Conventional wisdom suggests first movers win, but disruption timelines reveal a more complex truth. Being first often means educating the market at your own expense. Being last means fighting entrenched competitors. The sweet spot lies in what we call "thoughtful speed"—moving quickly but not rashly.
Jennifer illustrates this perfectly. When restaurants closed, hundreds of entrepreneurs immediately launched food delivery apps. These first movers burned capital educating restaurants about digital ordering, fighting regulatory battles, and making costly mistakes.
Jennifer entered on day 72 with a crucial insight: restaurants didn't need another delivery platform; they needed help managing the five platforms they'd already joined. Her multi-platform management tool leveraged first-mover investments while avoiding their mistakes. By day 90, she dominated a niche the first movers had inadvertently created.