I don’t exactly know how to start this post, but it’s been something weighing on my heart with Simple Coffee.
We have a possible opportunity to get into a large chain that is under constant fire for bad business practices. i have been asking friends & associates if they would think less of us if we proceeded into this chain. And it creates a moral dilemma.
One thing me and Josh learned with Off the Break, our first business, was that you have to balance passion and your objectivity against the end justifying the means. The problem is that you never know if the means is the only way to the end. The struggle just came together for me when discussing the old Apple v.s. Microsoft. Personally, two completely different companies so it’s preference, DIY v.s. turn-key solution. But then it got really personal when a friend said; “you have to admit, Jobs is better than Gates.” Well, to think about that statement, you first have to think about what you stand for and if you really think it’s safe to say such things about people you only read about and analyze their works.
I’ll try to keep this short and really not trying to make an argument….
Gates is known for many things but especially charity. In fact he just put the kabash on it and quit his active role at Microsoft and has committed his life to helping the world with his wife by his side. Pretty much because of windows. Now love or hate windows, you have to recognize it’s end result on the world outside of computers. It enabled someone to sell a product and give back to charity on such a universal level that it made sure the money those people would spend regardless, was partly used for the greater good.
Jobs on the other hand, created a niche company. By not going as universal as Microsoft did with Windows, he kept a lock on quality control, enabling for turn key products that once ya got used to, once the simplicity ticked in your head, you fell in love with. But, he is not known for charitable acts. Apple is not known for being a giving company. They’re known for pushing beatiful design in a otherwise utilitarian enviroment. So any help he does to the greater good is indirectly. And with all do respect, I love OSX and know it wouldn’t be what it is now, if it were sold stand alone.
And that is our crossroad… Do we get into such a warped world of business from the ground level and show other companies, maybe even this chain themselves, there’s a better way to do things? The problem is that when you become a large company, different things are on the line than things when it’s three guys. And me, Josh, and Steve respect those differences, if we didn’t there wouldn’t be this struggle with me at least.
So should we be known for helping more people, or making sure we have a dedicated consumer base that will enable us to launch products heavily based on faith from our customers, than quality and being true to the goal of helping as many people as possible?
Think Simple,
Mike Minor
technorati tags:hardship, microsoft, apple, jobs, gates, morals
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