Why you should break more rules to succeed

A very very apt blog post for my 100th.

Not only timing wise as I am about to go to Malaysia.

But also because I have realized something after reading it - I am following too many of the rules... I didnt used to - what happened to me?

So Chris Yeh - I am with you.

The Dim Sum Principle: Achieving success by breaking all the rules:


My family was out for dim sum this morning, when I realized that there's a lesson it can teach us.

Dim sum succeeds because it breaks all the rules of a restaurant.

1) Restaurants take reservations. Dim sum is first-come, first-served.

2) Restaurants make their money on dinners. Dim sum is only served for brunch.

3) Restaurants make their money on drinks.
Dim sum restaurants serve free tea, and no one drinks any alcohol.

4) Restaurants provide a menu with prices, and then you order. Dim sum has no menu unless you request it. The food comes to your table on carts, and you generally have no idea how much it costs.

5) Restaurant meals proceed in a fixed order, with salads and appetizers followed by an entree, finished with dessert. Dim sum carts come by independent of course; the first cart you see might be a dessert cart, and you can start with dessert without anyone blinking.

6) Restaurants provide a server who takes orders and brings you all your food. Dim sum restaurants send waves of ladies with carts past your table, and you might never see the same person twice.

The one thing that dim sum restaurants do that is conventional is to serve delicious food.

Your industry has a lot of rules, but there are probably only a few that matter. An airline has to get you to your destination quickly and safely. A bicycle needs to be human-powered, and faster than walking. Beyond that, it's up to your creativity.

Dim sum restaurants show that as long as you follow the few rules that matter, your startup can break all the rest. In fact, it might even set you apart and help drive your business.