Innovation

Why do some companies not see disruption coming while others harness the power of disruptive innovation? I remember my first visit to a Toys “R” Us store in New York. I was impressed with their product endcaps, massive inventory, and spectrum of merchandise. In the end, nostalgia couldn’t save them. Instead, the once-mighty retailer struggled to keep up with changing consumer trends, environment, and technology. As a result, the company lost $2.4 billion in 2017 and filed for bankruptcy in September 2018. Like Toys “R” Us, Blockbuster, and many other entrepreneurs, we see more companies missing the disruptive innovation opportunity

A cautionary tale of a business that failed to identify that they were being disrupted “Success is a lousy teacher. It makes smart people think they can’t lose.” –Bill Gates Falling off a perch is not a pleasant feeling for an individual or a company. However, falling is a trait among warriors, and rising after a fall is a champion’s hobby. For this to happen, an individual or a company needs to be sitting right up to the pile of all other competitors for several years to lose track and fall so hard that the company usually ends up in