How to Kill a Unicorn audiobook cover - How the World's Hottest Innovation Factory Builds Bold Ideas That Make It to Market

How to Kill a Unicorn

How the World's Hottest Innovation Factory Builds Bold Ideas That Make It to Market

Mark Payne

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How to Kill a Unicorn
The Unicorn Concept+
Building the Dream Team+
Balancing Consumer & Business+
The 'Wow' and The 'How'+
The Start-Up Mindset+
Root Cause Problem Solving+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
What does the term 'unicorn' refer to in the context of this book?
  • A. A start-up company that has reached a valuation of over one billion dollars.
  • B. An idea that looks great initially but will only work and yield a profit in an imaginary world.
  • C. A rare employee who possesses both exceptional financial acumen and creative design skills.
  • D. A highly disruptive product that completely eliminates existing market competition.
Question 2 of 8
What is the 'Money & Magic' approach used by Fahrenheit 212 to build innovation teams?
  • A. Securing large amounts of venture capital before developing creative marketing campaigns.
  • B. Balancing high-budget research and development with low-cost production methods.
  • C. Pairing financial and strategic experts with experts who understand consumer wants and needs.
  • D. Using financial incentives to motivate creative design teams to work faster.
Question 3 of 8
Based on the UC Berkeley study mentioned in the book, why is debating recommended over traditional brainstorming?
  • A. Brainstorming takes too much time, whereas debates force rapid decision-making.
  • B. Constructive criticism and challenging ideas actually stimulate more creative solutions.
  • C. Debates help management identify the most dominant leaders in a team.
  • D. Brainstorming often focuses too heavily on financial constraints rather than creativity.
Question 4 of 8
According to the book, what is the proper relationship between the 'wow' and the 'how' in project innovation?
  • A. You should start with the logistical and financial 'how' rather than relying solely on the 'wow' of inspiration.
  • B. The 'wow' factor is primarily for consumers, while the 'how' is strictly for investors.
  • C. 'Wow' ideas are usually too expensive, so companies should only focus on the 'how'.
  • D. True innovation requires ignoring the 'how' until the 'wow' has been fully tested in the market.
Question 5 of 8
How do start-ups typically view their own innovative ideas compared to how established companies view them?
  • A. Start-ups view their innovations as highly radical, while big companies see them as too risky.
  • B. Start-ups consider their strategies as obvious solutions to constraints, while outsiders see them as brilliantly radical.
  • C. Start-ups believe their ideas are purely magical, while established companies focus only on the money.
  • D. Start-ups see their ideas as quick fixes, while big companies view them as long-term strategic shifts.
Question 6 of 8
In the Tuthilltown Spirits case study, why did using half-size whiskey bottles turn out to be a massive success?
  • A. They were cheaper to produce, allowing the company to undercut major competitors' prices.
  • B. Customers preferred smaller bottles for tasting before committing to a full-size purchase.
  • C. They were easier to steal, prompting store owners to place them in high-visibility areas to prevent theft.
  • D. The smaller bottles allowed the whiskey to age significantly faster on store shelves.
Question 7 of 8
How did Fahrenheit 212 solve the problem of top customers abandoning a billion-dollar hotel brand?
  • A. By offering exclusive, unmatched perks like fine caviar and expensive chocolates.
  • B. By creating a new tier above the platinum level to keep customers challenged.
  • C. By giving the loyalty program a lifetime guarantee so points wouldn't expire after 12 months.
  • D. By partnering with other businesses to offer a wider variety of rewards.
Question 8 of 8
What is the core philosophy for creating lasting, innovative solutions according to the final summary?
  • A. Approaching problems simultaneously from both the consumer side and the business side.
  • B. Focusing entirely on disrupting existing markets with radical new technologies.
  • C. Separating teams into distinct departments so they can focus purely on their specific specialties.
  • D. Ignoring past business models to build completely new frameworks from scratch.

How to Kill a Unicorn — Full Chapter Overview

How to Kill a Unicorn Summary & Overview

How to Kill a Unicorn (2014) is about how to approach innovative projects in a way that will make the outcome truly great – a sort of road map for innovation, filled with practical examples encountered by the consulting company Fahrenheit 212.

Who Should Listen to How to Kill a Unicorn?

  • Big and mid-sized companies that want to boost innovation
  • Entrepreneurs curious about innovative projects

About the Author: Mark Payne

Mark Payne is the cofounder, president and Head of Idea Development at the successful innovation consulting company Fahrenheit 212, which has offices in both New York and London. His firm has been called the “Epicenter of Innovation” by Esquire and his innovation advice has been featured in Fortune, Businessweek and Wired.

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