For the past 40 years Richard Koch has wanted to uncover the simple, elemental, elegant and parsimonious principles that are needed to create great new businesses. To qualify, a principle must be so overwhelmingly powerful that anyone can reliably use it towards extraordinary results. Is there any principle that can tell you how to do that consistently and with a high chance of success?

Working with venture capitalist Greg Lockwood, his co-author on Superconnect, and supported by research from the elite firm of OC&C Strategy Consultants, Koch has the answer.

The principle Koch and Lockwood have discovered behind extraordinarily successful businesses is simplifying. Some simplify on price - take Ryanair's budget flights which still take you from A to B, but so cheaply that nearly everyone can afford them, multiplying the size of their market - and some simplify on proposition, such as Apple's decision to cut down on the number of their product lines and focus on perfecting only a few devices.

With case studies of famous companies in all different industries from finance to fast food, the authors show how anyone can analyse their business's potential to become a simplifier, and which route they should take to maximise the impact.

It's a devastating insight. The key to global business success is to simplify a company's offering. To make it easier, more useful, more appealing. Koch and Lockwood make a compelling case, in this must-have book. -- Lord Chris Smith ― Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge University

A remarkable job - not only in explaining the principle, but in walking the talk: the book is simple too. Great stories, great ideas, and lots of practical advice for managers and entrepreneurs -- Professor Andrew Campbell ― Ashridge Strategic Management Center

Koch practises what he preaches. He simplifies the essence of Bruce Henderson and Michael Porter for a much wider audience. -- Dr Peter Johnson ― Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford University

Richard Koch is the author of The 80/20 Principle, which has sold more than a million copies and been published in approximately forty languages.

He is also a successful entrepreneur and investor, whose ventures have included Filofax, Plymouth Gin, Belgo restaurants and Betfair, the world's largest betting exchange.

He was formerly a partner of Bain & Company, and co-founder of LEK Consulting. He has written more than twenty acclaimed books on business and ideas.

Greg Lockwood is a partner at venture capital firm Piton Capital. He has a Masters of Management degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, and is the co-author of SUPERCONNECT with Richard Koch.