[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fIkq9W49Wko6yZW2MT_vDXu8AVEdSJVUrl0MM4kX7qEk":3,"$fy6m3LBkErLDVjMgsnQj0VzPcUWxqEKI4UViofh28DgM":16},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},197018,"Ted Waitt","T",104,null,"ted-waitt",[12],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},71,"business",5,{"quotes":17,"pagination":83},[18,26,32,38,44,51,57,63,69,76],{"id":19,"quote_text":20,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":23,"source":24,"quote_tag":25,"commentary":9},3965558,"We spend as much time looking at companies that are smaller than we are as we do at those that are bigger.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":27,"quote_text":28,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":29,"source":30,"quote_tag":31,"commentary":9},3965557,"We were unknown before, and that was an advantage. Nobody knew who we were, so we snuck up on the competition.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":33,"quote_text":34,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":35,"source":36,"quote_tag":37,"commentary":9},3965556,"I was fascinated to see that if you knew what you were doing, you could sell a $3,000 computer system over the phone.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":39,"quote_text":40,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":41,"source":42,"quote_tag":43,"commentary":9},3965555,"The PC business is not about price, it's about value, or what you can give the customer for his or her money.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":45,"quote_text":46,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":47,"source":48,"quote_tag":49,"commentary":50},3965554,"There are hundreds of competitors in the direct marketing of computers. We have been very successful because of quality, price, service and the way we treat the customer.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nTed Waitt, the co-founder of Gateway Computers, likely uttered this quote in the early 1990s, during the dawn of the personal computer revolution. At that time, Gateway was a small company competing with larger, more established players in the burgeoning direct marketing of computers. Waitt's quote reflects his commitment to quality, price, service, and customer satisfaction as key differentiators in a crowded market.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote's hidden insight lies in its subtle acknowledgment of the importance of differentiation in a crowded market. Waitt's statement emphasizes the need to focus on quality, price, service, and customer treatment as distinct from simply competing on price or features. This nuance suggests that true success lies not in being the cheapest or the most feature-rich, but in creating a unique value proposition that resonates with customers.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, consider how you can differentiate your product or service by focusing on a specific combination of quality, price, service, and customer experience. This might involve investing in premium materials or exceptional customer support, even if it means sacrificing some cost competitiveness. By doing so, you can create a loyal customer base and establish a unique market position.",{"id":52,"quote_text":53,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":54,"source":55,"quote_tag":56,"commentary":9},3965553,"When Mike Hammond and I started Gateway 12 years ago on my father's cattle farm, we knew it could be big. We talked big. But there's no way we could have been prepared to go from less than $300 million in revenues to $5 billion in six years. You can't so much prepare for that kind of growth as sort of ride it and try to manage it.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":58,"quote_text":59,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":60,"source":61,"quote_tag":62,"commentary":9},3965552,"But - there's no point in aiming to be Number Two. You've got to have a plan-to-win attitude.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":64,"quote_text":65,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":66,"source":67,"quote_tag":68,"commentary":9},3965551,"It's not a matter of being first, it's being there at the right time, being first in volume to market, and knowing what trends to stay away from.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":70,"quote_text":71,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":72,"source":73,"quote_tag":74,"commentary":75},3965550,"If Dell's going to be a fast follower, then we'll continue to innovate.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote from Ted Waitt, co-founder of Gateway, reflects the competitive landscape of the early 2000s when Dell dominated the PC market. As Gateway sought to regain market share, Waitt's statement highlights the company's shift in strategy from trying to match Dell's pace to focusing on innovation. This was a pivotal moment in the history of Gateway, as the company navigated the challenges of being a smaller player in a rapidly evolving industry.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth: Waitt's statement is not a declaration of defeat, but rather a strategic pivot. By acknowledging that Dell will be a \"fast follower,\" Waitt is, in effect, accepting that Dell will eventually catch up with Gateway's innovations. This acceptance allows Gateway to focus on what truly matters: innovation, rather than trying to keep up with the competition.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, focus on innovating and pushing the boundaries of what's possible, rather than trying to keep pace with the competition. By acknowledging that others will eventually follow, you can free yourself from the pressure of being the first to market and instead focus on creating truly original and valuable solutions.",{"id":77,"quote_text":78,"author_id":5,"source_id":21,"has_image":22,"author":79,"source":80,"quote_tag":81,"commentary":82},3965549,"To me, the consumer-electronics business feels a lot like the PC business in the late 1980s. It's an inefficient market.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nTed Waitt, the co-founder of Gateway Computers, uttered these words in an interview, reflecting on the state of the consumer-electronics industry in the early 2000s. As the PC market leader in the late 1980s, Waitt witnessed firsthand the industry's transformation from a fragmented, inefficient market to a more consolidated and competitive landscape. His observation on the consumer-electronics business was likely influenced by the rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviors of the time.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nWaitt's comment reveals a paradoxical relationship between market efficiency and innovation. On one hand, an inefficient market can foster innovation, as companies scramble to fill gaps in the market and differentiate themselves from competitors. On the other hand, an inefficient market can lead to fragmentation, making it difficult for consumers to navigate and for companies to scale. Waitt's statement highlights the tension between these two forces, suggesting that the consumer-electronics industry was ripe for disruption.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, consider embracing the inefficiencies in your industry or market as opportunities for innovation. Rather than seeking to optimize and streamline, look for areas where you can exploit inefficiencies to create new value propositions or disrupt the status quo.",{"currentPage":84,"totalPages":85,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":86},1,11,10]