The Strategy Skills Podcast: Strategy | Leadership | Critical Thinking | Problem-Solving 620: Former McKinsey partner on How to Turn a Profit and Improve Lives in the World's Toughest Places (Strategy Skills classics)
9 snips
Jan 19, 2026 
Viva Ona Bartkus, a former McKinsey partner and Professor Emerita at Notre Dame, discusses the complexities of applying business strategies in unstable regions. She shares insights on why traditional methods fail outside developed markets and presents the untapped economic potential of 'frontline environments.' Using examples from Lebanon and Colombia, she highlights the risks of single partnerships and the importance of broad collaborations. Viva emphasizes the need for rigorous strategies to rebuild trust and stability in conflict-affected areas.
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Win Early By Overdelivering
- Do massively overdeliver in your first six to nine months so your reputation becomes "the safest pair of hands."
- Early reliability lets partners forgive later stumbles and anchors long-term career progress.
What Defines The Front Lines
- Frontline environments are places roughly 100 miles from international airports that are isolated, underinvested, and often lawless.
- These neglected regions house 1.4 billion people and generate over $20 trillion in annual activity, representing major untapped opportunity.
Don't Rely On One Local Partner
- Avoid the textbook "single local partner" expansion model in unstable places and instead build relationships with many actors.
- Keep multiple lanes open and partner with nontraditional allies to reduce strategic and ethical risks.
