| I was in Memphis not long ago to facilitate some | | | | efficiency and efficacy. |
| software training, and my flights back home were | | | | All of the above leads me to what is really striking |
| VERY delayed due to weather. I was supposed to | | | | about the similarities of tradeoffs between the design |
| depart Memphis at 3:50 in the afternoon, but didn't | | | | of an airplane and the design of a new business: in |
| actually depart until about 7:30 in the evening. It is | | | | both airplane design and business design, you can't be |
| draining to sit around in uncomfortable airport seats | | | | everything to everyone… you need to find a |
| while waiting for your aircraft to arrive. | | | | niche. Many, many business and entrepreneurial |
| Luckily for me, my crew (two pilots and a flight | | | | bloggers have already spoken about this from a |
| attendant) were ALSO waiting for the plane to arrive, | | | | business perspective, including sometimes not actually |
| so I used the time to speak with them about flight | | | | saying anything at all about how to find a niche or |
| schools and aviation in general. I was also quite | | | | really even what one is, but about whether it is |
| fortunate that my crew from Memphis to Chicago | | | | pronounced "neesh" or "nitch." Personally, I believe that |
| was ALSO the crew flying me from Chicago home - | | | | it doesn't matter how you pronounce it, as long as you |
| as long as I didn't let them out of my sight, there was | | | | find one! |
| no way for me to miss my connection! Mada, my flight | | | | In business, because an entrepreneur wants his or her |
| attendant, also moved me from my cramped little seat | | | | start-up to be low-cost and bring in enough money to |
| to a leg-roomy exit row seat (an example of why you | | | | make a profit, s/he cannot make everyone happy. |
| should network every chance you get)! | | | | Choices have to be made about what products to sell |
| Once on the ground in Chicago, there were more than | | | | and at what price, and where to locate. An |
| 60 people waiting to get on a 40-seat airplane (an | | | | entrepreneur who designs a business so they can "fill |
| Embraer Regional Jet, if you're interested). The | | | | all the seats and still put in full fuel" to try to please |
| weather was still ugly, but we boarded the airplane | | | | everyone will find themselves not pleasing anyone. |
| and pushed back with several empty seats. A few of | | | | So in business, you must find a niche, then create a |
| the other passengers grumbled about leaving people | | | | product around it - even though there are many stories |
| behind when there was obviously room on the airplane | | | | of entrepreneurs creating a product, then creating a |
| - so I tried to explain to those in earshot about how | | | | niche for it after the fact (this is lovingly known as "an |
| aircraft are not designed to carry both full passengers | | | | answer in search of a problem"). This is by far the |
| AND full fuel… every kind of aircraft has weight | | | | exception rather than the rule. The airplane, actually, is |
| limitations - and passengers add weight. Fuel adds | | | | a good example of this; Orville and Wilbur Wright |
| weight, too. And if the plane is too heavy, it won't fly. | | | | designed the first airplane - The Wright Flyer - for the |
| So when you're flying through (or into, or around) bad | | | | sheer challenge, not because there was demand for |
| weather, it is necessary to carry more fuel (not only | | | | flying machines. They then set out to build demand for |
| for safety but also to meet certain regulatory | | | | the product. |
| requirements) in case Air Traffic Control makes you | | | | An airplane's design allows its pilots to understand |
| hold or if you have to go to an alternate airport | | | | what they can make it safely do. In a similar manner, |
| because of the conditions at the planned destination. | | | | every successful business is designed with a focus, |
| To carry this fuel, the airline may have to leave some | | | | allowing its "pilots" (owners, CEO, etc.) to sacrifice less |
| seats empty. | | | | important things (according to the business's design) to |
| Now, it is possible (theoretically) to design an airplane | | | | meet the goals that the business has set for itself. A |
| that creates enough lift at a slow enough airspeed to | | | | business's mission, vision, and values state its purpose - |
| fly with full fuel and full passengers - but it would most | | | | as well as what it is willing to "trade" to achieve its |
| likely burn fuel at a faster rate and/or have to fly at a | | | | goals. |
| slower speed, meaning its range would be | | | | Before you start your business, know what you want |
| unacceptable for use as an airliner or the flight would | | | | it to do (find your niche), and then know what you're |
| take longer than acceptable to us as passengers. So | | | | willing to "tradeoff" to make it a success! |
| the designers of the plane have to trade utility for | | | | |