UK Criticism, Plan A and Plan B

Deep within the UK internet someone has said nice things about my book, and recommended it.  He made some other comments that got me thinking...

And it's not possible to get ANY product manufactured, either.

Well, we conceive of a solution to a problem, as a product or a service, and then we try to buy it, what I call plan A.  This process tells us if the item, or a reasonable substitute exists, and if the idea is a good one.  That double check, "good idea, doesn't exist" is the opening you need to start a business, and is only available from the people you expect to be your customers.

Now in reality, that very process is likely to result in the improving of your ideas, as idea meets reality customer.  The next step is the designer, who also improves your idea.  Next the supplier is another great contributor to the design, and also tempers your enthusiasm for over-engineering and over-specification.  As novices we desire to spend too much to do too much.  Often we are obliged to scale back our initial offering.

Next, he states there are people who import and distribute "off-the-shelf" items.  True.  I call this Plan B.  You local Mercedes Benz dealer, and of course Hadad the Henna dealer.  If it is not big business, or your unique item, then you are likely to get caught competing on price.  But the more important criticism is within you is something unique to you, that needs expression in business, and in the measure you sell off the shelf items, is the measure the world is denied the good of your creativity.

It's the only book out there that isn't a mother lode of platitudes but actually tells you what to do and how to do it. He tends to be an idealist (politics) and oversimplifies a lot of things... for example, there ARE importers who just deal in off the shelf products whatever you may state...

So it is likely very true that not "everything" can be made, but anything we need made to get started can certainly be accomplished.  It may be a matter of much compromise, but it is always a matter of customer satisfaction.

Here is a video on plan B...

Bookmark this post --- Email this post