Technology has created enormous dislocations as it enables people to bypass the historic information brokers. Furthermore, the convergence of biotechnology, information technology, and media are creating enormous opportunities. The key is to anticipate, drive, and exploit those changes. There is, of course, no one right way to start a business, but some plans are more likely to succeed than others. While there are successful entrepreneurs who began their companies without technical skills, without financing, and without an MBA, most of us are more risk averse, and for us, Zschau offers the following key ingredients.
Speed permits survival.
By being the first in the market, you move the market, and are more likely to set the technology standards and therefore shape and dominate the market. Closely related to speed is the Beachhead vs. Big Bang model of product release. They release it to the market and change the world. The Beachhead model is based on the premise that it is more important to be in the market first than to enter with a perfect product. This allows for quicker delivery and quick customer feedback for future enhancements.