Defending Turf
When you gain ground in a battle, you erect defenses to keep the turf. The same is true in markets. As startups gain turf, they start finding the need to defend their turf from other startups and other BigCos.
Fred Wilson put up a post that says you should ask yourself, “How would an entrepreneur attack your business?” It’s a great hypothetical question that can lead to changes in strategy. I’m going to ask this of my management team next week at our Q4 planning meeting.
It’s a question that leads to an analysis of the famous Porter’s Five Forces. If you don’t know Porter’s Five Forces, you now have some homework. It’s one of those frameworks everyone can benefit from understanding.
Startups should mainly focus on gaining ground and growth, not building defenses. But the way you move in the market can put up useful barriers to entry. It’s worth occasionally paying attention to defending your turf.
What has your startup done to defend its turf?
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