There isnt a term or phrase thats more buzzworthy than disruptive in the startup world.
Every startup claims that they are disruptive and that their product or service is going to disrupt the industry.
The truth is that most startups arent disrupting anything.
What does it mean to disrupt and how do you know whether or not a startup is truly disruptive?
The automobile replaced the horse and buggy, becoming the more convenient mode of transportation.
These are all examples of disruption, and they all became the industry standard.
A great example is the mobile phone industry.
How many people do you see walking around with flip phones?
It’s free, every week, in your inbox.
The majority of the population has an iPhone or an Android gadget even grandparents.
Because they are the industry standard.
Those devices disrupted the cell phone industry and continue to dominate.
Would you trade in your iPhone or Android and go back to a flip phone?
This simply isnt the case.
Some of the most disruptive startups created something extremely simple.
You dont have to venture to impress with fancy industry jargon, either.
Its fair to say that they disrupted the public transportation industry.
Call a cab has universally been replaced with call an Uber.
They also have a very simple product.
They made transportation more convenient.
Early users needed to understand the value of Uber, so they strategically launched in New York City.
When you think of taxi cabs New York immediately comes to mind.
Its residents, visitors, and tourists hail cabs around the clock.
This allowed them to introduce their offering to potential consumers that would instantly understand the value.
It wasnt complicated at all.
It was easy and convenient, which made users instantly adapt.
Why would anyone use a traditional taxi service these days instead of calling an Uber?
Its more convenient and affordable.
Being so simple and easy to understand is what led to Uber being disruptive.
We can use Uber again as an example.
Their service completely changed the way consumers commute.
They changed how people get to work, meet up with friends, etc.
Some consumers made radical changes in their lives, even selling their cars because Uber was so convenient.
That is what it means to disrupt an industry.
Some companies disrupt several times over, and an example that most can relate to is Netflix.
You no longer had to leave the house and visit the movie rental store.
Then, they pivoted to streaming, again disrupting the industry.
Now you didnt even have to leave the couch to visit the mailbox.
Disruption doesnt have to be a one-and-done play and Netflix is a prime example of that.
This is how my new startup Gamelancer was conceived we felt the community was craving something new and exciting.
The gaming industry was already booming, and the recent worldwide pandemic has introduced even more people to gaming.
There are plenty of successful startups that do very well.
They deliver an outstanding service or product, have happy customers, and enjoy continued growth.
Story byRazvan Romanescu
Raz is a serial entrepreneur.
