---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Instead of working hard to keep their…"
description: "\"Instead of working hard to keep their share of a shrinking pie, or working even harder to make sure the industry stays as is, I think the most essentia..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfd/seth-godin-152_book_instead-of-working-hard-to-keep-their-sh_2538815.jpg"
---

#  Instead of working hard to keep their share of a shrinking…

![“Instead of working hard to keep their share of a shrinking pie, or working even harder to make sure the industry stays as is, I think the most essential thing legacy book industry players can do is set up independent ventures with great people and little interference and work really hard to put…” quote by Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfd/seth-godin-152_book_instead-of-working-hard-to-keep-their-sh_2538815.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfd/seth-godin-152_book_instead-of-working-hard-to-keep-their-sh_2538815.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfd/seth-godin-152_book_instead-of-working-hard-to-keep-their-sh_2538815.jpg)

> “Instead of working hard to keep their share of a shrinking pie, or working even harder to make sure the industry stays as is, I think the most essential thing legacy book industry players can do is set up independent ventures with great people and little interference and work really hard to put themselves out of business by starting at the bottom, not by reinforcing the top.”

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

## About This Quote

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

Encourage legacy publishers to create independent ventures that ultimately outcompete them, fostering innovation from the bottom up.

**In simple terms:** Create new ventures that will replace the old business.

Key Takeaway

Build and support disruptive startups.

Themes

innovation disruption legacy business entrepreneurship

Mood

challenging forward‑looking

Type

strategic visionary

When to use this quote

- publishing
- media startups
- career pivots
- incubator programs

Key Concepts

business model transformation creative destruction industry evolution

Questions to Reflect On

- How can established firms nurture competitors without losing relevance?
- What incentives drive people to undermine their own success?

A Different Perspective

It may be hard to abandon short‑term profits for long‑term change.

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