Every Weakness is a Strength Under the Right Conditions

Every business’s advantages include disadvantages and disadvantages which include advantages.

Entrepreneurs don’t have capital, lead small organizations, and need to build processes. Are these good or bad?

Lack of capital is bad, but it forces creative thinking.

Lack of staff is bad, but it means organizations are nimble, and its people learn many jobs.

A lack of processes is bad, but it means new organizations can build them from scratch.

In 1986 Pleasant Rowland wanted to start a toy company. She lacked capital, wanted to enter a market already written off by the incumbents, and - sit down for this - she didn’t have the internet.

Without a Daily Entrepreneur email, what was she to do?

Lack of capital was bad and it forced Rowland to operate a mail-order company. But she controlled her packaging and this created an air of exclusivity.

The lack of a perceived market was bad. But it meant competitors weren’t sniffing around.

The lack of internet was bad because of the troves of knowledge. But it meant she talked to a lot(!) of customers.

When Pleasant Rowland created the American Girl Doll she did not know it would be inducted into the toy hall of fame and she would sell the company to Mattel ten years later. All she knew was that she wanted to make something.

It seemed like things were stacked against her, but that ended up being her strength.

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