In this episode of The Purposeful Strategist, Belden Menkus speaks with Mark Tapscott, Co-Founder and CEO of Longbow, an electric sports car company whose aim is to engineer cars that are fast, ultra-lightweight and will stand the test of time. Mark co-founded Longbow in 2023 after two decades launching electric vehicles into new markets, including for Tesla and BYD.

In their conversation, they discuss:

· Why the UK is the best place in the world to design and assemble sports cars, and the market factors behind his thinking.

· Lightweighting as an efficiency philosophy Mark believes will shape the future of transportation, not just sports cars.

· Longbow's strategy of periodically "breaking and rebuilding" the company as it scales, and building small, expert teams that can innovate quickly.

· The importance of short-term planning and long-term branding, and how to gather a dedicated pool of loyal customers.

· How listening to customers and expert advisors are essential ingredients for success.

Longbow: https://longbowmotors.com/

Menkus & Associates: https://www.menkus.com/

Supported by Norman Broadbent: https://www.normanbroadbent.com/

Belden Menkus is the Managing Director of Menkus & Associates, the strategy firm for businesses with a broader purpose. His McKinsey training combined with more than 30 years working at Board and ExCo level gives him both the analytical rigour and the insight that complex, high-stakes leadership situations demand.

Belden hosts The Purposeful Strategist, a weekly podcast. It explores how senior leaders bring purpose to life through strategy.