Every entrepreneur has been tempted at some point. You see a successful company in your industry and think: “Why not just copy what they’re doing?”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Copying another company’s business model rarely works. I’ve seen entrepreneurs waste lakhs of rupees trying to replicate someone else’s success, only to fail spectacularly.
What Makes a Business Model Work
Most people think a business model is just tactics: pricing, marketing, distribution, and service policies. So they assume copying these will give the same results. This is wrong.
A successful strategy is a carefully designed system where every part connects and supports every other part. Think of it like a human body, you can’t transplant just a heart and expect it to work. The heart coordinates with lungs, blood vessels, and organs. When you copy pieces without understanding how they fit together, the system breaks down.
The 4 Dangerous Reasons Why Copying Fails
Reason #1: The Magic Is in the Interconnections
Successful strategies are networks of interdependent choices creating competitive advantage.
- Example: Low-Cost Airlines
Carrier A: Fast turnarounds, single aircraft type, point-to-point routes, no assigned seating, strong culture.
Carrier B: Ultra-low fares, charges for extras, different experience, different priorities.
Both are “low-cost” but fundamentally different systems. You can’t mix elements. Copy carrier A’s routes without their speed or culture, and you fail.
Lesson: The magic isn’t in tactics, it’s in how they interconnect.
Reason #2: Your Market Context Is Different
A strategy working in one environment might fail in another.
- Example: Vacation Rentals
Company A: Solo travelers, budget customers, shared spaces, urban apartments, authentic experiences.
Company B: Families, privacy seekers, higher budgets, entire homes, vacation destinations.
Same industry, same platform, completely different approaches. If Company A copied Company B’s entire-homes focus, they’d alienate their core customers.
Lesson: Your strategy must fit YOUR specific market context.
Reason #3: Culture Cannot Be Copied
Your business model is executed by your team, shaped by company culture.
- Example: Financial Services
Firm A: Mutual ownership, “investor-first” philosophy, profits to customers, conservative focus.
Firm B: Corporate structure, entrepreneurial culture, innovation focus, active marketing.
Without the right culture, Firm B copying Firm A’s structure would fail. Culture shapes how you treat customers, what trade-offs you make, and what you sacrifice.
Lesson: You can copy tactics but not culture. Without culture, the approach fails.
Reason #4: Your Strengths Are Unique
No two businesses have identical strengths.
- Example: Tech Giants
Company A: Premium design, seamless ecosystem, hardware-software integration, emotional connection.
Company B: Enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, business relationships, diverse portfolio.
Company A trying Company B’s enterprise focus would lose their design identity.
Lesson: Successful strategies align with unique strengths and capabilities.
Why Indian Businesses Especially Fail at Copying
The temptation is stronger because:
- Success stories seem simple to replicate
- “Works in Bangalore, why not Mumbai?” But contexts vary
- Lower entry barriers make copying seem quick
- Investors want proven models
What happens: You copy visible tactics but miss invisible elements, founder’s network, years of learning, team capabilities, culture, context-specific advantages. Result? Looks similar, fails in execution.
What to Do Instead
- Step 1: Study Principles, Not Tactics Don’t ask “What?” Ask “Why does this work?” Example: Don’t copy “free shipping.” Learn “they prioritize convenience over price.”
- Step 2: Know Your Context Who are your customers? What do they value? What constraints exist?
- Step 3: Build on Your Strengths What do you do better? What unique capabilities exist? What resources can you leverage?
- Step 4: Test and Adapt Test small elements, measure results, build your unique system over time.
The Suit Analogy
Copying a business model is like wearing someone else’s tailored suit. Sure, it looks great on them. But on you: shoulders too wide, sleeves too short, tight in some places, loose in others.
Solution: Get your own suit tailored to your exact measurements.
Creating Your Own Business Model
Ask these questions:
- What unique value do we create?
- Who specifically benefits?
- What are we exceptionally good at?
- What will we sacrifice?
- How do our activities reinforce each other?
Your answers guide you toward a strategy that’s uniquely yours.
Learning vs. Copying
Copying: “They do X, Y, Z. We should too.”
Learning: “They do X, Y, Z. Why? What principles can I apply?”
Copying is mechanical imitation. Learning is thoughtful adaptation.
Final Thoughts
A business model is a system, not a list. All parts interconnect. Context matters enormously. What works elsewhere may fail in your market. Culture cannot be copied. Execution depends on culture built over years. Your strengths are unique. Build on what YOU do exceptionally well.
The path to success isn’t copying someone else’s approach. It’s understanding your market, knowing your strengths, and building a system specifically for you.
Yes, this is harder. It takes more thought, testing, and courage. But it’s the only path to sustainable success.
Your strategy should fit like a perfectly tailored suit, designed specifically for you.
Stop looking for someone else’s suit. Start designing your own.
Image Credits: Created By CANVA
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