An article about successful disruptive businesses like Warby Parker or Square spreads like wildfire through social media channels and whole libraries could be filled with stories about what makes Apple unique. It’s natural to want to learn from the successes of others and to wonder how we can borrow a bit of their magic.

Following in their footsteps might seem like a shortcut, the irony being that pioneers mostly succeed by being pioneers—by doing what others don’t dare to do, because it isn’t obvious or easy.

Our biggest learnings and successes come from going first. You don’t have to be ‘the next Apple’ to create your own brand of magic.

Image by Paul Mullett.