What do Netflix and snails have in common? Check out this Forbes article and this documentary The Biggest Little Farm to find out. The article highlights a formula for successful innovation: “Think Big, Start Small and Learn Fast” and the documentary provides a great illustration of that formula. It tells the story of a couple who left their white collar jobs to become biodynamic farmers in California.
Since they had no experience, Molly and John Chester found a wise mentor who encouraged them to think big and plan for the future. He also taught them to start small by bringing the soil back to life with worms. As you might imagine, the Chesters and their team had to learn fast, often by making mistakes. After seven years of hard work, Apricot Lane Farms is now 200 acres of organic and biodynamic certified avocado and lemon orchards, a vegetable garden, more than 75 varieties of stone fruit trees and a lot of very photogenic animals.
As you consider opportunities for innovation in your sphere of influence, how might you apply the success formula of “Think Big, Start Small and Learn Fast?”