Showing up first definitely doesn't mean maintaining first for any period of time.

With our startup, we pivoted a few times but the first time was after someone else had launched a similar product and we had lost our first mover advantage. With crowdfunding, getting in on the first of something is an incentive to back and project and we felt we had lost out. However, shortly after that project had launched - a WiFi plug - Belkin launched their flagship product, the WeMo, that completely crushed them. They went down in flames.

We then launched something new entirely that had never been seen before and had a first mover advantage for at least a year before we had competing products. Then another startup launched. Then Amazon. Then Google. Then Samsung. Then Apple... then everybody.

We had revelled in good sales and publicity as a sole source but that soon waned and we were forced to refocus.

The "be best" part is hard to do for many areas so it's better to come late to the party but focus on a really thin sliver where one can wedge in place.

Thanks for the article!