Two small companies, both backed by only a handful of people, defeated giants in the marketing tech industry. They have proven that even with little resources and expertise can be enough to beat out large corporations.
These two small companies are the perfect example of how you can take on giants and make it big. One company is a social media platform, while the other company is a mobile app development company. Read more in detail here: companies that started small and made it big.
As humans, we are especially drawn to a certain form of tale: the underdog story. The underdog narrative is one in which the protagonist overcomes his or her challenge and achieves triumph against all odds. We’d want to assume that this underdog triumphed due to a lucky break, but it’s not that simple.
Examining underdog tales reveals the underlying truth about what makes an underdog succeed. To elaborate on this, I’ll give a passage from one of history’s most famous underdog stories: David and Goliath.
“As the Philistine drew nearer to assault him, David dashed to the battle line to meet him.” He took a stone from his satchel and swung it over his shoulder, striking the Philistine in the forehead. He collapsed facedown on the ground when the stone sunk into his forehead.
With a sling and a stone, David defeated the Philistine, and without a sword in his hand, he knocked down and killed him.”
This is an extract from Samuel, a book of the Bible. Where David, a young sheep rancher, battles the Philistine giant Goliath. Despite the fact that David was unable to overcome the monster in hand-to-hand battle, he recognized his advantage. He knew that if he could toss a stone at the monster, it would knock him out for long enough for him to be killed.
Christianity.com is the source for this information.
When entering a competitive market arena with established incumbents, identifying your specific advantage is critical. You must focus on your competitive edge as fast as possible in order to stand out from the throng. You’re not seeking for width; you’re looking for depth.
Companies have been able to join a crowded industry and yet collect enormous levels of success by focusing on one element along the value chain. Which businesses have taken this step? I’ll present two firms that have entered a competitive industry and talk about how they were able to stand apart.
Blockbuster vs. Netflix
Who can forget Blockbuster, the video-rental behemoth? They were on top of the world at one time, with no competition. Then there was Netflix, which was founded by Reed Hastings. Blockbuster reacted with something along the lines of, “Why would we purchase you?” when Netflix made an acquisition bid. We’ll simply do it ourselves if we figure out your business model works.”
Most businesses would be crippled by such a reaction, but Reed was unfazed. In the present rental scene, he understood there was no way he could compete with Blockbuster. However, if he could position his company for the future change in movie rentals, he would be miles ahead of the competition.
Reed came up with a novel concept after seeing an upsurge in movie rental sales. He restructured his company so that customers would no longer have to come to him for their rentals; instead, he would come to them. As a result, he decided to devote all of his efforts on developing an online streaming service rather than an a-la-carte movie rental business.
Netflix was able to get a first-mover advantage in what turned out to be the future of movie rentals by concentrating on streaming. Netflix is now one of the world’s biggest firms, while Blockbuster is a distant memory.
RELATED: The Grey Goose Story: How to Decommoditize Your Product
Ford vs. GM
This is a throwback, yet it is one of the most enduring business rivalries in history. GM and Ford have been competing for the position of market leader for over a century.
Ford was the first vehicle firm to be marketed throughout the United States, and by 1921, it had a large market share in the automobile industry. GM was second in market share, but only had 13 percent of the market compared to Ford’s 56 percent. So, how did GM become the country’s biggest auto maker in only ten years? By concentrating on one essential feature that Ford had overlooked: customisation.
“You may have the automobile in whatever color you wish, as long as it’s black,” said Henry Ford, the company’s creator. The assembly line is said to have been invented by Mr. Ford. A revolutionary production method that enabled him to manufacture an automobile affordable to the average American.
It did, however, have a defect. Personalization is limited in assembly lines. Every automobile has to be built in the same manner. Then-GM President Alfred Sloan recognized he couldn’t compete on pricing with Ford. He could provide a better personalized product if he could design a vehicle for each individual’s goals and preferences, various automobiles with distinct personalities.
“We design an automobile for every pocketbook and purpose,” Alfred Sloan famously said. As a result, GM developed vehicles ranging from entry-level to ultra-high-end. This one point of distinction, enabling buyers to choose the sort of automobile they desire, not only allowed GM to compete with Ford, but also to outperform them.
Important Points to Remember:
You can defeat Goliaths, but only if you realize where you have an edge. The key is to identify one component or underserved market group that might be unique. You may not only compete with giants in your sector, but perhaps outperform them, by concentrating all of your emphasis on just one point of distinction.
Forbes has been publishing articles on small companies that have taken on giants. These are two of the companies that they wrote about. Reference: forbes small giants 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which are the small companies?
A: Im not sure what you mean by small companies.
What are well known small businesses?
A: These are small businesses that have been in business for a long time. Examples of some well known small companies include Marriott, McDonalds, and Walmart
What US companies are not international?
A: This question is not well-defined.
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