--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are incubating new ideas, \"Don't…" description: "\"When you are incubating new ideas, \"Don't put all your eggs in one basket\" is very good advice. But when you are seeking to transform your enterprise's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/geoffrey-moore-25576_advice_when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t_247548.jpg" --- # When you are incubating new ideas, "Don't put all your… ![“When you are incubating new ideas, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is very good advice. But when you are seeking to transform your enterprise's portfolio by scaling a fledgling business to material size - say ten percent of total enterprise revenue - then it is imperative that you make…” quote by Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/geoffrey-moore-25576_advice_when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t_247548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/geoffrey-moore-25576_advice_when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t_247548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/888/geoffrey-moore-25576_advice_when-you-are-incubating-new-ideas-don-t_247548.jpg) > “When you are incubating new ideas, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" is very good advice. But when you are seeking to transform your enterprise's portfolio by scaling a fledgling business to material size - say ten percent of total enterprise revenue - then it is imperative that you make that the singular focus of everyone in the enterprise for the two to three year period it is likely to require to reach its tipping point. Expecting to do two such scaling efforts in parallel is simply folly, yet that is what the "eggs/basket" idea is often used to justify.” [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing a company’s resources on scaling one major initiative is essential; spreading effort across multiple large projects leads to failure. **In simple terms:** Concentrate on one big growth project at a time. Key Takeaway Prioritize a single strategic focus for several years. Themes strategy focus growth risk resourceallocation Mood strategic analytical cautious Type business leadership When to use this quote - new product launch - business transformation - venture capital funding - market expansion Key Concepts corecompetency portfoliomanagement scaling execution Questions to Reflect On - Which initiative should receive your full attention? - How will you measure the tipping point? A Different Perspective Diversifying too early can miss emerging opportunities and reduce resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Eggs in one basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eggs-in-one-basket/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Fledglings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fledglings/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Folly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folly/) [Good advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-advice/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Portfolios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/portfolios/) [Tipping point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tipping-point/) ## Related quotes > [In the wake of the Great Recession, most business leaders have tended to focus on their enterprise and short-term performance. 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I like it,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nerd-herd-focus-you-re-here-to-help-the-fledglings-dour-one-and-dour/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many fledgling moralists in those days were going about our town proclaiming there was nothing to be done about it and we should bow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/many-fledgling-moralists-in-those-days-were-going-about-our-town/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Because you are the superhero fledgling. I’m just your more attractive sidekick. Oh, and the herd of nerds are your dorky minions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-you-are-the-superhero-fledgling-i-m-just-your-more-attractive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [These fledgling democracies in the Middle East, they're actually fighting for their freedom. And what are they rioting for in England? Leisurewear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/these-fledgling-democracies-in-the-middle-east-they-re-actually/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) ## More by Geoffrey Moore > [The increasing presence of cloud computing and mobile smart phones is driving the digitization of everything across both consumer and enterprise domains. 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A fast-following disruptee will do very well if you can bring your existing customers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/don-t-think-you-have-to-be-the-disrupter-to-win-a-fast-following/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [Marketing has long known how to exploit fads and how to develop trends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/marketing-has-long-known-how-to-exploit-fads-and-how-to-develop-trends/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [The single greatest business opportunity that is now emerging in the global marketplace is the ability to analyze digital log data to trace digital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-moore/the-single-greatest-business-opportunity-that-is-now-emerging-in-the/) [Geoffrey Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-moore/) > [The most common misunderstanding of disruptive innovations is to overestimate their impact in the short term and underestimate it in the long term. 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