In the 1970s, the U.S. steel industry was dominated by massive players like U.S. Steel. These companies controlled the market across all types of steel – from sheets and bars to structural beams.
Then came the mini mills.
Smaller. Scrappier. Less efficient. Producing only low-quality steel at first.
The big players laughed them off.
But over time, the mini mills quietly improved their quality, moved up the value chain, and began chipping away at market segments one by one. Within 15 years, they were competing head-to-head with the giants – not by being better from the start, but by focusing on quality improvements, one step at a time.
Today, this disruption curve plays out in a fraction of that time – often in just 5 years or less.
Uber and Airbnb: The Modern-Day Mini Mills
When Uber launched, it wasn’t seen as a threat. Who would trust a random car over a licensed taxi?
Same with Airbnb. It sounded bizarre to pay to stay in a stranger’s home.
But both focused relentlessly on quality of experience, data, and user trust until they weren’t just alternatives to taxis and hotels. They were better.
Neither started by conquering an entire industry. They started by solving a single problem and doing it better over time.
So, if you’re building something today in a crowded space, don’t be intimidated by incumbents. Focus on delivering something better even if it’s to a smaller niche.
Netflix vs Blockbuster: A Classic Case of Missing the Shift
Once upon a time, Blockbuster was untouchable. You’d walk into a store, pick out your DVDs or VHS tapes, and head home with snacks for movie night.
Then came Netflix, a quiet disruptor that started by mailing DVDs to your doorstep. At first, it didn’t look like much.
But Netflix doubled down on customer convenience. No late fees. No travel. Personalised recommendations. Then came the leap: streaming, launched in 2007, long before most people had fast internet connections.
Blockbuster didn’t adapt in time. It tried to play catch-up with mail delivery but never caught on to the streaming revolution.
Today, Blockbuster is history. Netflix is a global streaming empire.
Apple, Nokia, and the Missed Moment
Ask anyone who had a Nokia 3310 it was legendary. Indestructible, long-lasting, and home to the beloved Snake game.
Nokia owned the market through the early 2000s. But then came Apple, with the iPhone. Not a keypad. Not even buttons. Just touch.
Apple didn’t start with mass appeal they started premium. But they brought breakthroughs: app ecosystems, design, and seamless updates. And over time, the shift became impossible to ignore.
Meanwhile, Nokia kept iterating incremental upgrades instead of leaps. They missed the moment. And when Apple jumped into the disruptive quadrant, Nokia slid down into irrelevance.
Where Does Quick Commerce Fit?
Take Zepto and Blinkit as modern disruptors. They didn’t invent delivery. Swiggy and Zomato already had that covered.
But they added speed as a differentiator. 10-minute groceries. Dark stores. Hyperlocal data. They began as a sustaining innovation, improving existing systems, and quickly crossed into the disruptive zone by redefining consumer expectations.
When you turn convenience into habit, you change the market. That’s exactly what quick commerce players are doing.
The Disruption Map: Understanding the Trajectory
Every product or business moves through this evolution:
- Incremental: Small tweaks (e.g., new camera on the same phone)
- Sustaining: Meaningful improvements in known markets (e.g., fridge redesigns, COVID-era online classes)
- Radical: Big leap that opens new segments (e.g., touchscreen phones)
- Disruptive: Redefines the rules (e.g., iPhone, Netflix, Zepto)
What determines your trajectory is not just your starting point it’s how committed you are to delivering better outcomes, not just different features.
