5 ms·

Here's a question I hope someone else can answer. I get the whole idea of the underdog seeing a niche and taking it over. What I don't understand is the progre

by honopu 16y ago

Here's a question I hope someone else can answer. I get the whole idea of the underdog seeing a niche and taking it over. What I don't understand is the progression from 2 kids, a bike and $100 into a 50 billion dollar multinational corporation. How does that work? Thank you in advance.

wallflower 16y ago
> Casey pursued a Spartan business philosophy that emphasized military discipline, drab uniforms, and reliability over flash—a model that is still reflected in UPS culture today. http://www.amazon.com/Big-Brown-Untold-Story-UPS/dp/0787994022 http://www.amazon.com/Big-Brown-Untold-Story-UPS/dp/07879940... > The company prefers to hire people who fit the culture, who share its core values of hard work, cooperation, and commitment, over those who may be more experienced but lack these valued traits. The belief in commitment has been so strong that the company only recently relaxed a rule that forbid rehiring anyone who had left the company. Orientation programs, taught by UPS employees, not outside trainers, emphasize values and norms along with skills and procedures. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2296.html http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2296.html
jakarta 16y ago
You do the same thing, over and over again. If you look at some of the most successful businessmen in history, you'll see that a lot of what they did was find some kind of unexploited area of the market and take advantage of it. Usually it starts in their home town, but it can often by replicated and expanded outside of that area. And when they do that they generally get to take advantage of the economies of scale. Along the way, if they iterate and refine on the process -- they get stronger and stronger till they become the $50B MNC you're talking about. Looking at the history of UPS, this seems pretty apparent. They started doing deliveries in Seattle > California > West Coast > New York > East Coast > Midwest > Canada > Europe. Walmart and McDonalds kind of did the same thing. In every instance there is a certain level of innovation that keeps them ahead of the pack.
- retube 16y ago
  yeah i think that's basically it. Find a business model that works and repeat it over and over in different geographies or markets. Or even: do it once, sell, do exactly the same again (e.g Hutchinson Whampoa with Orange (sold to France Telecom) and now 3).

by honopu 16y ago

wallflower 16y ago

> Casey pursued a Spartan business philosophy that emphasized military discipline, drab uniforms, and reliability over flash—a model that is still reflected in UPS culture today. http://www.amazon.com/Big-Brown-Untold-Story-UPS/dp/0787994022 http://www.amazon.com/Big-Brown-Untold-Story-UPS/dp/07879940... > The company prefers to hire people who fit the culture, who share its core values of hard work, cooperation, and commitment, over those who may be more experienced but lack these valued traits. The belief in commitment has been so strong that the company only recently relaxed a rule that forbid rehiring anyone who had left the company. Orientation programs, taught by UPS employees, not outside trainers, emphasize values and norms along with skills and procedures. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2296.html http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2296.html

jakarta 16y ago

You do the same thing, over and over again. If you look at some of the most successful businessmen in history, you'll see that a lot of what they did was find some kind of unexploited area of the market and take advantage of it. Usually it starts in their home town, but it can often by replicated and expanded outside of that area. And when they do that they generally get to take advantage of the economies of scale. Along the way, if they iterate and refine on the process -- they get stronger and stronger till they become the $50B MNC you're talking about. Looking at the history of UPS, this seems pretty apparent. They started doing deliveries in Seattle > California > West Coast > New York > East Coast > Midwest > Canada > Europe. Walmart and McDonalds kind of did the same thing. In every instance there is a certain level of innovation that keeps them ahead of the pack.

retube 16y ago
yeah i think that's basically it. Find a business model that works and repeat it over and over in different geographies or markets. Or even: do it once, sell, do exactly the same again (e.g Hutchinson Whampoa with Orange (sold to France Telecom) and now 3).