Visualizing Company Genius: Simon Bowen on the Models Method

In this episode, Fredrik sits down with Simon Bowen, founder of The Models Method, to explore how businesses can transform complex, contentious concepts into simple, powerful visual models. Simon challenges traditional marketing advice like Simon Sinek's "Start With Why," arguing that a company's true "why" should center entirely on the customer's suffering, not the brand's origin story. KEY TAKEAWAYS Stop selling your origin story and start focusing entirely on fixing their specific "aches." Turn your complex business ideas into simple visual models so people can actually understand what you do. Your business is being pulled in four directions: customers, your team, suppliers, and stakeholders, and you have to satisfy all of them to win. Businesses fail at strategy because they spend all their time "in the game" instead of training as professional athletes do. Marketing gets you attention (width), but you need a clear, valuable solution (depth) to actually make money. BEST MOMENTS "What we really are is lifelong mistake makers. Because all the lessons come from the mistakes. Life is either wins, lessons, or losses, and you get to choose a lesson or a loss." "The universal 'why' is: I just want to know that all you care about is me and my problem." "A company wins in the marketplace when it can demonstrate to the customer that you might not be able to name the ache or point to it... but I can actually give it a name, and I can prove to you I know how to fix it." "If you've got plenty of width but no depth, you're shallow. If you've got plenty of depth but no width, you're the best kept secret." "Trust is no longer the currency of the market... Believability is the currency of the market." TO CONNECT WITH SIMON: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonbowen-mm/ [email protected] https://modelsmethod.com About the Podcast Invest in You is a global podcast where entrepreneur and investor Fredrik Sandvall shares practical ideas and conversations with founders, investors, and operators. Episodes focus on investing, entrepreneurship, and building long-term control and freedom. Occasionally joined by his sons Ivan and Charlie, the show offers both experience-based insight and a next-generation perspective. Listeners in 155+ countries tune in to think clearer, act smarter, and build with intent. Community & Contact Podcast community: https://bit.ly/4jxF94k  Fredrik Sandvall LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandvall/⁠  Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/FredrikinLondon/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FredrikSandvall