Contact Us
Name:
Email Address:
Phone Number (optional):
Subject:
Message:
 
 
Contact Us Contact us
Sign in
Email Address
Password
small business login arrow  Forgot Password?
 
 
Serial Entrepreneur and Go BIG
Founder Wil Schroter's Blog!
You Are NOT the Anything-Killer Until You Actually Kill Something
Author: Wil Schroter
Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Ten years from now when we reminisce about the 00's and laugh about Web 2.0 companies, one of the lamest company pitches we are going to remember is this:

Our Company is the <Insert Successful Company> - Killer

Netscape will launch the Digg-Killer

Socializr is the Evite-Killer

AnythingYouCanName.com is the MySpace-Killer

I'm so flipping tired of hearing companies describing themselves as the one product that is going to take down some behemoth.

When does this actually happen?  How often does a company really "kill" a behemoth?

Maybe .00001% of the time it's predicted?

Probably less.

Just because you have released a product that may have a feature that's better than a big competitor out there, it doesn't mean their fate is sealed and you have a victory.

A new feature does not kill a company.  The execution behind that feature is what kills a company.  And execution is something judged on historical proof, not by some optimistic forecasts.

Here is what makes you a AnythingYouCanName.com-killer:

You make more money - Sure, your product is cool.  But until it translates into more revenue than Microsoft, you're not Microsoft (Google, are you listening?)

You have more members - MySpace has an estimated 100+ million members and has grown more quickly than just about any user base in history.  You signed up 1,000 users in your first week.  You're not MySpace.

They know who you are - I can't tell you how many pitches I've heard from startups that are going to eat the lunches of the big contenders.  Except for the fact that those big contenders don't even know who the startups are.  If you are doing so much damage how is it that you're not even on their radar?

We all want to create big startups that conquer the world.  But before we start claiming ourselves the next Heavyweight Champion we actually need to step in the ring and win a fight.




Trackbacks to this story
You Are NOT the Anything-Killer Until You Actually Kill Something - How many times have you heard some new business boast that they’re going to ‘kill’ their big gorilla market competitor? My Google Reader’s been doing some strange things lately. Today, for some arcane reason, it brought up a 6 ...
From: En Avant | 6/28/2007 at 8:10 PM

Comments About this story

Amen brother!!!

"Our technology is better than Microsoft's"

Whetever...

 

Posted by: Terry K. 5/15/2007 at 12:05 PM

It is amazing how often I get questions about to generate business success, viz a viz Walmart versus Kmart.  Everybody knows WHAT happened, very few know HOW it happened.

I doubt that Wal-mart touted anything other than their desire to serve customers better than Kmart, and a determination to do so.

The simple truth is that YOU CAN KILL A MONSTER...but do you know how?  How did a small, rural retail corporation from...Arkansas? become the world's largest retailer?

If you can answer that, and you have the 'it' to attract the capital, you have a shot at becoming the next wave. 

Otherwise, there's lot of money on this side of the bar too.
Posted by: chris c. 5/15/2007 at 4:40 PM



Add a Comment (Not logged in)  Register / Login

Name:
 
Email Address:
 
Homepage:
  (ex. http://www.gobignetwork.com)

 

Enter the Text in the Image Below (to confirm you're not a robot)

 


(Wil is immediately notified of your comment)

 

Recent Updates
Archive O' Knowledge
The Book
GoBig or GoHome Thumbnail

Go BIG or Go Home

Learn how the next generation of startup companies grow BIGGER and FASTER than anyone else. Real insights and actual strategies to grow your startup company like crazy. Required reading for anyone who loves startup companies and wants to get an edge.

 Buy the Book (e-book or paperback)
Blogroll
Premium Sponsors
Advertisement
© Copyright 2010 Go Big Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved
*Each investor listed in GoBigNetwork as a potential funding resource for members must be an “Accredited Investor” as that term is used in federal and state securities laws. To be listed, every investor must supply qualifying information, and certify that it meets all criteria for Accredited Investor status. GoBigNetwork provides a platform through which members and Accredited Investors may identify each other, but makes no actual or implied representations concerning the availability of any potential funding or funding resource GoBigNetwork neither effects nor attempts to effect any funding or business relationship between members and any listed investor, and nothing contained in this website should be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase a security. Members and accredited investors listed in GoBigNetwork are solely responsible for compliance such federal, state or local laws which may apply between them in any funding transaction. GoBigNetwork is compensated solely by membership fees and fees paid by Accredited Investors for the opportunity to be listed as potential funding resources.

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z 
DE  OH
Crunch Profiles  Crunch Companies