Stories and Strategies from Real Life: 7/31/15

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Some of the best learning happens when you read stories about real people and real companies. Read them for ideas, for lessons, and inspiration. This week’s stories and strategies from real life are about Interactive Intelligence, T-Mobile, real-time glucose monitoring, White Lotus, and Jelly Belly.

From Jeff Swiatek: Interactive Intelligence bets its future on the cloud

“Innovate or fade away. Three years ago, Don Brown realized Interactive Intelligence faced a choice that stark. Its main business, selling software to run call centers, was about to be upended. Drastically. Basic functions such as messaging, even phone use, were switching to the cloud instead of being operated by the in-house IT guys or from user-run networks”

From Jacob Demmitt: The T-Mobile trade-off: Un-carrier customers are more loyal than ever, but they spend less

“T-Mobile (NYSE: TMUS) announced yet another ‘Un-carrier’ promotion Thursday, just the latest move by the company as it keeps slimming margins to try to convince wireless customers to shift to the network. The company has been picking up subscribers fast with these announcements, but average revenue per account has fallen by more than 10 percent since the launch of Un-carrier in 2012, according to financials filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”

From Joe Carlson: Devicemakers play catch-up with real-time glucose monitoring

“Joe Bensing is among thousands with Type 1 diabetes who use Dexcom continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) modified to allow them to transmit real-time blood sugar levels for display on phones and smartwatches. The software to put this essential information into patients’ hands was developed by crowdfunded hackers, not medical device makers, and it was not approved by regulators.”

From Suzette Parmley: Sisters show how to sell apparel, jewelry online

“What to do when you have barely $100 to your name and a retail dream you can’t let go of? Two sisters, Lisa Muratore, 30, and Jaime Hannigan, 31 – neither of whom had worked in retail before – are riding the social media wave.”

From Julia Cooper: For new Jelly Belly CEO, business is sweet

“It may surprise some that one of the most well-known confection brands around the world – Jelly Belly jelly beans – is produced by a family-owned business in the San Francisco Bay Area. The family behind Fairfield-based Jelly Belly Candy Co. has been making candy for 146 years. It named Lisa Rowland Brasher, a fifth-generation member of the family, as its CEO in March.”

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