“Do you have a big visionary master plan for how the world will work in twenty years? Do you have massive ambitions to revolutionize your industry? Don’t feel bad if you don’t. I never did.”
Derek Sivers is very unique. He really didn’t care about growing his business.
Over and over he talks about how he was focused on keeping it from getting too big. He insisted on writing all the code for the website, which everyone pretty much agreed was costing the company millions.
But the guy sure can simplify a concept. And he can write with clarity. You don’t need a vision.
Take heart in knowing that multi-million dollar businesses can grow organically, simply by solving problems as they come and focusing on the customer. It does not require a master plan or strategic long-term vision. Those things might help, or they might not, depending on the situation. (If you’re looking for certainty, then you’re being unrealistic…annoying but true.)
As everyone loves to quote, “No business plan ever survives contact with a customer.”