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Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, shares a bold lesson in innovation: sometimes, you have to ignore your customers. It sounds counterintuitive, right? But Huang's approach highlights the importance of having a clear vision and sticking to it, even when faced with skepticism.
Photo: Ann Wang | Reuters
Ignoring the Naysayers
Huang recalls a time when he presented a product specification to major companies like Dell, HP, IBM, and Gateway. The feedback was unanimous: it was too expensive and outside what they were willing to pay for. They essentially told him not to pursue it.
Trusting the Vision
Despite the negative feedback, Huang believed in the insatiable demand for 3D graphics and the power of Moore's Law, which predicts the doubling of transistors on a microchip approximately every two years, thereby doubling performance. He was convinced that making graphics processors twice as good every year was the right path.
Going Against the Grain
For the first five years of NVIDIA, Huang and his team decided to ignore customer feedback. Instead, they focused on their vision. This decision was risky and went against conventional marketing wisdom, which teaches that listening to customers is crucial. However, Huang believed that customers couldn't fully understand the potential of their product in a new and emerging industry.
The Outcome
NVIDIA's decision to stay true to their vision paid off. They became a leader in graphics processing, revolutionizing the industry and creating products that customers eventually realized they needed and wanted.
Real-World Examples of Ignoring the Crowd
Apple: Steve Jobs famously ignored customer feedback when developing the iPhone. People didn't know they wanted a touchscreen smartphone until it was in their hands.
Ford: Henry Ford is quoted saying, "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." He ignored this and created the automobile.
Amazon: Jeff Bezos launched Amazon Web Services despite initial skepticism. Today, it's a massive part of Amazon's business.
SpaceX: Elon Musk pursued reusable rockets despite widespread industry skepticism. Now, SpaceX is a leader in space exploration.
Tesla: The push for electric cars was met with doubt, but Tesla persisted and now leads the electric vehicle market.
Conclusion
Jensen Huang's story teaches us that innovation sometimes requires ignoring the naysayers and trusting your vision. While customer feedback is valuable, it isn't always the best guide, especially in emerging industries where customers can't foresee the potential. So, if you believe in your vision, stay the course. The results can be revolutionary.
Listen to Jensen Huang:
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