Or consider the behavior of venture capitalists who are now huddled into a pack mentality of preaching profitability. Like studio executives trying to knock off a blockbuster, these financiers flock to fund a company identical to the one that just scored in the public market. Every startup is unique - what attorneys call sui generis. And in fact, it is this sui generis that accounts for their success. Prevailing myths and conventional wisdom don't necessarily govern the path of a particular company.
Companies succeed on the basis of how well they execute their unique and tailored plan.
Yes, external market truths matter, especially in terms of securing capital. And just as we saw a time when too much capital kept tepid companies afloat, now we are seeing the depletion of capital staving off valid prospects. And yet, the markets that matter start with a unit of one and build to something bigger. The biggest challenge in today's environment is finding the discipline to select the appropriate source of capital and business strategy that work for you. While it's easy to cite trends and extrapolate truths by aggregating the experience of a large group of companies, each company lives by its own truth.