Create business from scratch

I have just watched a DVD titled 'Project X', which is the TV program broadcasted about ten years ago. The program presented the process of how some products or services were developed and successfully delivered in the end.

Once I saw the story of Sony's early days, it was impressing. They struggled to sell the transistor radios. Those people's efforts finally led to Sony’s success. This spirits of challenge and persistence have recovered Japan from the devastation of the world war.

This time I watched the story of a convenience store chain (Seven-Eleven Japan). It was around 1973, there were no convenience stores in Japan. The story depicts the struggle of the businessmen who launched the new business. They came up with new distribution and inventory management system, and it led to expansion of the new business in Japan. This innovation began with their persistent efforts in the field.

I think there is a factor those two stories have in common. It is the wholehearted commitment and persistence. It also can be said as 'never-say-die spirit'. This is the spirit we tend to forget in these days. Sometimes, I am inclined to find the reasons why we cannot do this and that in business. Though, nothing new is accomplished in this mentality. Creating new services and providing new values to the world, there are many things I can learn from the past stories.

Links to the DVDs (Japanese editions only)
Project X - The story of Seven-Eleven Japan (Japanese editions only)

Project X - The story of Sony (Japanese editions only)