Alan Hart talks with Kevin Evers, senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of There’s Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, about the marketing lessons business leaders can learn from the pop icon. He reveals what prompted him to write about Swift and the commonalities he discovered between Taylor, Jeff Bezos, Jerry Garcia, The Beatles, and Reddit's true crime communities.  
  
Kevin explains that since the start of her career, Taylor has created “blank space” for herself in crowded categories through innovative differentiation techniques, like insisting on writing her songs as a teen girl for teen girls at a time when most hits on country radio were performed by men. He notes she has a classic entrepreneurial spirit that has helped her beat the odds, defy what the data said was possible, and reach levels of fame beyond most people’s expectations.

In this episode, Kevin and Alan discuss the rebranding lessons that marketers can learn from Taylor's transition from country to pop music, highlighting how she integrates personal connection into her approach while maintaining a sense of exclusivity with her fanbase. Kevin suggests that Taylor’s success exceeds her songwriting talent and superstar status. He believes her strategic marketing approach and deep connection with her fans truly set her apart.