You can’t play not to lose. You have to play to win. When you play not to lose, you won’t have a winning mindset and strategic approach. You hedge your bets, and don’t go all in on a strategy or business model. If you want to build a world-class company and dominate the industry, you absolutely have to have a winners attitude. For example, you are hedging when you refuse to pick just one customer segment and instead try to serve all customers in a market. If you try to serve both large and small customers, you’ll split your forces and divide your focus. By not focusing on one segment, you are destined to be mediocre at best. Your sales teams, product managers, and customer service will all be split between many different types of customers with different requirements. If instead you play to WIN a certain type of customer, it’s possible to WOW that customer beyond all expectations and dominate that segment. After WINNING the first segment, you can proceed to other market segments. This is just one way you have to play to WIN. This WINNING mindset should cascade throughout the entire organization and impact every aspect of the business. The stakes are big, so play to WIN!!
The Agile Startup is an inspiring compilation of the most important lessons of innovation and entrepreneurship. It’s easier than ever to start a new business, and the potential rewards are enormous. But even with all of the available advantages and resources, the likelihood of any one business succeeding is slim. That’s why you need the simple, clear, actionable lessons found in The Agile Startup.
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Author Matt Sand
Passionate about making a difference through innovation and entrepreneurship.