
Is it bad to compete with small businesses? - madanella

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SwellJoe
Don't be ridiculous. Provide value to people. That's your job as an
entrepreneur (hell, as a human being...it's what sets us apart from all other
animals). If that value is better than existing businesses, great, you just
made the world a richer place for everyone! However, I suspect you won't find
that you can just walk into an existing market and eat the existing companies
lunch.

You'll be shocked at how big some "small businesses" are, and how effectively
they can compete with your new-fangled web-based concept (or whatever). Most
won't even notice you exist while you bang your head into the market for three
years or so--if you're still in business at that point and have actually
acquired a large customer base before hitting the end of your runway, then
they'll notice you exist. They'll have plenty of time to respond, either
getting smart, or getting out.

Ideas are funny that way...you hit the market with a great, revolutionary
idea, and one of the bigger established players spots it two years later and
eats your lunch with it. (First isn't a guarantee of winning, or even a good
indicator of it.)

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lupin_sansei
Look at it from the customer's point of view instead. Is it bad for businesses
not to offer competing products and services to you?

Remember you can't put another business out of action, only customers can do
that. If you provide a better product or service customers will switch to you.
It's democracy in the market place.

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gibsonf1
It is good to provide customer value. If you can provide a service better and
cheaper than the competition, go for it.

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madanella
What if your idea will consolidate a fragmented industry and provide stiff
competition to 'mom-n-pops'? Is it better if the small businesses tend to not
serve the customer well?

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randallsquared
As someone who runs a small business as my "day job", I'd say it most
certainly isn't bad to compete with small businesses. :)

