Did you watch any of the recent congress hearings with big tech? Being from the UK, I only have limited interest in US politics, but one reoccurring theme in the questioning did strike me because it touched on a more significant issue.
One congressperson after another told stories of entrepreneurs who depend on these big tech platforms. These businesses would come unstuck because the platform changed how they operated, undermining these people’s business model.
It struck me as strange that these companies had not planned for this eventuality. But perhaps that is because I have had years of first-hand experience in this kind of change.
I have experienced Google change its algorithm more than once in a way that turned off a regular supply of leads instantly. I have built a massive following on a social network only to have it fall out of fashion or change its focus.
That is just daily life in the world of tech. You have to have a way to adapt when the worst-case scenario strikes, from losing that big client to a global pandemic. That is true not just for entrepreneurs; it is valid for our careers and even the companies who employ us.
Take, for example, those poor developers who sunk hundreds of working hours into mastering Adobe Flash only for Steve Job’s to kill it by preventing iPhone support.
What about those managers who have failed to consider the impact of a critical member of staff suddenly leaving the company, or those companies who are reliant on third-party services that close up shop?
The list goes on. We need to prepare for so many different events in our lives, careers and businesses. But how exactly do we prepare for the changes a fast-moving tech sector throws at us?
The first step is for us to get better at spotting where we are dependant on others.
Spot Dependencies
For example, for a long time, I have hosted videos with a company who kindly offered me free hosting. However, recently they were acquired by another company. Although that company made no changes to my account, I decided to start paying for video hosting elsewhere, because I was dependant on the continued generosity of people I did not know.
Is your business built on somebody else’s platform? Are you reliant on a single person in your team? We need to get better at spotting these dependencies.
I am not suggesting that we can or should always avoid any type of dependency. That is not practical. However, in most cases, we can take steps to mitigate the risk.
For example, a freelancer or agency reliant on a single large client can seek to diversify. At the same time, a team with a mission-critical person can ensure that person documents well or even take out insurance in case they are lost.
But that is not the only step we can take to protect ourselves against the onslaught of change.
Remain Flexible
There are many advantages to working in digital for 25 years as I have. You spot trends, gain experience and find it easier to predict what will happen. However, one downside is that you fall into patterns of behaviour.
In most situations, these patterns are useful shortcuts for solving problems. For example, if I want to know about users, I might do a customer journey mapping workshop, or if I needed to envision a new website, I might prototype in Figma.
However, it is essential not to get attached to these patterns. Maybe a different tool for prototyping might be better, or a different way to envision websites will come along. Heck, running customer journey mapping workshops isn’t practical at the moment, and so I have adopted different approaches instead. By the way, I am running a free webinar on remote journey mapping for subscribers if you are interested.
The problem is we get attached to ways of working and tools, so when something better comes along, we get left behind.
I see organisations make the same mistake and why so many struggle with digital transformation.
Another thing we can do to deal with changes is to be extremely careful about what approaches we adopt. Tech and technologies come and go fast, so we need to be thinking about long term sustainability.
Think About the Long Term
What skills are you learning right now? What platforms are you building your business upon? Ask yourself, are these going to be relevant in 10 years?
That is why my business is built on the open web and not another businesses platform. I know the web and email will stand the test of time, and so that is where I invest.
That is why I teach the subjects I do. You will have noticed that the information I share focuses on foundational topics that do not tend to change.
Take my upcoming workshop on landing pages. That won’t teach you about what platform to build your landing page on or what social media channels to promote it on, because these things change.
Instead, it will teach you about psychology, good writing and design principles that change much slower.
Oh yes! I should say that if you want to get on the waiting list for the landing page workshop, today is your last chance. Those on the list will get first access to the workshop, so if you want an opportunity to attend, that is your best bet.
Surfing the Waves of Change
It always amuses me that most organisations have business plans stretching years into the future. They are almost always irrelevant within months of being written.
For me, a good strategy (whether personal or organisational) is similar to surfing. You can know a general direction you want to go, but it mainly comes down to adapting to each wave as it comes and keeping your balance! We need to get better at surfing the waves of innovation if we want to stay on our feet.
That is a skill worth nurturing in your career and your business.
P.S. I was wondering if you would be interested in some one-to-one mentorship? I have just had three spaces open up and so am looking to fill them. You can find out more about my mentorship services here, or just drop me an email.
