The life of an entrepreneur is never easy, even in the best of times. And in moments of upheaval, moments of political games, culture wars and actual wars, it can feel impossible. How — when the rules of the game keep changing, along with the sentiments and needs of customers — can one turn an idea into a going concern?
In light of this question, I’ve found myself returning to a book I bought my son several years ago, titled “Mistakes that Worked.”
The book shares the origin stories of 37 popular inventions that resulted not from ingenious planning and flawless execution but rather from blundering ahead, observing what happened and adapting.
Potato chips, for instance, were the result of a temper tantrum thrown by a chef named George Crum. He’d grown enraged by a customer who kept sending his meal back to the kitchen, along with the request to fry the potatoes longer. Crum, out of spite, fried the potatoes until they curled and doused them in salt. He then personally delivered them to the table, spoiling for a fight. To his surprise, the customer thought they were delicious and asked for another order. Others loved them, too. And for the next 50 years, “Saratoga chips,” as they came to be called, were celebrated as a local delicacy.