One of my clients makes a fiber reinforcement product that increases road longevity by 30% and significantly reduces rutting in asphalt surfaces. It’s a clear win for municipalities and taxpayers.
But here’s the twist: paving companies aren’t digging it.
Why? Because their business model relies on “perpetual pavement” — a continuous cycle of paving and re-paving. A longer-lasting road threatens their revenue stream.
This paradox isn’t unique. Consider these similar scenarios:
- The EV Resistance Traditional auto dealers and manufacturers often resist electric vehicles. Why? EVs require significantly less maintenance and fewer parts replacements — major revenue sources for the internal combustion auto industry. Your mechanic isn’t an EV fan? Of course not! The technology threatens her livelihood!
- LED Lightbulb Adoption Remember how slowly some manufacturers embraced LED technology? When your business is built on regular bulb replacements, century-long bulb life isn’t exactly the breakthrough you’ve been praying for.
- The Digital Camera Revolution While Kodak, who actually invented the digital camera, failed to adapt and ultimately filed for bankruptcy, Canon and Nikon embraced the digital transition. They recognized that their core business wasn’t film (unlike Kodak’s), but rather helping people capture memories. They transformed their business models, maintained their brand value, and thrived in the digital era.
The lesson? Sometimes the biggest barrier to innovation isn’t technical feasibility or market demand — it’s systemic resistance from those who profit from existing cost models and embedded inefficiencies.
Before launching a disruptive product, consider:
- Who benefits from the current system’s inefficiencies?
- Whose revenue model depends on the problem you’re solving?
- What stakeholders might actively resist your solution?
- How can you realign incentives to encourage adoption?
In “I Need That,” we discuss the importance of understanding genuine market needs. But equally crucial is recognizing that sometimes the market itself might be structured to resist improvement.
Your challenge: Look at your innovative product. Are you prepared for resistance from those who profit from the status quo? Who specifically are those people?
How might you transform potential opponents into allies? Is there a way that potential opponents could profit from the changes you make?
The path to innovation isn’t always straightforward.
Sometimes the best solution technically isn’t the best solution practically — at least not without careful consideration of the entire ecosystem you’re disrupting.
Successful disruption often requires not just solving a problem, but reimagining the entire system around it.
Your thoughts? Have you encountered similar resistance to innovation in your industry? How did you handle it?