From Startup to Billions: Mastering Business Differentiation
Leadership Strategy: A Maverick's Journey
Roy Osing's path to business success began in the interior of British Columbia, Canada, where his contrarian nature emerged early in life. “I was a bit of a maverick in the sense that I never really liked to do things the way everybody else did them,” Osing reflects. This inherent tendency to think differently would later become the cornerstone of his business philosophy.
After university, Osing joined BC Telephone Company, which later evolved into TELUS. His leadership transformed the provincial telephone company into a national telecommunications powerhouse, eventually achieving $18 billion in annual sales.
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The Three-Question Strategy
Revolutionary Approach
Osing developed a groundbreaking strategic planning process centered around three fundamental questions that could create a business strategy quickly and effectively:

- How big do you want to be?
- Where are you going to get the money?
- How are you going to compete and win?
Growth Focus
The first question addresses top-line revenue growth within a 24-month, deliberately avoiding the traditional five-year planning model. “The problem with five-year plans is they, the fourth year never show up. You permit yourself to put things off,” Osing explains.
The Power of Customer Cravings
Rather than focusing on customer needs, Osing's approach emphasizes understanding what customers crave. “People have their needs already satisfied. What the secret is here is if you can figure out what they desire, what they lust for, what they covet, and what they crave,” he states.
This unique perspective creates opportunities in markets where:
- Competitors aren't present
- Price sensitivity is reduced
- True differentiation can occur
The Only Statement Philosophy
Breaking Away from “Better”
Osing introduced the concept of the “only statement” to replace traditional marketing claims of being “better” or “best.” “Most companies will use words like better, we're better, we're best, we're number one, we're the market leader. And the fact of the matter is, they mean nothing. It's claptrap,” he asserts.
Dynamic Evolution
The only statement isn't static but requires continuous refinement. “You got to treat it as a draft. It's always a draft. Life is a draft for God's sake,” Osing emphasizes. This approach allows businesses to adapt and evolve their differentiation strategy as market conditions change.
Execution Over Planning
Speed to Market
Osing advocates for rapid execution rather than perfect planning. “While you're planning, the bad guys are out there eating your lunch,” he warns. This philosophy emphasizes getting products and services to market quickly and learning from real-world feedback.
Learning from Failure
A crucial aspect of Osing's approach is embracing failure as a learning tool. “If you didn't fail, you've achieved nothing,” he states, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes while ensuring not to repeat them.
Building an Innovation Culture
To foster innovation, Osing recommends:
- Eliminating benchmarking practices
- Rewarding calculated risk-taking
- Measuring and valuing failure as part of growth
- Focusing on creation rather than imitation
Advice for Modern Businesses
Startup Guidance
For entrepreneurs and startup founders, Osing emphasizes the critical importance of differentiation: “If you want a better career, if you want a better business, you need to take a step back and ask the question, how is this different?”
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
The biggest mistake companies make is failing to prioritize differentiation. “I'm always asked what's the biggest challenge in business today. And I always say differentiation, differentiation, differentiation,” Osing emphasizes.
The Future of Business Differentiation
Osing envisions a business world where:
- True uniqueness is valued over conformity
- Organizations focus on meaningful differences
- Entitlement mentality disappears
- Customer value drives innovation
His vision extends beyond mere business strategy to encompass a fundamental shift in how organizations approach market positioning and value creation.
FAQ's
What is Roy Osing's BE DiFFERENT strategy?
The BE DiFFERENT strategy focuses on creating unique value propositions that truly matter to customers, emphasizing meaningful differentiation over traditional competitive approaches.
How did Roy Osing transform TELUS?
Through his innovative three-question strategy and focus on differentiation, Osing helped grow the company from a provincial telephone company to a national telecommunications leader.
What is the “Only Statement” concept?
The Only Statement is a unique approach to differentiation that focuses on being the only company to provide specific value, rather than claiming to be “better” or “best.”
Why does Osing criticize traditional business planning?
He believes traditional five-year plans lead to procrastination and lack execution focus, preferring instead a 24-month actionable planning approach.
How can businesses implement Osing's differentiation strategy?
Businesses should focus on understanding customer cravings, creating unique value propositions, and maintaining a dynamic approach to market positioning.