Today we are breaking down Polaroid. We cover the history behind the instant camera, why Edwin Land was Steve Jobs’ hero, and the lessons from Polaroid’s meteoric rise and equally spectacular fall.
Show Notes
[00:00:00] – Introduction
[00:03:04] – [First question] – How unique Edwin Land was
[00:08:58] – What he was like and how he solved the problem that lead to Polaroid
[00:13:20] – Defining what a polarizer is at a high level
[00:16:36] – How scope of ambition can overcome humble beginnings
[00:18:59] – The story of the instant camera and how much of a leap forward it was
[00:26:11] – Revealing the Instant Camera; The marketing side of Polaroid beyond the initial magic Land created
[00:31:40] – Why they were so successful in building a four decade moat around their patent
[00:34:59] – Living in the space of the important and the impossible
[00:38:50] – Optimism as a moral duty that we can take away from Land
[00:42:59] – Lessons from the aftermath of Polaroid after Land’s death
[00:48:02] – What the story of Polaroid most represents that is useful for entrepreneurs
[00:49:52] – A Triumph of Genius
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