day 1267: First Moves

"So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit."

While I was on vacation last week, I checked in online when I could (we had very sketchy internet) and I saw that SnapChat had turned down a $3B offer from Facebook.  Oh, to be a first mover. SnapChat popped up with the ability to send a picture and then it would disappear from the internet.  I've not figured out what real business can be built from this, but it is clear that they have captured the attention of lots of people, including Facebook, who is willing to pay three times more than what they paid for Instagram.  Being the first mover in a market is still worthwhile. While hard to know if you will be the one that sticks, getting there first still has its advantages. Like its' service, SnapChat could be here today, and gone tomorrow, but right now, they are first.  We all have some opportunity that when innovating we can find a first mover advantage.  Sometimes it may be that someone, someplace else has done it already, but this is the first time your consumers or customers will have experienced what you are offering.  Sit and think and consider what you have in the hopper that you can take advantage of being the first mover.

Through the lens of the account of Saul/Paul and his journeys, the Pastor at our church (cornerstone-sf.org) is exploring what it meant for Paul to be the first mover of the Good News outside of the Jewish community. There are many great lessons here, and I was reminded yesterday of the challenges and rewards that can come from having the courage to make a move forward. Paul was a first mover.  It took extraordinary courage and commitment for him to do what he did to move God's message to the Gentiles.  He is a model for us as without question we each have a "first move" to make our workplaces as it relates to bringing glory to God in all that we do.  It could be the change of a habit, a word of kindness, an hour of listening to someones concerns, stepping up for the job that no one else wants to do, the correction of a wrong, the day without a cursed word coming from your mouth.  Whatever it is, God is giving all of us a "first move" to make and He will be there to support us if we are willing to just move!

Reference: Acts 13:4 (New Living Translation)

day 914: First Mover Advantage

"So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Start-ups prefer first mover advantage.  First-mover advantage can be very powerful but also quite challenging because if fortunate enough to gain the first position, there will always be someone gunning for you.  It isn't cheap to keep ahead and it is not for the faint of heart investor or team.  While some companies make it look so easy, it is not at all either easy to get there or stay there.  I'm involved with one of those companies who have pioneered in their space and now either have the opportunity to distance themselves from the rest of the pack or they slow down, miss a step, or allow someone else to pass them up.  It's scary but exhilarating.  What must be aligned is a full vision and commitment from investors, management team, and employees.  Then, it is about putting the pedal down and not looking in the rear-view mirror.  Is there a part of your organization that you have or can find for a first mover advantage?

As believers we always have a first-mover advantage because as we are promised in Deuteronomy our God goes before us and carries the heavy lifting. We are also told to be courageous and we can be so because He moves ahead of us into the places where we are weak.  In the workplace it is hard to always be strong and courageous in our faith.  This is why we need to not leave God behind but instead invite him into our workplace daily. If we can find a place where we can be trustful, purposeful and calm in our daily walk, then our great first-mover will open His way for us. 

Reference: Deuteronomy 31:6 (New Living Translation)