Reflections on Adaptability
Do you know the story of the Peppered Moth? It was one of the first documented examples supporting Darwin’s theory of natural selection, the concept that species evolve and adapt to their environment.
These moths have flown about Britain and Ireland for generations. The normal variety had white wings with black spots. This coloring made it easy for the moth to camouflage on lichen covered trees allowing them to thrive in both cities and wooded areas.
Unfortunately for some of the moths, there is a genetic mutation that causes the wings to be almost pure black. This makes the poor black moth stand out like a sore thumb on the same trees as their peppered friends, making them easy targets for local birds. That is how it was for hundreds of years.
Then something happened. In the nineteenth century, people started to notice that there were more black moths than white. What was soon discovered is that industrialization and domestic coal use had created crazy, sooty air pollution. This pollution killed off the tree’s lichen and caused trunks and city walls to blacken. It was the white moths’ turn to stand out and become easy avian prey. When air pollution controls were instituted in the 20th century, you guessed it. The white moth returned to dominance.
Why are we telling this story? Because the adaptation of the moth is not that different from the pivots small business owners must make as conditions change. Business leaders work hard to survive in the forest of competition. It can take some quick thinking and creativity to effectively adapt.
We wanted to share some stories of small business owners who, like the moths, made changes so that they could grow and thrive. We hope it will give you some inspiration and ideas for your own growth.
CookieGram
The pandemic gave us lots of examples of small businesses having to pivot. CookieGram, a Houston based home business that specializes in decorative cookies, was on the brink of expansion after getting national exposure on the Food Network. With COVID canceling all in person events, the business took a hit. To maintain customer loyalty and pivot to new customer needs, the owner waived cancellation fees for customers who found their party plans postponed and began to offer do-it-yourself cookie decorating kits for families to pick up and create a new home project.
Black Travel Box
This company was started to address the needs of travelling women of color by providing travel-sized eco-friendly hair and skincare products. Black Travel Box was set to make their big launch and then COVID shut down the travel industry. The company quickly shifted gears and created COVID relief kits featuring their body and lip balm. A series of travel candles were ready for production, but those were replaced by larger ones for home use that stuck with the travel theme with names like Harlem Speakeasy and London Fog.
Call Your Mother
Some company’s pivot has been about figuring out how to build customer loyalty. Call Your Mother bagel shop leaned heavily into online engagement, branded merchandise and social media storytelling. They focused on turning their customer base into a connected community rather than just seeing them as a series of transactions. They ended up developing a line of swag that became very popular and further cemented connections with customers. This turned into a devoted following which eventually allowed them to realize their dream of expansion.
Small companies are not the only ones that have had to pivot. We thought we would tell you the stories of how two iconic toy companies forged new paths when the old ones became obsolete.
Play-Doh
Play-Doh did not start off as a children's arts and crafts medium. It was first sold in the 1930’s as a cleaner to remove coal residue from wall paper. By the 1950’s demand for the product fell as coal use decreased. Just as the owners were considering getting rid of the business, they heard about a teacher in their hometown using clay in the classroom. That sparked an idea and they revamped their cleaner into the colorful children's toy that we know today.
LEGO
This is a case of serial adaptation. Lego was started as a wooden toy company during the Great Depression. In 1949, it shifted to create the plastic bricks that we all know and love. The company continued to expand into other markets building theme parks and even partially funding a TV show. By 2003 they were facing bankruptcy caused by overdiversification, difficulties in their supply chain and lack of adaptation to a changing toy market. LEGO leaders took a step back and analyzed what had made them successful. They refocused their efforts on the core product line. Instead of diversifying into unknown territories, they expanded the LEGO vision to include toy sets based on popular TV and movie franchises as well as video games. Recognizing that there were lots of kids who were now grown up and had a nostalgic connection to their product, they turned their sights to creating LEGO sets geared towards adults. Today LEGO is the most successful toy company in the world.
Adaptation in the business world is not as predictable as it is in our moth friends. There are a lot of things to consider when figuring out the next step. One of the essential themes in all of our examples is that successful businesses survive by staying connected to the changing needs of their customers while also remaining connected to their values.
G2 Solutions can help you do just that. We help businesses figure out their next steps toward success. Contact us and we will show you how.
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