It is very apparent that you have never been involved in a startup company. From the management side that is.
If you think that a company lays out a five year plan and never deviates from it you a very much mistaken. Successful startup companies must always be ready to throw out the plan and write a new one on the spot.
Take a kook at Southwest airlines. Back in the seventies when we started out the intent was to expand service not only within Texas but all so to major cities throughout north america. Cities like Chicago, Atlanta Miami etc.
As we solitified service inside Texas we began planning the bigger expansions. The came Speaker of the House Jim Wright. In order to protect his buddies over at Braniff, also based in Texas, Mr. Wright attached an amendment to an aviation bill prohibiting SWA from flying beyond the five contiguous states of Texas. The boarder states. Not only that but we were not allowed to make reservations for anyone who planned on connecting with a carrier that would fly them beyong the contiquous states.
In answer Herb Kellher, CEO and a lawyer. Set out to buy companies like MUSE air out of Chicago. Service to all cities we served was expanded to minimum of Five round trips per day. Major hubs like Huston and Dallas were expanded to twenty round trips per day.
Braniff went into Bankruptcy and disappeared. Texas Air went into bankruptcy and disappeared.
Due to quick thing and quick changes of direction in that and other situations SWA is now the fourth largest carrier in the US and is the ONLY airline that has never posted a loss after Mr. Wrights intervention.
Flexability in startups is critical to sucess. Had you ever been there you would know that.
BTW. When the time was right, Herb went to tge Supreme Court and had the Wright ammendment declared unconstitutional. Speaker Wright retired from congress under a cloud of corruption.
Also, My common sense has served me quite well for many many years. Emotions never have a place in business.
John Maynard Keynes1883-1946
Invest, don't speculate! "Investing is an activity of forecasting the yield over the life of the asset; speculation is the activity of forecasting the psychology of the market."
