Pirate of Innovation – interview with Tendayi Viki
An interview with Tendayi Viki by Kornelia Trzęsowska
Do you agree with Steve Jobs that it’s more fun to be a pirate than to join a navy? You refer to his words in the title of your newest book.
I don’t think it’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy. Pirates are often in danger of dying. Steve Jobs was talking about how startups are faster than already set up companies – they move quicker than any large company. But what we’re learning these days is that large companies often become innovative, maybe surprisingly. The cool thing about large companies is that they have something that startups don’t have – they already have a brand, access to markets, customers, vast resources and other assets. Sometimes startups are really small and they need to find all these things by themselves. As long as large companies create the right environment for innovation, I really believe that it’s better to be a pirate in the navy than to be a pirate outside the navy, because you have a greater chance of success.