most strategic forms of leverage in the digital age. Companies like Google and Amazon use vast amounts of consumer data to optimize their services, personalise offerings, and predict market trends. Leaders today must understand how to collect, analyze, and leverage data to drive decision-making and outpace competitors. Data-driven leverage enables businesses to move faster and with greater precision, while reducing operational costs.
Beyond traditional big-tech, companies like Lazada, an e-commerce platform operating in countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, use data to personalize shopping experiences and optimize logistics. Lazada leverages consumer data to tailor product recommendations, localize marketing campaigns, and enhance customer retention strategies. By analyzing purchasing patterns and regional preferences, Lazada is able to customize its approach to diverse markets, increasing customer engagement and boosting sales across Southeast Asia.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is another intangible asset driving leverage today. Trademarks, patents, and copyrights allow businesses to protect their innovations and create recurring revenue streams. Companies like Apple and Microsoft are masters of this, leveraging their IP portfolios to control market segments and generate profits without having to continually invest in new product lines.
Dyson, known for its innovative vacuum cleaners and other home appliances, leverages intellectual property to maintain a competitive edge. Dyson’s vast patent portfolio ensures its technology remains protected while enabling the company to dominate in its market segment.
Think and Act Global: Grow with Leverage
For leaders aiming to harness the power of leverage and drive global growth, it can seem complex. Yet, it often starts by leveraging what you already do well and expanding it to reach more people in more places.
A smart leverage stategy involves little heavy lifting (or investment, or time, or travel, or intermediaries, or experts, or physical products, or human capital). It is especially valuable in times of economic contraction or increased competition in existing markets.
Here’s how to start:
Assess your internal resources: Conduct an internal leverage audit to identify your company’s underlying talents, assets, and resources. Understand what can be scaled or utilized more effectively, whether it’s intellectual property, expertise, or operational capabilities.
Explore external opportunities: Perform an external leverage audit to determine what external tools, technologies, partnerships, or ecosystems can accelerate your growth. From digital platforms to decentralized networks, identify opportunities to leverage what exists outside your organization to get you out into the world faster, easier, and more impactfully.
Find the intersection for growth: Identify the key opportunities that lie at the intersection of the internal and external audits. Look for quick wins - ways to leverage what you already do well and scale it internationally. These can open up low-cost, low-risk sources of revenue, such as generating income in foreign currencies like the USD, which de-risks and diversifies your business.
There are shifts happening that shape who wins in business.
There’s more to the world than what we see.
Leaders who see more of the world are better positioned to lead with leverage and achieve success here, there, everywhere.
Discover the Value of a Leverage Strategy for Your Business
“Leverage is the reason some people become rich and others do not.” - Richard Branson
Leverage is the key to scaling your business, reducing risks, and opening up new opportunities. To help leaders and their teams assess the potential impact, I’m offering a limited number of 60-minute online strategy sessions designed to help you determine the value of a leverage strategy tailored to your business.
During the call, we will answer key questions, including:
Do you need a leverage strategy? Is what got you here enough to get you where you want to be?
How are your competitors, existing and emerging, using a leverage strategy for growth?
What can you leverage immediately to drive growth?
How can leverage enable your business to de-risk and diversify in the next three months?
To book your session, click below and get started on exploring how leverage can positively impact your business.
