it’s better to be in front of a big change than to be behind it. - Reid Hoffman

My friend Peter Thiel has written eloquently about the power of being a contrarian in his book Zero to One. Whenever I interview someone for a job, I like to ask this question: “What important truth do very few people agree with you on?” This question sounds easy because it’s straightforward. Actually, it’s very hard to answer. It’s intellectually difficult because the knowledge that everyone is taught in school is by definition agreed upon. And it’s psychologically difficult because anyone trying to answer must say something she knows to be unpopular. Brilliant thinking is rare, but courage is in even shorter supply than genius.

If you aren’t embarrassed by the first version of your product, you shipped too late.

Second, you can leverage your lead to build long-term competitive advantages before other players are able to respond.