PART 2/3 -- How Showt does on 18 characteristics that make for Startup Success
Andy Jacobs
Co-Founder & COO, Showt | Inventor | Interactive Platform Creator | Social Entrepreneur
PART TWO OF THREE, ITEMS 7-12
7. Is it scalable across all age groups?
10-year-olds have opinions. 90-year-olds have opinions. Showt is easy for both these groups.?
A high level of literacy skills, the ability to be clever and sophisticated, and caution about how you will be punished for your free expression are NOT worries for Showters.
That’s why Showt is truly the platform for the 99.999% who are never heard -- except, perhaps, on election day.?
“I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.”
—HELEN KELLER
8. Is it scalable across many geographies and cultures?
By limiting Showting to only Yes and No, we have distilled the most elemental form of communication, one that transcends all cultures. All cultures have a basic expression of positive and negative views.?
“That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”
—THOMAS JEFFERSON
9. Is it patentable?
Patent pending. We have applied for a broad range of patents in the United States, Europe, and India.
10. Is it part of a trend that will last, and not a fad that will fade?
We can say with confidence that the trend toward universal ownership of handheld digital devices (mobile phones) will continue.
97% of the world’s current population is within range of a mobile phone tower, and that percentage will only grow larger. The price of these devices is only getting smaller, the power of these devices is only increasing, the speed of connectivity is only increasing, and the price of this connectivity is only decreasing.?
The time is perfectly suited for a global multilingual platform that gives every one of these digital device owners a chance to quickly, easily, and anonymously express themselves and be instantly heard, counted, reported on, replied to, and remembered.?
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“The fact that a man is to vote forces him to think. You may preach to a congregation by the year and not affect its thought because it is not called upon for definite action. But throw your subject into a campaign and it becomes a challenge.”
— JOHN JAY CHAPMAN (American essayist, political reformer 1862-1933)
11. Is it defensible? Will copycats be launched and crush you? Can you make a monopoly out of it to defend yourself? The internet giants (Meta, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Oracle, Snap, RelianceJio) have enormous resources and a user base. Are you worried about them?
We plan to launch nationwide in India, the largest democracy and consumer market in the world and focus first on categories that especially animate national interest and emotions in India: cricket and entertainment. With this strategy, we plan to make Showt, Showting, and the world’s first Instant Global Platform an integral part of national discourse in India, for young and old, in every state, and in every language. That’s 1/6th of the entire planet.
If someone attempts a copycat platform, the consumers will immediately suspect a copycat, and wonder why they should “switch” from Showt, when Showt is free, fast, stable, ubiquitous, and fair. There will be no weak spot in the Showt armor.
We plan to expand outside India as soon as possible after our Indian launch, but in the meantime, we feel that our “monopoly” on the category we invented -- Instant Global Voting -- in India will give us enormous leverage with regard to potential competitors/copycats inside and outside India. At the end of the day, if you dominate in the largest consumer market in the world -- with 1/6th of the world’s consumers -- no copycat can claim a truly “global” position without India’s Showters.
We have studied and paid homage to the Ries and Trout Rule of failed brand extensions: big brands cannot extend their brand to incorporate an upstart platform. Facebook’s three abject and embarrassing failures to crush Snapchat is the classic example of Ries and Trout’s Law of Brand Extension Failure.
But it’s not just the embarrassing SnapChat debacle: there has NEVER been any example of internet giants copycatting upstart platforms and squashing them. YouTube was crushing Google Video (remember that embarrassment for Google?), leaving Google to have to admit defeat and write a check for $1.6 billion (the 3rd best investment in Internet history -- FB buying Instagram and WhatsApp are #1 and #2).?
Facebook has failed every time in the copycat move. They had to buy Instagram after trying to copy it. They had to buy WhatsApp after trying to copy it. Does anyone remember FB’s failed email service? Their failed Pinterest copycat? The list of failures goes on and on. Read all about it here;?
When Showt is launched to India and the world, and everyone knows what Showting Instant Global Voting looks like (it will take 20 seconds to learn the protocol:?
….Showt will achieve global mindshare and monopoly for Instant Global Voting.
Look at the incredible global success of TikTok. Who would have thought that a startup from China would be kicking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Snapchat’s butt with a short-form video platform with brilliant algorithms? No amount of money paid to amateur video makers by the giants will dethrone TikTok.?
“That government is the strongest of which every man feels himself a part.”
—THOMAS JEFFERSON
12. Is it simple and easy to use?
Showt’s simplicity and ease of use are obvious in any language or culture. The cheer or boo is the most elemental form of human communication, from the beginning of time.?
Throughout human history, heroes were greeted with cheers, the simple act of affirmation by a crowd for an individual or group of individuals. Of course, the same crowd always knew instinctively how to express their dissatisfaction -- variations of booing has always existed in every culture throughout history.
Showting is totally inclusive and welcoming to any user -- no training needed -- no matter how much an individual might struggle with literacy, or lack confidence in their ability to write.?
“Two cheers for democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism.”
—E.M. FORSTER
? 2023 SHOWT LIMITED