Adapt or Die: Navigating Business Disruption

Category: Business & Leadership

Blockbuster had the chance to buy Netflix. Kodak invented digital photography. Nokia dominated mobile phones. The graveyard of business is filled with companies that saw disruption coming and still could not adapt. In this keynote, David Maples explores the tyranny of inertia—the forces that keep organizations stuck—and provides a practical framework for building the agility your business needs to survive.

Key Takeaways

• Reading the signals – How to recognize when your industry is being disrupted (before it is too late)
• The tyranny of inertia – Understanding the psychological and organizational forces that prevent change
• Successful pivots – Case studies of companies that reinvented themselves
• Building agile organizations – Structures and cultures that enable rapid adaptation
• Personal adaptability – Developing the mindset to thrive in uncertainty

Who This Talk Is For

Business leaders facing industry disruption, innovation teams, and organizations undergoing transformation. Particularly relevant for industries being reshaped by AI, automation, or changing consumer behavior.

Talk Formats Available

• 60-minute keynote
• Full-day strategy workshop
• Executive team facilitation