How to Create Products That Are Better, Not First

A Guide to the Factors That Create Innovators

Welcome to Makers. I’m Josh, the founder of Orbit, and every week I simplify and share practical design advice on taking ideas from zero to one.

Last week:
🗞️ The Roundup: Issue #2, September 2023

In a world obsessed with being first and novel, it's easy to forget that many of today's industry leaders were far from the initial pioneers in their fields. Uber didn't invent taxis, and Netflix didn't invent movie rentals—yet they both revolutionised these sectors by making them more accessible.

Instead of dwelling on anxieties like, "They dominate the market; there’s no chance for us!" they brought the future forward simply by making their products better.

How do these companies manage to overshadow leaders in their market and dominate? The good news is you don't have to be first; you just have to solve problems for your target audience better than those who do now.

In this guide, we'll explore examples and key factors that set these innovators apart and how you can apply the same principles to work towards rewriting your category.

Four examples