Early Adopters in Local Food, or Any Industry

A few weeks ago Seven Cycles was fortunate to be invited to participate in, and host, an exploratory discussion called a “Local Food Creative Session”.  I think we were invited because we had the space to host… but they got stuck with me in the bargain.  The event was put together and moderated by Wayne Maceyka for one of his classes at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute.

It was a really interesting session and we covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time.  I have a number of thoughts about which I would like to post—at least on the ideas that relate to the bike industry, but Wayne is working on a paper for BGI and I don’t want to get in the way of his work.  Once he completes his work, I’ll post some additional ideas.

One of the primary questions we explored in the session was, “How can we get 10% of food produced and consumed within 100-mile circumference?”

I was the only one in the room that is not somehow connected to the local food industry, or otherwise having a direct investment in the success of the event.  Most of the group were either innovators, early adopters, or pretty much experts. 

One of the reasons this meeting was so interesting for me was precisely because I was the outsider.  As you might imagine, most of my days are spent with bike people—experts, nuts, 100% bikes and nothing else—myopic bike people.  So, being a local food novice and therefore outsider I could see what it’s like—with fresh eyes—when passionate experts get together and talk about bringing a new idea into the mainstream—or crossing the chasm.

Crossing the Chasm

What I saw in the session reminded me of Geoffrey Moore’s book Crossing the Chasm.  I had never experienced it before—seeing Moore’s writing playing out in real-time.  Essentially, the “chasm” is a gap, in this case, the gap between the early adopters and the early majority—these are terms Moore uses.  

I was with this group of innovators and early adopters that maybe feel like they are the early majority—they live and breathe it so it feels more “normal” than it does to outsiders.  This is a feeling I realized that I have all the time in the bike industry.  Seven’s role is to be innovators—or maybe more humbly—early adopters.  And we work with these two types of people all the time—many of our retailers, customers, and suppliers fall into these categories.  So, it often feels like everyone is doing what we’re doing, and it’s the most obvious way to work in the world, we’re normal—we are in the majority.  When, in reality, we are on the front edge, and very few are on the same page with us.  Great.

It was helpful to remember that what we sometimes believe is mainstream is actually very peripheral.  Stepping outside of my knowledge base helped remind me of what I take for granted.  I’ll post some examples and how Seven works to shift some of these peripheries to early majority.  It’s fun work.

Comments

[Neil]

Rob, what's the story with that McD's kiosk? Looks delicious.

[hubbubcustom]

Your comment about being on the "front edge" is what we had in mind when we opened HubBub in 1997. We were told it wouldn't work - probably the same thing(s) you heard when Seven opened the same year. There seem to be more people chasing us and getting closer; so, once again we are searching out ways to be "on the front edge". The trick is not to fall into the chasm!

Thanks for more food for thought!

[hubbubcustom]

Your comment about being on the "front edge" is what we had in mind when we opened HubBub in 1997. We were told it wouldn't work - probably the same thing(s) you heard when Seven opened the same year. There seem to be more people chasing us and getting closer; so, once again we are searching out ways to be "on the front edge". The trick is not to fall into the chasm!

Thanks for more food for thought!

[Wayne Maceyka]

Rob,

You are correct on BOTH counts; Seven has a great space for conversations like the one we had AND I wanted you there since you're a creative guy, an entrepreneur, designer, and businessperson. It was a great event, and I have learned even more since then. Your point about forgetting that some of the things we take for granted as mainstream are in fact "fringe" is a good one to remember. On the local subject, check out Michael Shuman's session at the Commonwealth Club in CA 11/5/08, http://fora.tv/2008/11/05/Michael_Shuman_on_Innovation_in_Local_Economies

Thanks again for hosting the meeting.

Wayne Maceyka
http://www.renewacycle.com
http://subversivecubicledwellers.blogspot.com
http://www.bgiedu.org

[Wayne Maceyka]

Rob,

You are correct on BOTH counts; Seven has a great space for conversations like the one we had AND I wanted you there since you're a creative guy, an entrepreneur, designer, and businessperson. It was a great event, and I have learned even more since then. Your point about forgetting that some of the things we take for granted as mainstream are in fact "fringe" is a good one to remember. On the local subject, check out Michael Shuman's session at the Commonwealth Club in CA 11/5/08, http://fora.tv/2008/11/05/Michael_Shuman_on_Innovation_in_Local_Economies

Thanks again for hosting the meeting.

Wayne Maceyka
http://www.renewacycle.com
http://subversivecubicledwellers.blogspot.com
http://www.bgiedu.org