Continuous Innovation ... Reality Check!

Have you ever been sitting at your desk reading email or doing research on a company -- a competitor, a partner or new entrant into the market -- when you discover that someone appears to have "eaten your lunch"? You can't believe what you are reading -- in fact, you could have written it yourself or perhaps you did -- who knows ...

Imagine Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer sitting around in 1995 when Netscape launched its Navigator browser for the Internet. Netscape was giving it away free, trying to encourage widespread adoption and clearly not having a specific business model, or at least a profitable one, in mind. It created a major shift in thinking and approach (one that the Justice Department later scrutinized).

The main point is that there are lots of clever folks out there thinking up new ideas, new applications for technology, and most importantly (at least from a profitability standpoint), new business models. After a couple of martinis or glasses of wine (when your head has cleared), you can sit back and start to clearly think of the implications resulting from the change in the landscape. Generally, not much has changed since yesterday. In fact, things are better!

What I mean is that you now have information that you did not have before. Companies are constantly moving in stealth mode and they have been working on what they have just announced for at least 3 to 6 months. You now have the ability to decide whether to partner, compete or ignore the company and its recent announcement. Ignorance is not bliss. So make a decision to find out more, refine your business model and capitalize on the new information.

Information is the oxygen supply to your business. It is your lifeblood. Sit back, think, relax and move forward with grace and dignity.

Half the fun is trying to anticipate the next moves in the market. You need to be sharp, focused and able to properly interpret and react to new developments. It is really like a game of chess -- so many moves, so little time, clearly just trying to WIN!

Good Luck!

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