Charles Fishman

Senior Writer for Fast Company

The Wal-Mart Effect: Lessons for Business From the Most Successful Company in History

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"Wal-Mart touches the lives of every American, every day." In The Wal-Mart Effect -- a bestseller, a catch phrase, an Economist Book of the Year -- Charles Fishman gives us the definitive look at how Wal-Mart has become, without precedent, the most powerful and influential company in the history of the world. The stats are staggering, the writing is balanced and crisp, and the lessons for other companies are enormous. With one goal -- to save its customers money -- Wal-Mart has changed the practices of its suppliers, the economic life of the cities and towns where it opens stores, the economies of the countries from which it buys its goods, and the buying habits of consumers -- even those who have never set foot in a Wal-Mart.

In his keynotes, Fishman tells you what Wal-Mart means for your business. Wal-Mart is derided for its labor practices and bullying tactics. But is has also led innovation in practically every field of business and has helped the bottom line of the millions of Americans who shop there (57% of all American adults at shop there every week). What can you learn from Wal-Mart's practices, successes and misfires? For companies in direct competition, he offers ways to exploit Wal-Mart's real weaknesses: you won't -- and can't -- beat them on price or on scale, but you can find other ways to win. Far from a keynote on just retailing, Fishman delivers a fascinating exploration of what it takes to do business in the global economy.

And far from just America's preeminent Wal-Mart expert (though he is that), Charles Fishman is one of our most celebrated investigative journalists, specializing in business innovation and social responsibility. Currently as award-winning senior writer at Fast Company, he has reported, with authority, on everything from bomb factories to NASA to the bottled water industry.

Additional Keynote Presentations

Everyday Innovation

Giants like Toyota, Whole Foods, and Amazon succeed by treating innovation as an everyday occurrence -- not a "special occasion" event. Charles Fishman has delved deeply into these companies -- some of the most successful of the last decade – and, in this new talk, he delivers practical insights into how you can, and why you must, infuse every aspect of your daily work with innovation and creativity. For these companies, as it should be for yours, innovation is not a single masterstroke -- it is something that is produced, systematically, incrementally, and daily, from employees, customers, even competitors.

VIDEOS

BOOKS

The Wal-Mart Effect

ARTICLES

"The Wal-Mart You Don't Know" - Fast Company

"Message in a Bottle" (Feature on Bottled Water Industry) - Fast Company

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