The De-Evolution of a Business

Not long ago I was with my friend, Nelson Griswold. He shared with me a phenomenon he referred to as the de-evolution of a business. It can mean the beginning of the end for a business, and it usually comes as a result of not listening to the company’s customers.
This pattern mirrors one found in the entertainment business—the four stages of an actor. Let’s say our actor’s name is John Smith. Four questions and statements sum up what I’m talking about:
At the unknown stage of his career, the question is: “Who is John Smith?”
Once he is discovered and becomes a sensation, the director makes a request: “Get me John Smith.”
He retires but is remembered. The new request is: “Get me someone like John Smith.”
One day, not too many years later, few people remember his career and we’re back to the question: “Who is John Smith?”
It’s the same in business. My