For a lot of companies, the battle for success is often lost in the margins. And quietly. A company can be quickly doomed by a decision that seemed less than critical, almost innocuous, at the time it was made. This is the law of unintended consequences and it's a nightmare for both startups and mature companies. It can strike in sales, technology, finance, hiring, just about anywhere. The more mature the company, the more likely it can absorb the damage when the unforeseen becomes seen. On the other hand, I've seen the law of unintended consequences take out startups in…

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, formally the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, seem to be everywhere these days, giving their account of mistreatment by the British royal family. First, there was the couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey, then a six-part Netflix documentary, and now Spare, Harry's memoir of life as King Charles' younger son. (The title is a nod to the dictum that those in line for the throne should make sure to have two children, "an heir and a spare.") The royals, who make it a point not to discuss internal family conflicts or even their own feelings in…

Central Bank of Nigeria on Thursday launched a domestic card scheme to rival foreign cards like Mastercard and Visa, hoping to enhance its drive to make Africa's biggest economy a cashless society and save the country foreign transaction fees. The announcement by CBN governor Godwin Emefiele follows the bank's decision last year to phase out old higher denomination bank notes. Emefiele told a virtual launch of the "AfriGo" card scheme that although penetration of card payments in Nigeria had grown over the years, many citizens remained excluded. "The challenges that have limited the inclusion of Nigerians include the high cost…

My company, Skylum – previously known as Macphun – recently hit its 10-year anniversary. As anyone who's started a company knows, your 10-year anniversary is a reason for celebration. It's hard work keeping a company alive – let alone guiding it to profitability – and it's important to take some time to appreciate that. I know personally that my team has accomplished a lot over the last decade, including winning Apple's Editors' Choice Award, their App of the Year Award (six years running) and passing the two-million users mark. But as much as your 10-year anniversary is a cause for…