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GO IT ALONE!

Not only will this central skill allow you to attract customers and provide something that customers want, but also will be what your support system of ASPs work to leverage.

Surprisingly, your core competencies may not be what they seem. They may create customer value, but they may not be visible to the customer—they are not necessarily the end product or service. Hamel and Prahalad vividly make this point: “Few computer users could tell you much about the competencies that support the user-friendly interface of a Macintosh, but they do know that the computer is refreshingly easy to use.”

When Shannan Bishop of Gourmet Gatherings was asked what she viewed as central to the success of the firm, her answer wasn’t what you might expect. She believes that both she and her partner are “high-energy entertainers.” In this respect, they have used the catering business as a way to channel their enthusiasm for providing an engaging experience to an audience.

The example of Gourmet Gatherings is useful as you think about how you take a core competence and turn it into a business. In essence, you are looking for a platform that lends itself to creating value where you do what you do best. As Hamel and Prahalad point out, the core skill that drives a business success may not be obvious: You may need to carefully “look under the hood” to find the skills that will drive a business to success.

DOES YOUR IDEA FIT WITH YOUR CORE COMPETENCE?

You may identify a great idea, but that does not in itself mean it is a great business idea for you. To succeed, you will almost certainly need to achieve excellence in whatever you undertake. This, in turn, will require that you have the opportunity to leverage what you do best. Indeed, superb execution is absolutely critical to the success of a go-it-alone venture. Indeed, I would

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