The STRATObubbles Blog

Charts, strategy & altitude

Frameworks explained, chart craft, and product news — for people who present portfolios, not spreadsheets.

Strategy frameworks

The BCG matrix isn't dead — you're just using it wrong

Fifty years after Bruce Henderson sketched the growth–share matrix, it still gets pinned to boardroom walls — and still gets misread. Here are the five mistakes that turn a sharp portfolio tool into decoration, and how to fix each one.

Sara Keller·Jul 8, 2026·9 min read
Strategy frameworks

GE–McKinsey nine-box, explained in nine minutes

The nine-box is what you reach for when a single growth number isn't enough to describe a market. Here's how to score both axes fast and use the result to steer investment.

David Meier·Jul 3, 2026·9 min read
Chart craft

Five bubble-chart mistakes your board notices

Bubble charts fail in predictable ways: overlapping labels, radius-sized bubbles, missing legends. Here are the five mistakes senior audiences spot instantly.

Sara Keller·Jun 26, 2026·6 min read
Product news

New: live Google Sheets sync for every chart

Every STRATObubbles chart can now connect directly to a Google Sheet. Rows in, chart out — and it stays in sync every time your team updates the data.

Lena Tobler·Jun 19, 2026·4 min read
Strategy frameworks

Ansoff grid: mapping growth options without the hand-waving

The Ansoff grid is the most abused two-by-two in strategy. Here's how to use it without the hand-waving that turns 'diversification' into a permission slip.

David Meier·Jun 12, 2026·7 min read
Tutorials

From Excel to boardroom in 15 minutes: a walkthrough

A step-by-step walkthrough taking a real spreadsheet of business units and turning it into a fully customized, boardroom-ready growth–share chart in fifteen minutes.

Lena Tobler·Jun 5, 2026·11 min read
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