A very witty phrase, if you ask me. Going by the definition by Wikipedia; “an idea is a concept or abstraction formed and existing in the mind. Human capability to contemplate ideas is associated with the ability of reasoning, self-reflection, and the ability to acquire and apply intellect. Further, ideas give rise to actual concepts, or mind generalizations, which are the basis for any kind of knowledge whether science or philosophy.”
So why do we say they rule the world? “Everything you see and touch was once an invisible idea until someone chose to bring into being.”- Richard Bach. Like a dream, an idea sprouts up in the mind, flies around in our brains till its used or naturally fades out. The uniqueness and power that set apart any successful businesses or individual, starts with the kind of ideas they come up with(usually influenced by their state of mind, environ and situations).
It is not enough to have an idea, but it is a good start. To create a business, you need to come up with an idea. Then once you’re in business, you need more ideas for design, engineering, capacity building, marketing, creative problem solving, customer retention, etc. Day in day out, you would need to think and generate new creative ideas to sustain the existing ideas. The accelerated pace of change and current ease of new entrants to new markets due to technological advances leaves no time to be sloppy in encouraging and nurturing ideas. The success or failure of a business could be could depend on just one idea or the timing.
Most companies are not short on new ideas, but they are short on ways to assess, prioritize, and execute those new ideas. For example, IBM existed when Dell took advantage of the internet and started online computer sales. Dell Computers had “an idea” IBM lacked and developing that single idea at that time, made Dell MONEY and a strong brand name. Ideas don’t just bring you out of your shell, they possess the power to creatively stand you out.
Find great ideas? Basically, ideas are born by combining existing ideas to form an invention(e.g. “car” and “kitchen,” = “mobile restaurant,”). Firms must enthusiastically welcome new ideas and suggestions. If an idea is given proper attention, it may become the hero in town, the next great marketing campaign, or even the perfect incubator for your next innovative product or service.
There are several instances in history where great ideas were born and have made success:
Finding solutions to a need gave birth to Crayola brand crayons which started as a need for a child friendly school instrument. To improve its business Garment Care (another laundry shop or better still a “glorified wash-man”), accepted Alder ‘s concept of “branding” and the success, we can tell. The famous Mark and Spencer wanted to be different from other retail stores in UK; today, miles away the Igbo*-boy in Tejuosho* market, sells with lines like “this one is original stuff, like Mark and Spencer”. Post It Notes was created from the “failures” in a series of experiments in trying to create a heavy adhesive. Adapting to change has helped Madonna (the world known singer and business woman) keep a firm grip on her legion of fans. Despite all the critics surrounding her career, by incorporating the latest dance ,music and trends into her own style, she has managed to retain her stage space in the entertainment industry, for decades. I remember banking in Nigeria was also very boring before Bond Bank(then)* and GTBank* changed the game thanks to Alder consulting. The lists goes on and on.
To build a strong brand out of businesses or individual you need to have a unique story to tell. The Einsteins, Gates, Dangotes*, Bruces*, Modelas*, had all made it because, Ideas Rules The World!
(*Note: this article was written from the Nigeria perspective and languages.)