Rules and structure are a funny thing in business. On any given day you can pick up a business magazine and read about someone who is successful by creating rules and processes like Henry Ford invented the assembly line. The same magazine will have an article about some guy who is successful who didn't follow any of the rules. So which is it? What is an up a coming business owner to do?
The great thing about business is you can do either. The important trick is to look in the mirror and really understand who you are. If you are a risk taker that never follows the rules like Steve Jobs and Wozniak, you might build the next Apple. If you understand the rules of the game like a young Bill Gates did, you might create the next Microsoft. I don't think any of those three will ever be labeled as "unsuccessful" or worried about money.
Most people have been conditioned to be the worker bees. They show up, learn the rules, do the job and leave. If that is all you want out of life, stop reading.
Some of us haven't bought into the whole "be happy with what you've got" philosophy and are always looking for a way to improve our own lives. Simply put that happens one of two ways. The first way is the Apple way, don't follow anyone, blaze new trails and do things differently. These people and companies are the high risk high flyers that change the world and how we see things every day.
The second method is the structured approach. Follow the rules and make incremental improvements. Test the changes and move forward with those that work. There are a few Microsoft fans out there rolling their eyes wondering how they got into this category. After all hasn't Microsoft changed our world too.
The answer is yes and there in lies the answer. You can be successful by managing and owning very low risk businesses like the family that owns In-N-Out. They didn't change the burger business, they just made it clean and simple. No chicken, no fish, no frozen foods ever, well except the milk shakes.
Microsoft was created after Bill Gates acquired the rights to an operating system and then smartly followed the rules laid down by IBM. His competitor was "busy" and didn't follow IBM's rules. Bill got in the door and got the deal. DOS likely became a household word because of that one event. If the other guy had answered the call, we might all be using CP/M or whatever the other guy had. Microsoft has been making incremental changes to DOS ever since. Windows was an add on to DOS.
Apple on the other hand changes everything from the inside out, every time they change something. Check out the article in Fast Company about Steve Jobs this month, and read about how the iMac almost never existed. While you are there read about Homeboy Industries too.
Figure out where your strength is, structure, tweaking structure or breaking structure then set your sites on a target that is just out of reach today and go for it. Never stop, never give up, never quit, just keep moving towards the target whatever it may be.
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Thank you for your insights.