The Power to Read the Times × The Essence of Business

What is more important than product strength?

"If you make a good product, it will sell"—many people believe this.
But in reality, it is not "product strength" that determines 90% of business success.
The answer lies in "the power to read the times."


From things to experiences

In the past, "ownership" was value.
Buying CDs, owning a car.

But what about now?
• Music is "all-you-can-listen" on Spotify or Apple Music
• Cars are "used only when needed" via Uber or sharing services

We live in an era where we find more value in enjoying experiences than in owning things.


Commonalities of winning businesses

What modern winning companies have in common is:
They create systems that "sell experiences" rather than "selling things."
• Airbnb: Provides not just accommodation, but an "experience of living like a local"
• Netflix: Provides not the purchase of DVDs, but an "experience of instant access to works from around the world"

What customers are looking for is "convenience, excitement, and sharing" rather than "ownership."


How about your business?

Reading the times is not just about predicting the future.
It is about sensitively sensing where people's values are shifting,
and continuously updating the form of your business.
• Does your product or service provide an "experience"?
• What is the "reason why customers would go out of their way to choose you"?


Summary

The essence of business is "the power to read the times" rather than "product strength."
Now that the times are shifting from "ownership" to "experience",
what is required are companies that can design experiences.

The one who creates the business that wins in the next era
might just be "your sensibility and actions."