An important aspect of understanding your business ecosystem is knowing your position within it (positioning), whether you hold a higher or lower (subordinate) role, and whether your offerings are substitutes or complements. Netflix started as a DVD rental service. With the rise of online streaming, Netflix saw it as a replacement for DVD rentals. Kimbap and Ramen are complementary goods, but Ramen and Udon are substitutes. This is why, even when setting up a snack bar, paying attention to the menu is crucial. Complementary goods increase sales, while substitutes are more likely to lead to no change or even a decline in sales. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
A balloon will pop when placed atop a single pointed needle. However, if you drive the needle with multiple thumbtacks arranged like a rug, the balloon won’t burst. This illustrates that the impact of sharpness can depend on context. Even if we face inner turmoil, the way we position our challenges and the situations we create can transform those difficulties into connections rather than sources of pain. The key lies in how we manage the distribution of sharpness rather than the sharpness itself. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”