--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You want an idea that turns into a…" description: "\"You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't get a monopoly, in a big market right away; too much competition for that.\" — Sam Altman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-turns-into-a-monop_2542309.png" --- # You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't… ![“You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't get a monopoly, in a big market right away; too much competition for that.” quote by Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-turns-into-a-monop_2542309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-turns-into-a-monop_2542309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cca/sam-altman-1494_bigs_you-want-an-idea-that-turns-into-a-monop_2542309.png) > “You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't get a monopoly, in a big market right away; too much competition for that.” [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Monopolies require unique value and market control; they rarely appear instantly in large markets. **In simple terms:** Monopolies need time and uniqueness. Key Takeaway Focus on differentiation before scale. Themes business innovation competition strategy Mood strategic optimistic Type business motivational When to use this quote - product launch - market entry - strategic planning Key Concepts monopoly theory market dynamics first‑mover advantage Questions to Reflect On - What niche can you dominate? - How to protect your advantage? A Different Perspective Competition can spur better products. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Monopoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monopoly/) ## Related quotes > [Thus, then, stands the case. It is good, that authors should be remunerated; and the least exceptionable way of remunerating them is by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/thus-then-stands-the-case-it-is-good-that-authors-should-be/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [You want an idea that not many other people are working on, and it's okay if it doesn't sound big at first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-that-not-many-other-people-are-working-on-and-it-s/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You want an idea about what you can say. I know it sounds like a bad idea but here's specifically why its actually a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-want-an-idea-about-what-you-can-say-i-know-it-sounds-like-a-bad/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I want another idea, another project, but you can't make them up. They show up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/i-want-another-idea-another-project-but-you-can-t-make-them-up-they/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) > [I don't want to be an icon. I want to be an idea. I want to represent possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-don-t-want-to-be-an-icon-i-want-to-be-an-idea-i-want-to-represent/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I want every idea I have to make me money. I want every post I write to have 10,000 Facebook likes. I want every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/i-want-every-idea-i-have-to-make-me-money-i-want-every-post-i-write/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [As a quarterback, you want to have an idea of what everyone is doing and be able to help everyone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/as-a-quarterback-you-want-to-have-an-idea-of-what-everyone-is-doing/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [If you want to get an idea across, wrap it up in a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/if-you-want-to-get-an-idea-across-wrap-it-up-in-a-person/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [If you want to get across an idea, wrap it up in person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-bunche/if-you-want-to-get-across-an-idea-wrap-it-up-in-person/) [Ralph Bunche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-bunche/) > [You have to find a small market in which you can get a monopoly and then quickly expand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-have-to-find-a-small-market-in-which-you-can-get-a-monopoly-and/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [But suppose, for the sake of argument, free competition, without any sort of monopoly, would develop capitalism trade more rapidly. Is it not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-suppose-for-the-sake-of-argument-free-competition-without-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [“CREATIVE MONOPOLY means new products that benefit everybody and sustainable profits for the creator. Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [That this is not a sense of innovation and competition increasing prices because some other company is coming in and competing with Martin Shkreli.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-ann-reid/that-this-is-not-a-sense-of-innovation-and-competition-increasing/) [Joy-Ann Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-ann-reid/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) ## More by Sam Altman > [The best people know that they should join a rocketship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-best-people-know-that-they-should-join-a-rocketship/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You really want to know your cofounders for a while, ideally years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-really-want-to-know-your-cofounders-for-a-while-ideally-years/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Employees will only add more value over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/employees-will-only-add-more-value-over-time/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One thing I tell startups all the time is that the best way to grow is to make their product better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-thing-i-tell-startups-all-the-time-is-that-the-best-way-to-grow/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [A winning team feels good and keeps winning. A team that hasn't won in a while gets demotivated and keeps losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/a-winning-team-feels-good-and-keeps-winning-a-team-that-hasn-t-won-in/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-re-either-not-hiring-at-all-or-it-s-probably-your-single-biggest/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/the-thing-that-kills-startups-at-some-level-is-the-founders-giving-up/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Execution gets divided into two key questions: 1) can you figure out what to do and 2) can you get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/execution-gets-divided-into-two-key-questions-1-can-you-figure-out/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [If you want something in a deal, just ask for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-want-something-in-a-deal-just-ask-for-it/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Most things are not as risky as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/most-things-are-not-as-risky-as-they-seem/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I prefer to invest in a company that's going after a small but rapidly growing market than a big but slow growing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/i-prefer-to-invest-in-a-company-that-s-going-after-a-small-but/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-not-the-best-choice-for-work-life-balance-and-that-s/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One of the biggest advantages that start ups have is execution speed and you have to have this relentless operating rhythm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-biggest-advantages-that-start-ups-have-is-execution-speed/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [One of the keys to focus, and why I said cofounders that aren't friends really struggle, is that you can't be focused without good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/one-of-the-keys-to-focus-and-why-i-said-cofounders-that-aren-t/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [Startups are very hard no matter what you do; you may as well go after a big opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/startups-are-very-hard-no-matter-what-you-do-you-may-as-well-go-after/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) [Explore all 235 Sam Altman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. 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