Time: 3.20 Minutes
Currently it feels like everyone panics about being "late" to AI or other stuff. But there is most often time a secret truth in humanities approach of moving forward…
While first movers grab headlines, smart second movers grab profits.
This obsession with being first instead of being smart is paralyzing European innovation. Too often people give up in the first place, just someone (like OpenAI) pretends to be the big winner.
But first movers have to proof if they can stand the test of time before getting into the glory of business history.
Therefore you should embrace, at least sometimes, being strategically second...
But how do you spot weak points in first movers?
Here are some directions to get you going:
Watch their customer complaints.
First movers rush to market with incomplete solutions. Their angry users tell you exactly what to fix.
Find their ignored segments.
Early players chase the biggest markets first. They leave smaller, profitable niches wide open.
Study their technical debt.
Fast movers build messy foundations. You can build cleaner, more scalable solutions from day one.
Target their service gaps.
Pioneers focus on features, not support. Better customer experience beats better technology. (Think this into your own life. What would you prefer as customer?)
Yet most people think first mover advantage is permanent. Why?
We confuse being first with being best. We assume early market share can't be disrupted.
The reality hits differently. Look at the beginning of every new innovation…
Which companies ruled the stock market in the early years and which in the later stages?
Google wasn't the first search engine. Facebook wasn't the first social network. iPhone wasn't the first smartphone.
OpenAI and the others well funded AI juggernauts were scared to death from a tiny company from China called DeepSeek.
Second movers learn from first mover mistakes without paying for them.
Europe's engineering precision could demolish Silicon Valley's "move fast, break things" rushed products. But be aware, because you have to select the right stuff to win.
Stop chasing trends. Start fixing them.
So keep improving, and stay curious.
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Have an epic time, see you soon for the next Transmission…
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