Introduction

It goes without saying that the rise of Netflix cannot be discussed without some sort of reference to the fall of Blockbuster.

Yes, yes, we all know the story about the former rental video chain that did not change its underlying business model to match its external growing environment, as a result the company went bankrupt. However, there’s a part of this story that often goes unnoticed and

Blockbuster may have had a chance?!

Let me gist you! LOL! But I need to give you context to drive my point.

Context

You see, one of the ways Blockbuster made money was from late fees, Netflix saw an opportunity here and offered a subscription model that eliminated late fees. This basically meant that you could watch a video many times and return it quickly!

Blockbuster’s former CEO John Antioco invested $200million into the business to scrap the late fees on rentals and go online, but this cost the company an additional $200million. He recognized that although there would be high cost incurred in the short-run, the long-term benefits would be substantial!

However, his view was not shared by everyone (In their defense, they may have been concerned about falling into the sunk cost fallacy trap) and an investor even went as far as launching a campaign for himself and other very ‘smart’ like-minded fellows to join the Blockbuster board to oppose John’s strategy.

As a result, they gathered the support of other senior executives and replaced John as the CEO. They got another CEO who agreed with their point of view and even raised customer prices! Now we all know how the company ended as a result of these decisions. Ask your 19-year-old Gen Z sibling if they know what Blockbuster is. LOL.

Conclusion

So, what’s my point? You may be scared to speak up during meetings because you are not sure if your point of view will be generally accepted. And what if it isn’t? It may seem like the end of the world at that moment, when you’re pleading for the ground to open up and swallow you! (Yes, I’ve had such moments!)

But guess what darling, your voice and your contribution deserves to be heard even though its different from the popular opinion. Instead of keeping quiet, speak up and your name may go down in history as someone who at least tried to make a difference!

Don’t be intimidated by the loudest voices in the room or worried that your voice may get drowned in the noise. Use your beautiful voice!

So, the next time you’re tempted to keep quiet remember that

“It only takes one voice, at the right pitch, to start an avalanche.”-Dianna Hardy

Thanks for reading,

Akhere

Also! I have started a WhatsApp Channel where I share more frequently! I post prayers, affirmations, podcast recommendations to assist you in your marriage and/or motherhood journey. You can join us here!

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