I’ve found this idea to be unappreciated; I bet most people think that a business dying means they failed, but in a strict sense a business only failed if it di

I’ve found this idea to be unappreciated; I bet most people think that a business dying means they failed, but in a strict sense a business only failed if it didn’t generate net positive cash over its lifespan. Seems like most businesses would rather reinvest the resources they already have - being in a position of some success makes it easier to find more. Fad toys are a good example: do you cash in on the fad and ride it out smoothly until demand dies, or do you try to parlay into some bigger brand? Popsocket did this pretty successfully, but plenty others probably failed. All else equal I think a longer term success is more admirable, but many companies end up existing primarily to keep themselves alive. They acquire startups and ride out brand well beyond their useful life. At what point do these companies become net harmful?