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.””
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;
Never fear cannibalizing your own market.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- product development
- tech strategy
- market positioning
- business model evolution
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance current profit with future growth?
- When is it better to protect existing products?
Self‑cannibalization can alienate existing customers and reduce short‑term revenue.