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Comment by guard-of-terra | Hacker News Reader

Any country have quite a few supermarket and fast food chains. And they never seem to be the topic on hacker news. I think it ought to be that way unless the businesses in question do something extraordinarily innovative.

Or else, we're headed towards calling some random car wash a start-up.

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Well, the point I was trying to make was how a small retail chain can get successful to an extent that make any one awestruck. Innovation need not be the revolutionary or apple kinda innovation. Even a small innovation can make million user base. Besides, i agree, they are not start ups per se. The definition of startup itself is a bit loose so going along that line won't get us far. The important thing is to be successful. Innovation is a way to success. If you need to be innovative for achieving million user base, so be it. Else, even the out of the world innovation can be shunned by the customers. The blog points out that serving customers are far more important than spending loads on marketing etc.

If there's an important lesson from that car wash/fast food chain/whatever that can be applied to start-ups, then I'd encourage posting about it here.

I miss on the important lessons. Those two chains grew because they cared about their customers above all else, we are told. But what about thousands of chains all over the world that grow despite having no special focus on the customer? Save marketing pitches.

What makes these two chains stand out? Do they, really? How would one prove their success isn't random or fueled by some other factor?

All valid points that could make for great discussion. Perhaps this story isn't the greatest example, but I've seen much less related submissions that have made for great discussion and applicable contributions to startups/technology.

The reason they stand out most is their consistency over the decade. The consistency they have as they expand. India is a lot different scenario than the rest of the world. Tackling innovation alone won't get you far. There are so many factors starting from purchase of license, regular bribing the police, rogues etc etc. Besides, this is a story of an uneducated person raising this big a company. Gathering customers without use of a computer or internet. I believe this is an important lesson for all startups for this reason. It shows going beating the usual, taking the untrodden path can take you miles.

Most of those points stand for other fast food or supermarket chains as well. And the cases of single place becoming a chain usually feature owner without a formal business education.

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