In today’s business world, many aspiring entrepreneurs believe that success only comes from creating something completely new.  A brand-new idea.  A never-before-seen invention.  Something original enough to change the game.
But in reality, that mindset often slows people down more than it helps them.
Many successful entrepreneurs don’t start by reinventing the wheel. Instead, they study what already works and then build on it.

Start With What Already Works
Mike Pomeroy, owner of Unrivaled Plumbing & Heating explains his approach in a very straightforward way:
“I just looked at companies and I went, ‘I want that.’  It was copy and paste in the beginning in its basic form.  We started producing revenue with little overhead immediately.”
Rather than trying to invent something brand new, Mike focused on existing business models that were already successful.  This allowed him to skip the trial-and-error phase and start generating results much faster.
The lesson here is simple: if something already works in the market, there’s no need to rebuild it from zero.  Study it, understand it, and use it as a foundation.

Don’t Let Ego Slow You Down
Many beginners delay success because they want their idea to be “unique.”
Ryan challenges this mindset:
“Don’t be so proud that you feel like, ‘If I’m going to start a business, it has to be mine.’”
In reality, originality is not the priority, execution is.
While others wait for the perfect idea, fast movers are already launching and learning.

Copy, Then Improve
Copying is often misunderstood in business.
Ryan puts it clearly:
“Steal to allow your creativity to come up with something actually original.”
This means:
• Find a working business model
• Copy the structure
• Improve the execution
• Add your unique value
Most successful businesses are not original ideas; they are improved versions of existing ones.

Final Thoughts
If you’re waiting for a completely original idea, you might end up never starting at all.
The reality is simple:
Successful entrepreneurs don’t reinvent the wheel in business—they study it, use it, and make it better.
Key Takeaways:
• Start with proven business models that already work
• Use existing tools instead of building everything from scratch
• Drop the ego and focus on execution
• Continuously improve what’s already working
Success doesn’t come from reinventing the wheel—it comes from learning how to run it more effectively than anyone else.

These thoughts pulled from Entrepreneurs: Don't re-invent the wheel, Steal it! on The Unrivaled Potential Podcast

For more borrowed ideas, give me a call.  We can put together a strategy that works for your organization.

Ryan
(254) 383-9465