--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most companies that are great at…" description: "\"Most companies that are great at something - like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores - do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg" --- # Most companies that are great at something - like AOL… ![“Most companies that are great at something - like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores - do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business.” quote by Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg) > “Most companies that are great at something - like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores - do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business.” [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Companies excel at existing products but resist innovation due to fear of cannibalizing current revenue streams. **In simple terms:** Fear of harming current business blocks new growth. Key Takeaway Balance core business with innovation. Themes innovation business strategy fear Mood analytical forward‑thinking Type strategic business When to use this quote - product development - strategic planning - corporate culture Key Concepts disruptive tech market adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can you protect while innovating? - What metrics gauge successful disruption? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on protection can cause stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aol/) [Bookstores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bookstores/) [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/companies/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [When I was at AOL, I was always on the web media side while much of the company was focused on the ISP business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bankoff/when-i-was-at-aol-i-was-always-on-the-web-media-side-while-much-of/) [Jim Bankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bankoff/) > [In the early 1990s, Americans used their home phone lines to connect their desktop computers to the Internet via ISPs like AOL, Earthlink, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/in-the-early-1990s-americans-used-their-home-phone-lines-to-connect/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [I finally got a gmail account but I never use it. I like AOL because its so embarrassing. People look at you like youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-finally-got-a-gmail-account-but-i-never-use-it-i-like-aol-because/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [When we announced that we were going to support Bitcoin companies, we became a great lightning rod for activity and fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-draper/when-we-announced-that-we-were-going-to-support-bitcoin-companies-we/) [Adam Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-draper/) > [Google Brain, which I led, was arguably the single biggest force for turning Google into a great A.I. company. I'm pretty sure I led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ng/google-brain-which-i-led-was-arguably-the-single-biggest-force-for/) [Andrew Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ng/) > [The most important thing for us is investing and making companies great, and then they have all the options they want, whether that's to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sze/the-most-important-thing-for-us-is-investing-and-making-companies/) [David Sze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sze/) > [Do some companies have great power? Yes but only in limited ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/do-some-companies-have-great-power-yes-but-only-in-limited-ways/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [A lot of great people come to Facebook. In our business, we're about how do we help connect our companies to great people across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sze/a-lot-of-great-people-come-to-facebook-in-our-business-we-re-about/) [David Sze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sze/) > [I'm going to start a lot of companies. These are not sham companies. These are great businesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lefkofsky/i-m-going-to-start-a-lot-of-companies-these-are-not-sham-companies/) [Eric Lefkofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lefkofsky/) > [So much of the downstream revenue is linked to that initial excitement, to how much revenue is produced in the domestic box office. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/so-much-of-the-downstream-revenue-is-linked-to-that-initial/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I'm a person who likes to tackle challenges. Google was a challenge when I got there. I think AOL's a challenge. The way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-armstrong/i-m-a-person-who-likes-to-tackle-challenges-google-was-a-challenge/) [Tim Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-armstrong/) > [AOL invented social networking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bewkes/aol-invented-social-networking/) [Jeff Bewkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bewkes/) > [I haven't tweeted once in my life, but I'm sick of hearing about it already. What once may have been the cool way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/i-haven-t-tweeted-once-in-my-life-but-i-m-sick-of-hearing-about-it/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [The fact of the matter is that the true hits of AOL have always been its easy-to-use services, such as AIM, email, and Buddy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/the-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-the-true-hits-of-aol-have-always-been/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [At Time Warner, I had ten percent of the stock after the merger. But when we merged with AOL, I was diluted down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/at-time-warner-i-had-ten-percent-of-the-stock-after-the-merger-but/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) ## More by Reed Hastings > [My first company, Pure Software, was exciting and innovative in the first few years and bureaucratic and painful in the last few before it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/my-first-company-pure-software-was-exciting-and-innovative-in-the/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [School districts in the US don't adopt technology very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/school-districts-in-the-us-don-t-adopt-technology-very-quickly/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Something will eventually replace the Internet. But it's hard to know what and when it will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/something-will-eventually-replace-the-internet-but-it-s-hard-to-know/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [The Costa Rican government is prioritizing laying fiber optic over paving roads. Costa Rica is trying to become one of the Internet societies. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/the-costa-rican-government-is-prioritizing-laying-fiber-optic-over/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Comparing Apple to Netflix is like comparing apples to oranges, especially if the oranges made so many mistakes that people stopped eating oranges and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/comparing-apple-to-netflix-is-like-comparing-apples-to-oranges/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I don't know of any Internet service that opens on a regional basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-don-t-know-of-any-internet-service-that-opens-on-a-regional-basis/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [So much of the downstream revenue is linked to that initial excitement, to how much revenue is produced in the domestic box office. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/so-much-of-the-downstream-revenue-is-linked-to-that-initial/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [We are seeing the beginning of things. Web 2.0 is broadband. Web 3.0 is 10 gigabits a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/we-are-seeing-the-beginning-of-things-web-2-0-is-broadband-web-3-0-is/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Great leaders, like Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos, also focused on the long term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/great-leaders-like-steve-jobs-or-jeff-bezos-also-focused-on-the-long/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Do not tolerate brilliant jerks. The cost to teamwork is too high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/do-not-tolerate-brilliant-jerks-the-cost-to-teamwork-is-too-high/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Stone Age. Bronze Age. Iron Age. We define entire epics of humanity by the technology they use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/stone-age-bronze-age-iron-age-we-define-entire-epics-of-humanity-by/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I think there will be 20 years of evolution from linear broadcast to internet television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-think-there-will-be-20-years-of-evolution-from-linear-broadcast-to/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [Tomorrow when you come to work, if it doesn't make the customer happy, move the business forward, and save us money - don't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/tomorrow-when-you-come-to-work-if-it-doesn-t-make-the-customer-happy/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [As an entrepreneur you have to feel like you can jump out of an aeroplane because you're confident that you'll catch a bird flying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/as-an-entrepreneur-you-have-to-feel-like-you-can-jump-out-of-an/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [I'm on the Facebook board now. Little did they know that I thought Facebook was really stupid when I first heard about it back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/i-m-on-the-facebook-board-now-little-did-they-know-that-i-thought/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) [Explore all 66 Reed Hastings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most companies that are great at something - like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores - do not become great at new things people want (streaming for us) because they are afraid to hurt their initial business.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Reed Hastings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/most-companies-that-are-great-at-something-like-aol-dialup-or-borders/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/most-companies-that-are-great-at-something-like-aol-dialup-or-borders/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/735/reed-hastings-10304_afraid_most-companies-that-are-great-at-somethi_2831791.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most companies that are great at something - like AOL dialup or Borders bookstores - do not become great at…” — Reed Hastings", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Reed Hastings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most companies that are great at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/most-companies-that-are-great-at-something-like-aol-dialup-or-borders/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/most-companies-that-are-great-at-something-like-aol-dialup-or-borders/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```