Rubber Meets the Road:
Here’s how to make sure you’re never the company people study as the cautionary tale:
1. Treat “No Decision” as a Decision
Every time you table something, ask what it’s actually costing you to wait. Silence has a price tag too.
2. Schedule the Uncomfortable Review
Put a recurring date on the calendar to honestly ask: what in this business would we build differently if we started today?
3. Watch the Edges, Not Just the Center
Blockbuster watched other video rental chains. It didn’t watch a DVD-by-mail startup. Threats rarely come from where you’re already looking.
4. Protect Room to Experiment
Set aside real time or budget — even small — to test the new thing before you’re forced to.
5. Be Willing to Compete With Yourself
Netflix cannibalized its own DVD business on purpose. If you don’t disrupt your own model, someone else will do it for you.