When I've arrived | The Established Co

Think about a company you've done business with that's been in business a good 20+ years. Like most, they probably got their start off a big hit they had with a service or product innovation.

The two examples I think of (which will be unnamed here) fit right in this space. Companies that saw their big jump from a couple hundred thousand dollar company to a million +, from 1 or 2 big innovations they developed and brought to market. In my examples, both companies even patented these innovations.

Present Day
Its now been some 10+ years since those companies had their initial big wave of success. In both cases, they are still around today, growing modestly, but not largely. The most interesting thing about both is that they show visible signs of a lack of forward progress since their first big successes. Their offices still show signs of the 80's, they haven't had a product or service innovation in years, and their customers are basically working with them as grandchildren recommendations from their successes of old.

As MMs, we can't allow this stagnation to take over. Its an easy, slow, hardly-noticeable process that acts like oil in an engine - don't change it at 3000 miles, and you'll be alright, but wait too long and your engine will eventually freeze-up.

Take your company into the shop for regular check-ups. Ask your customers what they think, ask your co-workers what pain points they've encountered, encourage your boss to allow for an open environment to facilitate ideas and change. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it in revenue - for you, your co-workers, and the company you work for.