The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift

Live webinar with author Kevin Evers

August 5, 2025, 8AM ET / 1PM BST / 2PM CET

Can’t join the event live? Register to receive recording access.

"Part tell-all book and part how-to guide, The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift offers music fans and Swifties alike a chance to learn from one of the biggest pop stars of all time." — Rolling Stone

Taylor Swift’s rise from a 13-year-old singing in a Tennessee shopping mall to a multi-billion-dollar global sensation is nothing short of extraordinary. She is blessed with talent, a tireless work ethic, and a lot of luck—but in There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius of Taylor Swift, HBR editor Kevin Evers says it's Taylor's strategic thinking that truly sets her apart.

On August 5, Kevin will join us in a special summer webinar to explain why Taylor Swift's business acumen has enabled her to stay at the forefront of the music industry for two decades. He will discuss the business impact of Swift’s many carefully calibrated strategic moves, including:

Brand reinvention to expand her audience: Swift adeptly shifted musical genres while preserving the core values that her fans loved; she then stayed relevant by adapting her style, such as embracing indie rock during the streaming era
Creative response to controversies: Swift turned scandals like the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with Kanye West into creative fuel, deepening her fan connection
Leveraging social media: Swift mastered the art of scaling a personal relationship with hundreds of millions of fans online, strengthening her community
Control over intellectual property: By boldly signing with Universal Music Group, she gained creative freedom, ownership of her music, and became a self-empowerment role model
Transforming industry disruptions into opportunities: Embracing TikTok's rise, Swift used it to engage fans as a “Blue Ocean Strategy”

Alongside Steve Jobs, Richard Branson or Jeff Bezos, Taylor Swift has earned the right to be considered a business icon. Drawing on research from business strategy, psychology, and the arts, Kevin shows why she is one of the savviest decision makers and disruptors of our time.

Register to confirm your place. You will receive the online link to the event in your confirmation email. You can also purchase a copy of There’s Nothing Like This at the discounted price of £22.00 by choosing the enhanced webinar + book/ebook ticket option. Please note that the print edition can only be sent to UK residents, but the ebook is available wherever you are based.

About the author

Kevin Evers is a Senior Editor at Harvard Business Review. He has edited bestselling and award-winning books on high performance, creativity, innovation, digital disruption, marketing, and strategy. He has also written popular articles on brain science, Hollywood blockbusters, the art of persuasion, and the unpredictability of success.

You are receiving this because you registered at hbr.org to receive Events emails, or you provided us with your email address.

If you prefer not to receive Events emails, please unsubscribe.

You may also Manage Email Preferences, view our Privacy Policy, or Contact Us.

To ensure email delivery, add emailteam@emails.hbr.org to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list.