Decision Lag: The Hidden Tax on Growth (The Odd Case of Olipop)

The Cost of Waiting—A Real Story
Olipop, a prebiotic soda brand founded in 2018, moved fast. Within six years, it hit $500 million in sales, disrupting an industry dominated by giants. They did it by launching quickly, testing flavors, tracking consumer response, and iterating in weeks, not quarters.

Meanwhile, incumbents like Coca‑Cola and Pepsi took months to develop their own gut-health sodas. By the time Coke introduced Simply Pop, Olipop had already secured shelf space and consumer loyalty.

Skipping the traditional research cycle cost the big players market share. Olipop moved fast and captured the opportunity.

What Slow Intelligence Costs You

Decision lag isn’t abstract—it shows up in real losses.

• Missed product windows: Brands that miss trend cycles risk poor product launches.
• Higher acquisition costs: When insight comes late, marketing relies on broad, inefficient tactics. McKinsey analysis shows firms with slow feedback loops pay about 15% more to acquire customers.
• Analyst burnout: Researchers spent 70–90% of their time preparing data instead of generating insight. That steady drumbeat wears teams down.

These aren’t little setbacks—they build up, quarter after quarter.

Old Rhythms, New Markets

A quarterly insight model once made sense. You’d commission a study, sift findings, and develop a plan, working on a 12‑week cycle.

Today, few markets pause long enough for that. A trend can peak in six weeks. Consumer sentiment can shift overnight. Waiting means missing the moment.

Faster Intelligence Requires a Different Model

Companies winning today share a pattern:

• AI pipelines automate data collection and prep.
• Analysts apply context, strategy, and judgment to surface insight.
• Executives get fast briefings—not data dumps—to act decisively.

Olipop moved through these stages. They combined quick consumer feedback loops with strategic testing on product and packaging. The result: major shelf presence before competitors even started product development.

How Faster Insight Pays Back

Moving from quarterly to sprint-style intelligence pays dividends:

• Faster launches, so revenue comes in sooner
• Smarter targeting, cutting acquisition costs
• Better team engagement, because insight replaces grunt work
• Competitive pressure, achieved before others respond

Every week of waiting is a tax. Faster insight rebates that cost and compounds your advantage.

Three Moves to Cut Decision Lag

1. Automate data prep
   Set up pipelines to handle cleaning and initial analysis so your team can focus on direction.
2. Run short research sprints
   Shift from 12-week cycles to 7–14 day sprint models aligned to pressing questions.
3. Deliver executive-ready briefs
   Skip bulk reporting. Focus on concise notes that leaders can read in minutes and act on immediately.

Closing Note

Decision lag adds up. Over time, it erodes share, slows innovation, and exhausts teams. But speed—when paired with structured intelligence—doesn’t just remove drag. It fuels momentum, engagement, and impact.

Olipop is proof. What incumbents approached cautiously, they tested, improved, and launched—all before others were ready. If you’re ready to replace tax with traction, the path runs through speed and insight.