What are some ways to follow your business vision without conforming to industry standards?

Answer 1

1. Surround yourself with people who are competent and share your vision and have good work ethics.
2. Set the Standards. It's always better to be the one setting the standards and having everyone else play catch up.
3. Do business with those who allow you to follow your vision.
4. Keep thinking outside the box. make sure you have people around you that have weirder or stranger ideas than you do. That will keep fresh ideas coming in.
5. Never have "Yes Men" on your creative/research team. They are the ones that you want to hear new ideas from. You don't want them just agreeing with ideas you already had yourself.
6. If you feel that a business is causing you to conform....look for new ways around that business to do what you want to do.
In music for example....if every time you tried making a music video Mtv told you it had to be changed for them to air it...it might be a good idea to start looking for backers to start your own music channel where you can show the videos the way you want and also allow other artist/producers to do the same.
7. Never accept "well thats the way it always been done."

Answer 2

1. Convince the industry that your vision will become the new standard. At some point everything that we now accept as standard was new. MP3s. DVDs. Cars. The problem with "best practices" is that everyone does them, making everyone average and the same. The successful ideas are many times the ones that are against the accepted standard. Show the industry how your vision will go beyond the current standard. Is it better technology? Better service? An untapped market?

2. Finance it yourself. If you fund your own idea, then the only person you have to convince is yourself. Of course this is easier said than done..

3. Find like minded people. It will give you more confidence and a network to help you shape and improve your vision.

Answer 3

To All ~
Without conforming to an industry standards is very simply,....know what YOUR vision is. But also, be aware that there are some standards (laws) that you must follow.
I suggest that anyone who wants to start their own business in ANY industry should take a business course. Here are just a few things that my business course showed me.
1. Know who your clients are going to be. Adults, family, young adults, seniors, children. Who are you marketing to?
2. See what your competition is doing right and wrong. Is the place up to code?
3. Location can help and hurt you at the same time. Are you in the mall or in a small back lot?
4. Watch your budget! When first starting out, make sure that you have enough money to open the doors and enough money to keep the doors opened for the first 3 months or so. Only time will tell you if your a hit or not.
5. Word of mouth is your best advertisement! Also, your business is already listed in the phone book if anyone asks. Just make enough fliers to have inside of your business.
6. What are the city and state codes for the business that you plan to run.
I hope that these few suggestions have helped you see the fish bowl that you're hopping into. Again, a business course will help you feel more confidence in knowing exactly what is needed to really open up your doors to the world!

~ Much Luck to All!
XO Lamb772 XO

Answer 4

The easiest way to follow your business vision without conforming to industry standards is to keep your heart, eyes, and thoughts on what you are in the business for. As soon as someone gets greedy and lets money control their life, then all hope and originality of the game is lost. An example of this would be small mom and pop's places that are in the game to provide the community a service, sell out to a major corporation. Then everything from the ground up changes, even the mom and pop's running the business.

Zach Lupton

Answer 5

Well this seems to be and esy question but there are a number of ways to look at how to aswer this question.

The normal person would say to do what you want. Another would say to work along with the other companies and do what they do out side of the industry standards ie Wal-mart and so on.

But I say follow your heart when completing your business vision. Like most great people who were sucessful they did not conform, they did what their heart told them to do. If your only driving factor is money then you will fall short, not to say money is not needed but it should be only a contributing factor. Money is only a means to an end which human beings have created to satisfy themselfs. Your business vision should be determined by following the path in which your heart leads. I always belive that no one can make my standards for me I can follow them if I wish but no one can dictate how I complete my dream as this is my dream and I have complete control over it.

The industry standards are like public schools designed to keep everyone average and on the same playing field. Those who suceed are thoes who take their vision and develop a viable plan that follows their heart. I know this was not a spiritual question but when you get down to it we are spiritual beings and our hearts are the physical part of our souls.

So to aswer that question your business vision is made up as a part of you and each person is an individual and most sucessful people follow their heart not the industry standards.

Big Zo

Answer 6

The key is not to conform to the industry standard but to have the industry conform to you. This should be accomplished by careful marketing and implementation of your vision. As with anything new, if the initial introduction is not handled right the industry and/or people will shun it. But if the initial marketing is done wisely and there is a buzz or chatter about your vision which begins an expectation of things to come, the industry will soon implement your vision as their standard. The industry is just like music, movies and fashion they are all looking for the next hot person, thing or idea. Because when it comes to any business standard or vision we must not forget that it is not black or white it is GREEN that sets the standard.

Answer 7

I think there are two subjects being asked in your question (or, at least, they way it is being answered in this forum): "vision" and "brand"... and they are not synonymous.

The definition of "brand" is: a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. However, a Brand is much more that that. It's not only the product that is "different", or differentiated. Brand is the FEELING AND PERCEPTION a customer has, not only when they buy it, but when they heard the name or see the logo. There are many companies that have bucked industry standards and created great brands based on having the best product/service or encouraging the perception. That, however, is not vision.

A corporate "vision" is the embodiment of what the company wants to achieve beyond capitalistic goals. "To become a global company and make millions" is not a vision. Perhaps the BEST example of a unique corporate vision is Starbucks. Starbucks has the corporate vision and mission to "become the largest provider of healthcare in the world." The vision was fueled by the founders not having benefits at a critical time in their lives. They are bringing this vision to reality by opening up hundreds of outlets, differentiating their product offerings (coffee first as a strong foothold in the market, and then parlay that leadership position into music, publishing, retail, and more) and providing health care to ALL their workers (regardless of number of hours/week... part-time and full-time workers all have full benefits).

A unique vision that bucks the "norm", yes. As a result, they are the leader in their market, have a highly identifiable brand and brand name, and are providing a quality service that addresses an inherent need--or perceived need. (These are the industry standards that build a market leader.) Additionally, they are fulfilling their vision/mission, with just a hint of social responsibility thrown in.

(Note: I do not work for/with Starbucks. I'm a high-tech Marketing Executive).

Answer 8

We'll first and foremost one must realize that a business vision has to conform with the industry standard. Also be in the proper time line according to the common thoughts of the majority. For example, these days we live in a war ravished world, more war would only complicate things more, however, it is awfully hard these days to project happiness without awakening old snakes. So the best way to follow your business aspirations is to have some people on your team which can settle the needs of the supposed (sharks) (snakes) which could impair your progression. I understand the need for young urban boys to express themselves in a way which allows them to vent, however there is a certain thing called complacency, in which a person finds themselves doing the same routine, while everyone else is waiting for something new, so they can run and find a seat to watch the outcome. These days inverse aspiration is deadly, we all know pain, very well. The industry is usually comprised of millions upon billions of minds, some living in the spiritual world, and some living in the physical world, and these all need their proper due, so in closing, the American Industry is embedded in stone, much like any other industry you must conform at least to some degree.

Answer 9

I think there are many factors involved for one to acheive an envisioned end through non traditionial means.

This generally requires innovation, industry standards exist for a reason, generally the path of least resistance leads to a comfortable setup within industries, the status quo that is the industy standard. To go outside these standards is a risky move, people, the consumers and particularly the financiers, like to see a proven system before they will subscribe to your new industry method or back it with capital.

Without going into depth on the aforementioned I think some of the better examples I have seen on this topic involve simply a different way of billing an existing product.

I tunes has been extremely successful because it now allows a customer to select individual songs without buying a whole album. A new way of selling the same old product. Admittedly it really was napster that exposed what the market wanted and internet technology that enabled it, but it was a new way to operate the old business of selling music.

An example of a failure of this type, and I'll try and stay within the music business again for ya Rusty, was Philips' move to convert the music market on cassettes to Digital Compact Cassette (DCC). It may have been a better product but the consumership saw it as a replacement to CD's rather than to cassettes. Which was poor timing considering that the majority of music consumers in the early nineties had just made, within the last five years, the capital expenditure required to switch to CD from record and cassette. Thus frightening the market with the idea that if they embraced the new technology their money spent on CD players was a big waste.

I think if you can find a new way of getting a return on your product that is just as attractive to you as to the customer you are on a winner and you can ignore industry standards. I do believe that at this stage almost all of the possible schemes for achieving this are exhausted, unless of course you add an external influence into the product such as technology. However there are certainly lucrative ideas out there undiscovered and when I hear about them I will surely say, along with others, how simple an idea that I wonder how I did not think it first.

Answer 10

It is my personal belief that when doing anything in life you must first be true to you, and that includes knowing who you are and what your expectations are in all aspects of your life. You must be adamant in obtaining your goals. Industry standards are fine for those who need to follow, however being great sometimes involves straying from the "mainstream" path and doing those things that make you feel good about you and your business venture. As with anything in life you have to own it and make it a part of you. It is also important to still remain open to suggestions and criticism. People that give you advice are either only trying to help you and those who aren't only make you stronger. You must know that you will make mistakes, but it is only a true mistake if you don't learn anything from it. All others should be seen as an opportunity for growth. And last but not least, have a business plan. You want to have a clear layout of your business on paper that should include at least a five year plan that encompasses financing, demand for both now and in the future, if this is a consumer want or a need, and a clear cut plan that covers how to survive if the market for your business should change for even a short period of time.

Answer 11

This should be accomplished by careful marketing and implementation of your vision. As with anything new, if the initial introduction is not handled right the industry and/or people will shun it. But if the initial marketing is done wisely and there is a buzz or chatter about your vision which begins an expectation of things to come, the industry will soon implement your vision as their standard. The industry is just like music, movies and fashion they are all looking for the next hot person, thing or idea. Because when it comes to any business standard or vision we must not forget that it is not black or white it is GREEN that sets the standard.