Execution Over Ideas

It’s not about the idea.

It’s about follow-through. It’s about action, yeah, but also directional accuracy within action-taking.

A lot of entrepreneurs spend their time trying to find and finagle a novel idea, thinking that the idea is what will propel everything forward. I know I did.

I’m not saying you don’t need a good idea. You need a viable idea.

But the idea doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you do with it.

You can succeed with any idea.

Ideas notwithstanding, the real differentiator is your unique execution. It’s the manner in which you bring differentiated value to the market.

Ideas aren’t defensible. Systems and assets and technology and strategy are.

It’s usually better to pursue a popular, proven idea because you know it has a market and therefore some merit.

The odds of finding a lucrative idea that no one else has ever tried are small.

Put more weight on crafting non-replicable components to your idea, tacking them on or taking time to build them in nuanced ways.

If the value isn’t in the idea, what’s it in? It’s in:

• The tech or system
• Securing patents for special use cases
• A large, loyal audience
• A non-replicable network of users
• Unique offers, a best-of-breed CX
• Smarter back end loyalty programs

Focus on refining those; on investing in the spokes around the hub.

If you create a moat, then the value is in the model and not the make and that is where you can win.

Execution over ideas.