Once upon a time, a famous painter called Picasso dropped a bombshell:
“Good artists copy, but great artists steal.”
Now, before you run to your neighbor’s maize field at midnight with a sack, hold on . Picasso wasn’t talking about stealing goats, phones, or someone’s bae. He was talking about stealing ideas and in business, that’s not a crime, that’s a strategy.
The Gospel of Business “Stealing”
Let me break it down the African way.
Imagine you’re selling roasted maize at Mbare Musika. Then suddenly, a new guy comes in, roasting the maize with garlic and butter. Customers flock to him like bees to sugar. Now, if you sit there sulking saying, “Aiwa, he copied me, this is unfair,” my brother, hunger will teach you innovation real quick.
The smart move? Buy one of his buttered maize cobs, taste it, and figure out how you can do it better. Maybe add chili. Maybe serve it with a cold drink. Maybe package it so neatly that even a kombi driver can eat it while driving with one hand on the wheel. Boom you’ve not just copied, you’ve improved.
Look at the Big Boys
That’s exactly how big companies operate. When Pepsi released new flavors, Coca-Cola didn’t cry in the corner. They “stole” the idea, improved it, and launched their own versions. Apple sees what Samsung is doing, then releases the same concept but shinier, pricier, and with an “i” in front. Suddenly, the whole world lines up for it.
So What’s the Lesson?
Stop stressing about being “original.” Even mbira has more than 20 versions, and each one still plays the same Shona songs differently. The trick is simple:
- Watch your competition.
- Steal their best ideas.
- Add your own spice.
- Deliver it better than they did.
In business, the thief who wins is the one who doesn’t just steal but steals smartly.
So next time your competitor launches something new, don’t get angry. Be the first to buy it, taste it, test it, dissect it. Then go back to your business and launch something even sweeter.
After all, great businesspeople are just creative thieves with better packaging.
By The Chartered Vendor
#BusinessTips #AfricanHustle #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #StealLikeAnArtist
