For a company that's trying to reach more customers, selling on Amazon might seem to be a no-brainer. But there are plenty of risks: A firm might get dragged into a price war with low-cost competitors, and Amazon, not the firm, will own the data on customers--and could use it to create its own competing products. In this fictional case study, the head of marketing at a young e-bike maker thinks through the pros and cons of selling on Amazon and of sticking with a direct-to-consumer strategy, and considers the long-term implications of each for his brand.

For a company that's trying to reach more customers, selling on Amazon might seem to be a no-brainer. But there are plenty of risks: A firm might get dragged into a price war with low-cost competitors, and Amazon, not the firm, will own the data on customers--and could use it to create its own competing products. In this fictional case study, the head of marketing at a young e-bike maker thinks through the pros and cons of selling on Amazon and of sticking with a direct-to-consumer strategy, and considers the long-term implications of each for his brand.

The Information Age represents the biggest shift since the Industrial Revolution. But despite the fact that family structures have changed dramatically since the early 1900s, the standard eight-hour workday remains entrenched. This article describes how the author’s company moved to a five-hour workday, with excellent results. As he explains, the five-hour day is about managing human energy more efficiently by working in bursts over a shorter period. Humans are not machines; just because a manager sees employees at their desk for eight hours doesn’t mean they are being productive. Having more time to pursue passions, nurture relationships and stay active also gives workers more energy emotionally and physically—which is why studies show that happiness improves productivity. Furthermore, a five-hour workday necessitates time management by forcing employees to prioritize high-value activities. The author of The Five-Hour Workday offers five tips on how to get started: 1. Read The 4-Hour Workweek by serial entrepreneur Timothy Ferriss, which discusses the 80/20 Rule or Pareto Principle. 2. Shift to a production mindset, measuring work in output rather than hours. 3. Drop the “always available” attitude. 4. Use technology to boost efficiency. 5. Don’t restrict yourself to a 25-hour week.