A Smart Bear · Jason Cohen
articleprincipleTelling the 800-lb Gorilla to Shove it up his Ass
31 May 2010Profit
Source excerpt
About A Smart BearYou worry about competition from the big, brand-name, deep-pocketed company. But there are better things to worry about and ways to avoid running into gorillas in the first place.
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Apollo layer
What a founder can learn
Founder takeaway
Don’t build your strategy around fear of a large incumbent. Choose customers, problems, and positioning where your focus gives you room to win without confronting the market leader head-on.
Why it matters
A startup wastes scarce attention when it reacts to a giant competitor’s brand, budget, or roadmap. Deliberate market selection can turn the incumbent’s scale and broad priorities into openings for a focused company.
Relevant guides
Put it to work
Identify one customer segment or problem where the incumbent is unlikely to focus, then ask: What specific need can we serve meaningfully better without requiring customers to compare us feature-for-feature?