Thanks for the reply!
I should have perhaps prefaced my assertions by suggesting that pursuing an innovative path is predominantly for people who have the right mix of talent, work ethic and vision - IE capable of toppling the status quo.
You are one of those people, hence why I suggested it. Most don't have it, which is why they end up with a "me too" business they find difficult to scale. The fact you allude to yourself as a builder is enough to say you're an innovator. Everybody copies others at some level - Jobs copied Xerox Parc. The point is they took what worked and contorted it enough to make something new enough to create a new paradigm. They then owned the new paradigm. Even the iPhone was apparently a rip-off of LG's Prada phone.
I brainwashed myself to pursue the "blue ocean" path (primarily due to working with software) and it is, indeed, very difficult. I have some updates on it which I'll post in my progress thread soon but the key thing I've found is there are certain things which can be done to encourage its pursuit.
I would disagree about needing millions. There are quite a few examples of small - even bootstrapped - companies that grew substantially in new fields. Yes, many "moon shot" type things need capital, but not all. I would also suggest you are in a prime position to pursue such a path (innovation, not moonshot) as you have done what few others have -- developed deep systems, affinity & equitable value in your company.
I suppose my core point - to address your original assertion - was in the beginning, you had to innovate. You may not have been a pioneer, but you certainly had to make enough of a market to get paid well.
Stealing from higher level competitors is something everybody does, even if they don't admit it. The difference - at least to me - is the underlying purpose behind what you're doing. Most people "borrow" ideas because they're too lazy to do the work for themselves - you did it because you wanted to get to a destination quicker.
Now you're at the destination, you feel a sense of foreboding that you couldn't do it again. I would disagree. The fact you are in the position in the first place is testament to the fact you continued to "innovate" yourself regardless of circumstance. Just because you haven't invented the hot new app doesn't mean you don't carry the ideals behind that sort of thing into your work. In a similar sense, the young bucks trying to emulate you don't need to compete directly with you as they'll have to "innovate" for themselves, even if they steal your more successful processes etc.
Edit:
Just remembered the famed
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum:
Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.
Last edited:
