In 1989 our company had a great idea for a completely new product. Not only did we have an idea for a completely new product, but also a new business model that was going to allow us to build at a quality higher than anything on the market.
We introduced both…and got nothing. No support.
We had designed and engineered a completely new way of yachting in a product unlike anything else. We took that new design to several dealers assuming they would be as excited about the new product as we were. They weren’t. In fact they said it would never sell.
Faced with a product we were confident in and without a sales channel to sell it through we decided to create our own distribution network. So that’s what we did and in the process ushered in direct selling from manufacturer to customer.
Now selling direct surely isn’t something we invented there were even other boat companies doing it at the time. However it was a business model that we had not initially wanted to explore. We never thought we would be selling direct and be successful.
That’s the reality of being an entrepreneur. Where you start isn’t where you end up. That’s the beauty of creating something and having the courage to change it as you move along.
Look at flickr, originally developed as a way to share screenshots for a game, now it’s one of the largest consumer photo sharing sites.
Look at Twitter, originally developed as an texting tool only, now a computer integrated communication platform.
Look at Post It notes, originally a failed experiment by 3M researchers to find a stronger glue turned into one of their most successful products ever.
It’s not where you start that matters, its the fact you start.
Speaking of start, download “10 Reasons Why Now Is The Best Time To Start Your Business”