Hardware development is often stalled by supplier lead times. To combat this, proactively map out multiple, redundant manufacturing options for every component. By maintaining a constantly updated "lookup table" of suppliers, processes, and their current lead times, teams can parallelize workflows and minimize downtime.

Many S&P 500 companies optimize for short-term efficiency through high leverage and lean operations, making them fragile in a crisis. Berkshire Hathaway prioritizes endurance and durability, maintaining a 'lazy' balance sheet with excess cash. This sacrifices peak efficiency for the ability to withstand and capitalize on systemic shocks that cripple over-optimized competitors.

The conventional wisdom that you must sacrifice one of quality, price, or speed is flawed. High-performance teams reject this trade-off, understanding that improving quality is the primary lever. Higher quality reduces rework and defects, which naturally leads to lower long-term costs and faster delivery, creating a virtuous cycle.

After a costly mistake left him with thousands of extra units, Solgaard's founder learned a key inventory lesson. He advises founders to avoid overly optimistic forecasting and go lean on inventory. Being slightly back-ordered is a better financial position than being overstocked with capital tied up in unsold goods.

CEO Larry Culp's successful turnaround of the GE conglomerate relied on operational fundamentals learned at Danaher. His philosophy of 'common sense vigorously applied' focused on implementing lean manufacturing principles, simplifying the business, and empowering employees on the shop floor, rather than complex financial restructuring.

Ford CEO Jim Farley relies on "Gemba," a Japanese principle of "go and see with your own eyes." For a major EV strategy shift, he personally inspected a torn-down competitor's car, counting fasteners and examining the wiring loom to understand the manufacturing gap firsthand before making a decision.

The publishing industry's failure to consistently stock diverse books created a problem for Miha Books. However, this forced them to constantly search for new titles. This weakness transformed into a strength, as their customers now praise their ever-fresh selection, a key differentiator from competitors with stagnant inventories.

Paranoid about quality control with their first Alibaba supplier, Unbound Merino's founders flew to the factory for the initial production run. This seemingly inefficient act of being physically present built a strong personal relationship that became their primary safeguard for quality.