Is there a reason why Toyota continuously trumps its global competition year after year? The Japanese meticulously follow the philosophy of kaizen, which is the japanese word for “improvement”. It is a fascinating, yet simple principle. It has given the Japanese an edge over their competition in many industries. This holistic notion of not sitting still, rather continuously tinkering with a product/service to make it that much better, impacts hugely on an organization. When everyone is focused on improving several metrics by pushing the envelope, that is when true innovation takes place.

Apple could have stopped with the iPod enhancements after the first couple of generations. They had a product that was far superior to what the competition was offering, and had secured a market share that put them in a dominant position. Yet, year after year, the product kept getting better through gradual enhancements. Eventually, the product started to morph and further product lines were formed. Greater feature sets were made available, and they kept on cementing their lead in a market place replete with stiff competition.

It is a known fact that complacency kills. Not only in business, but in all aspects of life. The day we stop learning and wanting to improve ourselves, marks our eventual downfall. If you are a new startup, my advice to you is, release iterations of your product/service as quickly as possible. Start collecting feedback and listening to your customers. Keeping all of that in mind, make necessary adjustments and improvements in the identified areas. Rinse and repeat.