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One of Job's business rules was to never be afraid of…

“One of Job's business rules was to never be afraid of cannibalizing yourself. " If you don't cannibalize yourself, someone else will," he said. So even though an Iphone might cannibalize sales of an IPod, or an IPad might cannibalize sales of a laptop, that did not deter him.” quote by Walter Isaacson
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““One of Job's business rules was to never be afraid of cannibalizing yourself. " If you don't cannibalize yourself, someone else will," he said. So even though an Iphone might cannibalize sales of an IPod, or an IPad might cannibalize sales of a laptop, that did not deter him.””

Walter Isaacson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Embrace self‑cannibalization: innovate even if it hurts your own products, because competitors will otherwise.

In simple terms: Innovate even if it hurts your own products;

Key Takeaway

Never fear cannibalizing your own market.

Themes

innovation competition self‑disruption

Mood

strategic forward‑looking

Type

business leadership

When to use this quote

  • product development
  • tech strategy
  • market positioning
  • business model evolution

Key Concepts

cannibalization strategic risk product lifecycle

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you balance current profit with future growth?
  • When is it better to protect existing products?
A Different Perspective

Self‑cannibalization can alienate existing customers and reduce short‑term revenue.

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