Disruption in business used to have a negative connotation, seen as something hostile or aggressive. Now, it is without a doubt the key to survival. As traditional industries face rapid change, from AI reshaping workflows to global markets redrawing business maps, companies can either innovate and transform or be left behind, struggling to remain relevant in a crowded marketplace. Through her work with organizations worldwide and her new venture in AI-powered, crowd-sourced streaming platform, Larisa Miller has learned what separates companies that thrive from those that merely survive in times of change. Drawing from her experience helping businesses adapt to change, she shares practical strategies for staying ahead in today’s fast-moving markets:
Listen to Your Team
Smart innovation often starts from within. Larisa points out that employees typically identify operational inefficiencies, opportunities to innovate, or spot market shifts before management does. “They are the ones that are really seeing the trends from a foundational level,” she says. “They can identify where your processes are broken… and they’re usually the ones that can tell you what’s coming down the pike.” Larisa has seen too many leadership teams get stuck in the silos of day-to-day operations, missing valuable insights from their workforce. Bringing employees into strategic discussions isn’t just good for morale – it helps spot both problems and opportunities early.
Don’t Fight Technology – Use It
Larisa takes a practical view of technological change. While many worry about AI replacing jobs, she sees it differently. “It’s going to give us more time to focus on innovating, to focus on expanding our efficiencies,” she says. “It’s going to free us from the shackles of mundane tasks, allowing us to create new pathways for the future.” Her new radio platform, AIR – The Future of Radio, puts this philosophy to work, using AI to understand listener preferences while opening up broadcasting to new voices across a myriad of interests. Through crowd-sourced content, local, undiscovered musicians can submit their music for global audiences to enjoy, listeners can contribute everything from their own poetry for the poetry channel.
Think Global, Act Local
Your business community is no longer in the proximity to where you live – it’s global. Larisa helps companies navigate international markets, expanding their operations and securing there suppy chains, working with regions where leadership styles and business practices vary widely. “The way we approach a leader in Africa is different than we would approach it in the Middle East or here in the United States,” she notes. Success means studying local business customs and adapting accordingly. Larisa’s team constantly updates their knowledge of global business practices, adhering to the belief that “staying ahead requires continuously adapting to evolving trends, governance, and policies in an ever-changing world.”
Welcome Failure
Here’s a counterintuitive idea: if your team never fails, they’re probably not trying hard enough. “If your team never experiences failure, they’re likely not pushing boundaries enough,” Larisa says. She believes setbacks are valuable learning opportunities, not disasters. The true risk lies in playing it too safe. As Larisa puts it, “Quitting is the only definitive end. Failure is simply uncovering a path that didn’t work, allowing you to adapt, refine, and discover the one that will.”
Rebuild Your Business Model
When companies struggle to innovate, Larisa suggests breaking down their entire operation “like a jigsaw puzzle” and reassembling it differently. This might mean:
· Finding new uses for current services
· Exploring different technologies
· Rethinking supply chains
· Getting outside perspective
Sometimes companies need a fresh perspective to break free from narrow thinking. As Larisa observes, “We often become trapped in our own silos, unable to view challenges objectively or uncover innovative solutions. It’s like wearing blinders that limit our vision.”
Larisa doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges ahead. “We’re never going back to normal because normal was the problem,” she says. But she sees opportunity for companies willing to change. Her advice? Stop watching competitors and start reimagining your business. “Don’t worry about what your competitors are doing,” she urges. “You want to do business in such a way that your competitors are worried about what YOU are doing.” The companies that thrive won’t be the biggest or richest – they’ll be the ones most willing to anticipate to trends, embrace opportunity and play a role in shaping the future of business, not merely adapting to it. As Larisa puts it: “We cannot become entrenched in our legacy business models. The way you’re doing business today will not be the way you do business tomorrow.”
If you want to learn more about Larisa Miller, you can connect with her via her website at www.larisamiller.com.