Most of us will agree that copying is bad. At school, we are trained not to copy. We are punished if we are caught regurgitating the ideas and thoughts of our peers.
We are taught to think for ourselves, to justify our own logic, to prove our point.
This is why, in business, we find it frustrating when our competitors copy our best ideas. Of course, it is unfair. It took you so much time and energy to create a brilliant and original product or service, only to be ripped off by others.
Naturally, we invest in trademarks and patents to guard our intellectual property. And rightly so. Yet even with these protection measures in place, it doesn’t stop our competitors from stealing our ideas for their own gain.
In these circumstances, we weigh the pros and cons of each action or reaction and then choose the best decision. Often, we have two options: fight the infringement or accept it and move on fast. If you decide to move on, pay close attention to your most important clients and address their most pressing needs as quickly as you can.
But also consider the copycat’s potential threat to your business. This will help you determine whether or not to pursue legal action. If you think the potential damage is minimal, the ideal response would be to revel in the fact that you had an idea worthy of imitation.
Are You Wasting Time Reinventing the Wheel?
Incessant innovation allows us to stay a step ahead of our competitors. That’s the reason why we invest our efforts developing new products or processes that solve our customers’ problems. But how do we do this?
By learning from the mistakes and successes of our mentors and business heroes.
Yes, that’s right – we copy, or rather, tap into the wealth of knowledge and wisdom of those who have walked in our footsteps before us.
Let’s face it, in business, and life in general, we make far greater inroads when we use information from our more experienced peers and predecessors.
We could benefit from the insights, suggestions, and guidance of business coaches who have grappled and overcome many challenges similar to our present problems.
With their support and expertise, we will be able to deal better with tough situations, gain clarity, and fast track business growth.
Why recreate the wheel when others have paved the way before us?