Every entrepreneurs and enterprise executives wants the differentiator: that one thing that sets us apart from the pack; one pain point that has been under-served; one unfair advantage not duplicatable by the imitators. We read books, we attend seminars, we study cases, we go on pilgrimages, we hire expensive consultants. We need that differentiator.
It’s right here.
A friend of mine is a yoga master. She tours around the world to demonstrate, perform, and teach yoga. But her journey began humbly. About 10 years ago, she was very sick. She went to a beginner yoga class to build some strength back. She attended the class regularly and gradually advanced to intermediate, advanced levels, and eventually private lessons with her master. Then the studio offered her to be a part-time instructor. When her classes got full, she she opened her own yoga studio.
In short few years, she gained a differentiator from the general population. Several years later, she differentiated even among the yoga professional. She is now competitive and profitable. There is nothing uncommon about her journey. Tenacity!
The demise of the business frequently rooted from the lost of will to build that differentiator. Too many entrepreneurs or investors sought the first-mover advantage or a green field with no competition. They are to create a new industry, open a new era, and redefine a paradigm. History showed that Google was not the first search engine, Microsoft did not create the first office suite, Apple was not the first MP3 player or smartphone, Intel was not the first CPU maker.
If something cannot possibly succeed because someone is already very good at it, then there will never be new novels, music, or movies.