Why Improving Beats Inventing: The Shortcut to Startup Success
RnD = Rip-off and Duplicate (and Improve)
Here’s an uncomfortable truth: your “revolutionary” product idea could be the fastest road to bankruptcy.
If you’re dreaming of launching something so innovative the market has never seen it before, you might be about to take the most expensive gamble of your life.
The alternative? Start with something that’s already selling—and make it better.
The Decision That Changed Everything
My first product wasn’t original. It was a jump rope.
I got the idea while using a rope already popular with CrossFitters. Top athletes loved it, but it had flaws:
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Cable too thin
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Bearings not smooth enough
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Adjustment mechanism fiddly
So I asked: What if I just improved what already worked?
That improved rope became the Beast Rope. Three and a half years later, I sold Beast Gear for seven figures after hitting $6M in annual sales.
I didn’t invent fitness gear. I just made it better.
Why “Proven” Beats “Revolutionary”
Markets tell you what they want—by showing you what they buy.
When building Beast Gear, I worked directly with athletes, coaches, and manufacturers. We tested, got feedback, and iterated. One boxing coach got blisters from our paddle handles… so we redesigned the ergonomics.
This wasn’t innovation for innovation’s sake. It was systematic improvement driven by user needs.
Advantages of starting with proven products:
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Existing supply chains – you’re not starting from scratch.
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Proven customer demand – people already buy these products.
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No need to educate the market – focus on winning customers, not explaining your concept.
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Simpler manufacturing – factories already know how to make it.
The Execution Advantage
Some think “starting with proven products” means taking shortcuts.
Wrong.
It means you have to nail execution because you can’t rely on novelty to sell.
When I launched Beast Gear, I had to make every detail count:
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Exceptional customer service
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Stand-out packaging
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Flawless website experience
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Quality exceeding expectations
Even the data “experts” didn’t believe in my rope… prediction tools said it had “no business” on the market. I trusted execution over algorithms, and it paid off.
When Innovation Makes Sense
I’m not anti-innovation. I’m raising capital for a baby carrier startup right now, definitely a bigger swing than fitness gear.
But here’s the difference: I’ve earned the right to take that risk because I now have:
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Capital for proper R&D
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Deep market knowledge
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Manufacturing relationships
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Real insight into customer behaviour
Innovation without this foundation is just expensive guessing.
The Pattern in Big Consumer Wins
Look at the giants:
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Warby Parker – didn’t invent glasses, made buying them online simple and affordable.
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Casper – didn’t invent mattresses, made buying them convenient with better materials.
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Dollar Shave Club – didn’t invent razors, nailed the subscription model.
Pattern: Take proven demand, serve it better.
Your Two Options
Option 1: Start Revolutionary
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Spend years educating the market
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Burn through savings
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Run out of cash before profit
Join the 90% of startups that fail
Option 2: Start With Proven + Better
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Enter markets where people already spend
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Focus on execution and experience
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Generate cash flow to fund future innovation
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Build a foundation for bigger swings later
Guess which founders are still in business?
The Real Test
Ask yourself:
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Are people already spending significantly in this category?
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Can I clearly improve on what exists?
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Can I execute better than the competition?
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Can I afford to be wrong about market demand?
If you answered yes to 1-3 and no to 4, you’re ready to build something that works.
Bottom Line
Success isn’t about being first. It’s about being the best.
Master execution in proven markets first. Use that success to fund your moonshots later.
Your ego might love the “visionary inventor” story. But your bank account will thank you for being an excellent executor.