新冠肺炎疫情帶來的挫折可能讓美國支付公司Square一直覺得如鯁在喉。這家公司成立于2009年,創(chuàng)始人包括首席執(zhí)行官杰克·多爾西,當(dāng)然他還是著名的推特公司(Twitter)的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人及首席執(zhí)行官。Square最為人知的可能是它與眾不同的白色信用卡讀卡器,小公司可以輕松地用它在智能手機或平板電腦上完成支付。進入2020年時,Square勢頭強勁,此前一年的銷售額增速高達(dá)43%。但隨著新冠疫情在美國肆虐,從去年3月開始的封城措施給Square的核心客戶,也就是那些夫妻店式的小公司帶來了毀滅性的打擊。
在一條業(yè)務(wù)線面臨致命威脅之際,多爾西及其團隊又適時地拿出了另外一項創(chuàng)新,那就是支付服務(wù)Cash App。
Cash App旨在和PayPal、PayPal旗下的Venmo以及Apple Pay等應(yīng)用程序展開競爭,由于具備其他數(shù)字錢包無法比擬的能力,這款產(chǎn)品一炮而紅。它有直接存錢功能,因此許多用戶直接把經(jīng)濟刺激支票轉(zhuǎn)入了自己的Cash App賬戶。同時,用戶還能夠通過這款數(shù)字錢包交易比特幣和零碎股,這就意味著Cash App處于絕佳的位置,可以在加密貨幣價格以及股價飆升時套現(xiàn)。截至去年12月,Cash App的月活躍用戶人數(shù)已經(jīng)超過3600萬人,在一年中增長了50%。
Cash App的成功為Square的銷售帶來了爆炸性的增長,也首次為這家公司在《財富》美國500強中掙得一席之地,名列第323位。2020年,該公司的收入增幅略高于100%,達(dá)到95億美元。這使其市值從2020年3月的200億美元增至2020年年底的1000億美元。
當(dāng)然,在今年的《財富》美國500強名單上,并非所有公司的表現(xiàn)都能夠與Square匹敵。大多數(shù)公司甚至都望塵莫及。但Square的故事對經(jīng)歷了2020年的《財富》美國500強來說很有整體代表性,這有兩大體現(xiàn):首先,全世界的數(shù)字化水平都在上升,而且速度很快;其次,新技術(shù)突然取得突破并實現(xiàn)了龐大的規(guī)模。
對可以在規(guī)則改寫后的世界中快速適應(yīng)下來的公司來說,多種趨勢的共同作用帶來了大量新機遇。就讓我們稱之為大重塑吧。
從日常所見到罕有之物,這方面的事例不一而足。大家可以想想寵物食品電商Chewy(最近從零售商PetSmart中拆分了出來)。居家辦公的寵物主人通過電話訂購寵物尿墊,這讓Chewy去年的銷售額增長了47%,進而首次躋身《財富》美國500強,居第403位。還有排名第77的輝瑞(Pfizer),它和德國的生物科技公司BioNTech合作,以創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的時間開發(fā)出了新冠疫苗。這要歸功于輝瑞使用了革命性的方法——用信使核糖核酸(mRNA)來誘發(fā)免疫反應(yīng),這為合成生物帶來了無盡可能。
這并不是說去年的經(jīng)濟損失還不夠多。在今年的《財富》美國500強企業(yè)中,有108家公司共虧損了2240億美元,創(chuàng)大衰退(Great Recession)以來的新高。能源、酒店、航空及餐飲行業(yè)均遭重創(chuàng)。但科技類公司表現(xiàn)強勁,收入上升940億美元,成為增長點。整體而言,《財富》美國500強的公司銷售額下降3.1%至13.8萬億美元,但仍然是本榜單創(chuàng)立以來的歷史第二高水平。2021年第一季度美國經(jīng)濟增速高達(dá)6.4%,這可能意味著《財富》美國500強公司最快明年就能夠創(chuàng)出新高。
打算借這樣的增長來實現(xiàn)發(fā)展的公司都普遍認(rèn)識到,用疫情前的方式來對待數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型將無法成功。它們對此認(rèn)識深刻,原因是消費者突然改變了購買方式,而且迅速迷上了嶄新的技術(shù)。
安永會計師事務(wù)所(EY)的全球首席創(chuàng)新官杰夫·王(音譯)說:“首席執(zhí)行官們突然意識到,對于這項此前已經(jīng)計劃但還沒有怎么實施的轉(zhuǎn)型,他們需要加速推進。我覺得現(xiàn)在的情況是,隨著我們擺脫新冠疫情,轉(zhuǎn)型的速度確實正在加快?!?/p>
在此要介紹一下,安永最近對300多位大公司首席執(zhí)行官的調(diào)查顯示,65%的受訪者計劃為今后三年的轉(zhuǎn)型投入的資金超過此前三年,68%的受訪者還表示他們打算在數(shù)據(jù)科技方面進行重大投資。
Square的增長速度當(dāng)然沒有放慢。2021年前三個月,該公司銷售同比上升266%。它還為Cash App增添了新功能,包括用戶可以免費將比特幣發(fā)送給朋友或家人。在一、兩年前,輕松完成這樣的交易似乎還是無法想象的事情,而目前已經(jīng)是今非昔比。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Charlie
新冠肺炎疫情帶來的挫折可能讓美國支付公司Square一直覺得如鯁在喉。這家公司成立于2009年,創(chuàng)始人包括首席執(zhí)行官杰克·多爾西,當(dāng)然他還是著名的推特公司(Twitter)的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人及首席執(zhí)行官。Square最為人知的可能是它與眾不同的白色信用卡讀卡器,小公司可以輕松地用它在智能手機或平板電腦上完成支付。進入2020年時,Square勢頭強勁,此前一年的銷售額增速高達(dá)43%。但隨著新冠疫情在美國肆虐,從去年3月開始的封城措施給Square的核心客戶,也就是那些夫妻店式的小公司帶來了毀滅性的打擊。
在一條業(yè)務(wù)線面臨致命威脅之際,多爾西及其團隊又適時地拿出了另外一項創(chuàng)新,那就是支付服務(wù)Cash App。
Cash App旨在和PayPal、PayPal旗下的Venmo以及Apple Pay等應(yīng)用程序展開競爭,由于具備其他數(shù)字錢包無法比擬的能力,這款產(chǎn)品一炮而紅。它有直接存錢功能,因此許多用戶直接把經(jīng)濟刺激支票轉(zhuǎn)入了自己的Cash App賬戶。同時,用戶還能夠通過這款數(shù)字錢包交易比特幣和零碎股,這就意味著Cash App處于絕佳的位置,可以在加密貨幣價格以及股價飆升時套現(xiàn)。截至去年12月,Cash App的月活躍用戶人數(shù)已經(jīng)超過3600萬人,在一年中增長了50%。
Cash App的成功為Square的銷售帶來了爆炸性的增長,也首次為這家公司在《財富》美國500強中掙得一席之地,名列第323位。2020年,該公司的收入增幅略高于100%,達(dá)到95億美元。這使其市值從2020年3月的200億美元增至2020年年底的1000億美元。
當(dāng)然,在今年的《財富》美國500強名單上,并非所有公司的表現(xiàn)都能夠與Square匹敵。大多數(shù)公司甚至都望塵莫及。但Square的故事對經(jīng)歷了2020年的《財富》美國500強來說很有整體代表性,這有兩大體現(xiàn):首先,全世界的數(shù)字化水平都在上升,而且速度很快;其次,新技術(shù)突然取得突破并實現(xiàn)了龐大的規(guī)模。
對可以在規(guī)則改寫后的世界中快速適應(yīng)下來的公司來說,多種趨勢的共同作用帶來了大量新機遇。就讓我們稱之為大重塑吧。
從日常所見到罕有之物,這方面的事例不一而足。大家可以想想寵物食品電商Chewy(最近從零售商PetSmart中拆分了出來)。居家辦公的寵物主人通過電話訂購寵物尿墊,這讓Chewy去年的銷售額增長了47%,進而首次躋身《財富》美國500強,居第403位。還有排名第77的輝瑞(Pfizer),它和德國的生物科技公司BioNTech合作,以創(chuàng)紀(jì)錄的時間開發(fā)出了新冠疫苗。這要歸功于輝瑞使用了革命性的方法——用信使核糖核酸(mRNA)來誘發(fā)免疫反應(yīng),這為合成生物帶來了無盡可能。
這并不是說去年的經(jīng)濟損失還不夠多。在今年的《財富》美國500強企業(yè)中,有108家公司共虧損了2240億美元,創(chuàng)大衰退(Great Recession)以來的新高。能源、酒店、航空及餐飲行業(yè)均遭重創(chuàng)。但科技類公司表現(xiàn)強勁,收入上升940億美元,成為增長點。整體而言,《財富》美國500強的公司銷售額下降3.1%至13.8萬億美元,但仍然是本榜單創(chuàng)立以來的歷史第二高水平。2021年第一季度美國經(jīng)濟增速高達(dá)6.4%,這可能意味著《財富》美國500強公司最快明年就能夠創(chuàng)出新高。
打算借這樣的增長來實現(xiàn)發(fā)展的公司都普遍認(rèn)識到,用疫情前的方式來對待數(shù)字化轉(zhuǎn)型將無法成功。它們對此認(rèn)識深刻,原因是消費者突然改變了購買方式,而且迅速迷上了嶄新的技術(shù)。
安永會計師事務(wù)所(EY)的全球首席創(chuàng)新官杰夫·王(音譯)說:“首席執(zhí)行官們突然意識到,對于這項此前已經(jīng)計劃但還沒有怎么實施的轉(zhuǎn)型,他們需要加速推進。我覺得現(xiàn)在的情況是,隨著我們擺脫新冠疫情,轉(zhuǎn)型的速度確實正在加快?!?/p>
在此要介紹一下,安永最近對300多位大公司首席執(zhí)行官的調(diào)查顯示,65%的受訪者計劃為今后三年的轉(zhuǎn)型投入的資金超過此前三年,68%的受訪者還表示他們打算在數(shù)據(jù)科技方面進行重大投資。
Square的增長速度當(dāng)然沒有放慢。2021年前三個月,該公司銷售同比上升266%。它還為Cash App增添了新功能,包括用戶可以免費將比特幣發(fā)送給朋友或家人。在一、兩年前,輕松完成這樣的交易似乎還是無法想象的事情,而目前已經(jīng)是今非昔比。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:Charlie
THE PANDEMIC could have been a jarring setback for Square. Cofounded in 2009 by CEO Jack Dorsey—also, of course, famously the cofounder and CEO of Twitter—the company is perhaps best known for its distinctive, white credit-card readers that make it easy for small businesses to process payments from a smartphone or tablet. Square barreled into 2020 with powerful momentum, with its sales having soared 43% in the previous 12 months. But the lockdowns that began last March as COVID-19 spread across the U.S. dealt a devastating blow to Square’s core customers: mom-and-pop businesses.
With one business line under mortal threat, Dorsey and his team had another innovation ready that was made for the moment—the Cash App payment service.
Created to compete with the likes of PayPal, PayPal-owned Venmo, and Apple Pay, among others, Cash App exploded in popularity thanks to capabilities that other digital wallets couldn’t match. Because Cash App allows direct deposits, many users had their stimulus checks sent straight to their Cash App accounts. And the fact that the digital wallet allows users to trade Bitcoin and fractional shares of stocks meant that Cash App was in a perfect position to, ahem, cash in when cryptocurrency prices and day trading took off. By December, Cash App had more than 36 million active monthly users, or a 50% gain in one year.
Square rode Cash App’s success to explosive sales growth—and its first-ever spot on the Fortune 500, at No. 323. For the year, its revenue jumped by just over 100%, to $9.5 billion. And its shareholders were rewarded with a nearly 250% return for 2020. That propelled its market value from $20 billion last March to $100 billion by year’s end.
Not every company on this year’s Fortune 500 can match Square’s performance, of course. Most can’t come close. But in a couple of significant ways, the story of Square is emblematic of the 500 in 2020 overall: First, the world became even more digital—and fast. And second, new technologies suddenly broke through and achieved tremendous scale.
That potent combination of trends has opened up vast new opportunities for businesses that can quickly adapt to a world of rewritten rules. Call it the Great Reimagining.
The examples range from the everyday to the extraordinary. Think of Chewy, the online pet supply business (recently split off from retailer PetSmart) which grew sales 47% last year to join the list for the first time at No. 403, as homebound puppy owners ordered pee pads from their phones. Or Pfizer, No. 77, which partnered with German biotechnology company BioNTech to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 in record time, thanks to its revolutionary approach of using messenger RNA to create an immune response—opening up endless possibilities for synthetic biology.
That’s not to say that there wasn’t plenty of economic pain last year. A total of 108 companies on this year’s 500 list lost a combined $224 billion—the biggest loss since the Great Recession. Energy, hotels, airlines, and restaurants were all hit hard. But the strength of tech—sector revenue grew by $94 billion—served as a buoy. Overall, the Fortune 500’s sales fell by 3.1% to $13.8 trillion, which was still the second biggest total in the history of the list. And the U.S. economy’s booming 6.4% growth in the first quarter of 2021 suggests that the 500 could be reaching new highs as soon as next year.
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FOR COMPANIES seeking to lean into that growth and build on it, there is widespread understanding that returning to a pre-pandemic approach to digital transformation won’t cut it. That lesson was driven home as consumers changed over- night how, where, and why they buy things, and plunged headlong into using brand-new technologies.
“What CEOs suddenly realized,” says Jeff Wong, global chief innovation officer at EY, “is that they need to accelerate all that transformation that they had planned on from before but hadn’t quite executed against.” Continues Wong: “I think what we’re seeing is that it’s actually accelerating as we come out of this pandemic.”
Consider that a recent survey of more than 300 CEOs of big companies conducted by EY found that 65% of them plan to spend more investing in transformation over the next three years than they did in the past three. And 68% say they’re planning a major investment in data technology.
Square is certainly not slowing down. Over the first three months of 2021, sales at Dorsey’s company were 266% higher than those from the same quarter last year. Square also introduced new features to Cash App, including the capability for users to send Bitcoin to friends or family for free. A year or two ago, making that kind of transaction happen so easily might have seemed unimaginable. Not anymore