Next Curve

I recently watched an hour long video on Guy Kawasaki's blog "How to change the world". Its one of his presentations on The Art of Innovation. I have a lot of respect for Guy, not just because of his own personal achievements with Apple, etc, but also for the fact that everything he says really makes sense. On top of it all, he has a pretty good sense of humor. I highly recommend you watch this video, its absolutely amazing!

Although Guy's presentation is long, its full of great information. He's a very concise kind of guy. He only sticks to the main points and gives great example of each. He's really easy to follow and gives plenty of room for reflection on his points. The one point I'd like to go in depth with is point #11 "Don't let the bozo's grind you down", or as I see it "creating the next curve". (If you only want to watch that point its near the end around 45min in)

Creating the next curve is ultimately The Art of Innovation. Its taking your business to the next level. Developing a system or product that changes the way things will be done. Moving into new standards, solving problems that people don't realize they have. Completely changing the playing field and creating new markets.

Guy explains that a lot of companies have trouble expanding or growing their business and product. Rather than evolving their products and created a new curve, they simple add value or improve them or blow off an idea completely. He uses the example of Thomas Walson of IBM saying there is only a market of 5 computers in the world, and of Western Union, the telegraph company, stating that they don't see the use of a telephone in the everyday life of America. Amazing I know, but Guy points out a few companies who failed to see the next big curve.

He himself even made the mistake. Guy was offered the position to be the CEO of Yahoo! during its inception. He passed on the opportunity because he didn't realize that Yahoo! could be a profitable business model. He estimates his choice cost him almost 2 billion dollars. He's still kicking himself today because he couldn't see the curve. (He also wanted to spend time with his family, but as he says, that only accounts for 1 billion)

After watching the video I tried to think ahead of the curve. I looked deep inside myself, and my surroundings to see what I might be able to come up with that could be considered the next big curve. Holy shit, it's hard. Even with RPM'S, which will be launching in the next few months, I couldn't really picture the next curve. I've heard it said often that there is no reason to reinvent the wheel, and RPM'S really doesn't. It does add value to what already exists. Thats not bad, but its not a new curve.

As the world becomes more and more flat with the expansion of the internet and devices to share information it becomes more difficult to create something new. But I ask you to do this. Take some time out of your day and exercise yourself . Attempt to think up the next big thing, whether it be in you industry, business or something completely new. I think you'll find as I have, the tendency to add value to something that already exists. Either way its frustratingly fun to try, so do it - and who knows... You might just come up with something :)