My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
“they're all round so we had no choice but to be square”
What It Means
Sometimes the most obvious differentiation strategy is simply doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing
Why It Matters
Demonstrates how simple changes can create powerful differentiation without complex innovation
When It's True
When category has strong conformity and consumers aren't actively satisfied with current options
When It's Risky
When the common approach exists for good functional reasons, or when being different isn't inherently valuable
How to Apply
Audit what everyone in your category does identically
Test whether doing the opposite could work functionally
Ensure the difference creates meaningful value for consumers
Example Scenario
“Olly vitamins used square bottles when all competitors used round ones, creating instant shelf differentiation and more efficient packaging design.”