How Harvard Media Empowers Communities

The one thing you need to know about Harvard Media is that, unlike many other media companies, we don’t demand exclusive promotional rights from community groups in exchange for promotional opportunities.

Harvard Media will always put communities first—whether promoting a local event or helping a nearby business succeed.

How do we achieve this? By utilizing the Hedgehog Concept and keeping the community’s interests at the heart of all our promotional offers.

The Story Behind the Hedgehog Concept

The Hedgehog Concept was introduced by author Jim Collins in his book "Good to Great." It finds its roots in the ancient Greek parable of the fox and the hedgehog. 

The story is about a fox that tries many tactics to outwit a hedgehog; it stealthily approaches, launches surprise attacks, races with agility, and plays dead. Despite these efforts, the fox consistently fails, often leaving with a pricked nose from the hedgehog's spines.

This narrative presents a clear lesson: The hedgehog's expertise lies in its ability to defend itself effectively; the fox never comes to understand that the hedgehog knows how to do one big thing perfectly. By centering plans around one core goal, you can maintain clarity and direction, ensuring progress towards that singular, overarching vision. 

To find that core goal, Collins recommends organizations focus on three components: what they can be the best in the world at, what drives their economic engine, and what they are deeply passionate about.

When it comes to Harvard Media, our “hedgehog” has always been empowering communities.

Harvard Media and the 3 Elements of the Hedgehog Concept

What Can You Be the Best At?

Harvard Media excels in empowering communities through our strategic media initiatives. 

We actively support local businesses, showcasing their unique qualities and fostering a sense of belonging throughout the community. Our ability to amplify their voices is a powerful tool in building a vibrant and connected environment, emphasizing long-term sustainability and overall well-being. 

At Harvard Media, we believe in the transformative power of media to empower and unite communities. That's why our approach goes beyond merely helping a business achieve profitability; we amplify the voices of businesses and communities to create a meaningful impact.

What Drives Your Economic Engine?

Our economic engine thrives on the trust and support from our community partners. 

By prioritizing genuine relationships and delivering value locally, we ensure long-term success for our company, the businesses we serve, and the communities in which we operate. 

We collaborate closely with businesses, understanding their needs and aspirations, and tailor our strategies to drive sustainable growth that benefits everyone involved, which means growth for the whole community.

What Are You Deeply Passionate About?

We're not just passionate about media; we're passionate about making a positive difference in people's lives. 

Our mission goes beyond mere profit margins to create shared journeys toward a better future. We believe that when businesses thrive, communities flourish, leading to a cycle of prosperity and well-being.

Empowering Communities Through the Hedgehog Concept

It's common practice for other media companies to offer exclusive promotional opportunities to community groups in exchange for sole promotion rights—in the end you’ll find that these companies are only in it for themselves. At Harvard Media, we don’t believe in making exclusive promises that limit how far community projects can reach. Instead, we promote local businesses across all our media platforms, so that we can reach the widest audience. One example of this would be Harvard Media auctions. We reach out to local businesses to provide quality goods and services for our specialty themed monthly auctions, and we provide world class marketing campaigns for an equal trade to use our platforms to boost the participating local businesses—it's a symbiotic relationship.

This approach helps us maximize benefits for both our company and the communities we support.

Our Promise of a Community-Centric Approach

Our commitment is clear—we’ll always put the community first at Harvard Media. 

Havard Media is best-in-class when it comes to providing businesses and communities with media and communications strategies. This passion for helping propel businesses forward helps build the trust and support of the communities we partner with.

Because we deliver sustainable business growth for businesses, we contribute to the continuous development of the entire community. After all, successful businesses provide communities with financial security. From that foundation, communities enjoy better safety and a higher quality of life. 

This isn’t just a byproduct. This is the goal that Harvard Media has in mind when we partner with local businesses and their communities.

It’s our Hedgehog. 

To learn more about the meaningful difference Harvard Media is making in communities across Canada, visit our website.

Together, we can create a world where businesses thrive, communities prosper, and positive impact resonates for generations to come.