The best in the world is not a global competition

When you’re the best in the world at something, you get paid disproportionate rewards compared to second best or tenth best.

If you can’t be the best in the world at your current thing, quit and focus your energy on something you can be the best in the world at. (This is Seth Godin’s thesis in The Dip.)

One simple way to be the best in the world is to focus on a few people. For example, in North America, if you’re not comfortable with apps and don’t speak English, Uber might not be very useful. A local car service that only does business through phone calls, with operators and drivers who speak your primary language, may be exactly what you need.

That car service will only have a fraction of Uber’s customers, but it is the best in the world for its customers.

Geography is just one dimension of being local. Cultural competency, psychographics, and shared values are just a few of many other dimensions.

Taking a local approach means focusing on the people around you, who you know best and who trust you. It involves speaking to them directly. Your customers aren’t big numbers in a spreadsheet. The first customers are often people you know (or referred to your business by friends and family).

Global indicators like social media metrics, Top 30 Under 30 and bestseller lists, or awards, are distractions. (Almost anything that involves a scoreboard is a distraction.)

Local indicators like how often customers return, how connected you are with them, and how well you know what they want are indicators of success. When somebody says directly or indirectly, “Wow, you really get me,” that’s a sure sign you’re on the way to being the best for them.

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