Mary Carty

Is it possible to start a business with competitors that are mainly outsourced overseas?

I came across this question online this morning and it got me thinking. It’s hard to start a company when all around you the competitors are bigger, have larger wallets and a track record.

From experience over at Spoiltchild and Toddle, I know what it feels like to punch above your weight each day and win. It is an awesome feeling. No reason why this founder cannot do the same. Attitude, innovation and smart thinking is where it’s at. Taking a risk, build a team and a great community around him. What advice would you give to this founder?

I am currently in the start-up phase of my business, and after some digging, I found that most of my competitors consist of companies located overseas that pay their employees pennies, and offer dirt cheap pricing. My company will offer similar services, but more industry specific and personalized solutions, as well as employees with extensive experience – much more than what an outsourced company can offer…but will this be enough? I dont want to throw in the towel, but how can I compete?

My answer:

Build a great community around you, your users. In this way your users will help to promote and sell you and your product. Maybe you understand your users better than your competitors who are overseas. Can you play on that theme, show your users how you are different and unique. How you help them and go over and beyond each day to grow your company into something bigger that serves them.

The great thing about growing your company online; is that great stories well told by small disruptors with vision, can out-preform and outsell the bigger folks.

You right now are small and agile. This is a strength. You don’t have to wait for decisions to be made. You make them. I always think of Giacomo Guilizzoni founder of Balsamiq Studios. He was so open about what he was trying to build, how big his company was (just him) and his vision. His users loved what he was doing so much they supported him in the early days and now Balsamiq is standard for wireframes and prototyping in the industry.

I suppose it is time to think about what you can do and put less focus into thinking about the others. Small can be great and punch well above our weight category and win.