Why Smart Companies Bet on Constants, Not Trends
Picture a chess grandmaster plotting their next move. While amateur players might chase flashy attacks or react to immediate threats, the master thinks in terms of permanent advantages: control of the center, pawn structure, king safety. Business strategy, at its finest, follows a similar principle — the most enduring success comes not from chasing every new trend, but from mastering the unchanging fundamentals that govern your industry.
The Art of Building on Bedrock
Every business operates within a framework of constants — unchanging truths that remain steady while trends come and go like seasons. Some of these constants are universal: human psychology, basic needs, the desire for value. Others are industry-specific: the physics that govern semiconductor manufacturing, the chemistry behind brewing perfect coffee, or the social dynamics that make certain entertainment formats perpetually appealing.
Consider how fundamental human desires haven’t changed for millennia:
- The need for connection and community
- The pursuit of convenience and comfort
- The desire for status and recognition
- The quest for security and stability
- The appetite for novelty within comfortable boundaries
Smart businesses don’t just acknowledge these constants — they build their entire strategies around them. They understand that while the methods of delivery may evolve, the underlying human needs remain remarkably stable.
The Bezos Doctrine: Mastering the Unchangeable
Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, captured this philosophy brilliantly with an observation that has become a cornerstone of strategic thinking. During a shareholder meeting, he shared:
“I very frequently get the question: ‘What’s going to change in the next 10 years?’ But I almost never get the question: ‘What’s not going to change in the next 10 years?’ And I submit to you that that second question is actually the more important of the two — because you can build a business strategy around the things that are stable in time.”
This wasn’t just philosophical musing — it was the foundation of Amazon’s empire. Bezos identified three customer desires that he knew would be constant:
- Lower Prices: The universal human desire for value
- Faster Delivery: The timeless appeal of instant gratification
- Broader Selection: The eternal human wish for choice and options
“It’s impossible to imagine,” Bezos continued, “a future 10 years from now where a customer comes up and says, ‘Jeff, I love Amazon; I just wish the prices were a little higher,’ or ‘I love Amazon; I just wish you’d deliver a little more slowly.’ Impossible.”
This clarity about constants gave Amazon tremendous strategic advantages:
- Investment Confidence: They could pour billions into warehouses and logistics, knowing the capability would be valuable for decades
- Clear Prioritization: Every initiative could be evaluated against these unchanging customer desires
- Competitive Moats: Each investment in serving these constants made it harder for competitors to catch up
- Compounding Returns: Capabilities built on constants improve and compound over time
The brilliance of this approach lies in its simplicity. While competitors might agonize over predicting the next trend, Amazon focused on delivering ever-better solutions to permanent customer needs. Every investment, every innovation, every strategic decision was filtered through the lens of these constants.
Examples of Betting on Constants
Apple
While technology constantly evolves, Apple recognized early that one thing remains constant: people’s desire for technology that “just works.” From the first Macintosh to the latest iPhone, Apple’s core strategy hasn’t wavered from prioritizing user experience above all else.
This focus on the constant of user-friendly design has allowed Apple to:
- Invest heavily in interface design and testing
- Maintain strict control over both hardware and software
- Price products at a premium, justified by the superior experience
- Build an ecosystem that prioritizes simplicity and integration
Costco
Costco’s entire business model is built on the unchanging human desire to feel like we’re getting a great deal. Their strategy centers on constants that have remained true for decades:
- People want quality products at the lowest possible prices
- Customers enjoy the “treasure hunt” experience of discovering deals
- Bulk buying psychology never goes out of style
By focusing on these perpetual truths, Costco has maintained a remarkably consistent business model since its founding, even as retail trends come and go.
Netflix
While Netflix’s delivery method has evolved from DVDs to streaming, their core strategy has remained anchored in constants:
- People want entertainment on their own schedule
- Convenience is worth paying for
- Choice and personalization matter
By focusing on these unchanging desires rather than specific delivery technologies, Netflix successfully navigated the transition from physical to digital distribution while maintaining their core value proposition.
Southwest Airlines
In an industry prone to chasing luxury trends, Southwest Airlines has maintained unwavering focus on fundamental customer needs:
- Affordable air travel
- Reliable service
- Simple, transparent pricing
This dedication to constants has allowed Southwest to maintain profitability even as competitors struggle through industry cycles.
Toyota
While other automakers chase trends in design or technology, Toyota has built its empire on the constant desire for reliable transportation. Their focus on quality and dependability has created a brand promise that transcends changing automotive fashions.
Why This Strategy Works
Betting on constants offers several strategic advantages:
01) Long-term Investment Confidence
- Companies can invest heavily in infrastructure and capabilities, knowing they’ll remain valuable
- Reduces risk of betting on wrong trends
- Allows for compound returns on investments over time
02) Clear Decision Making
- Provides a consistent framework for evaluating opportunities
- Helps avoid distracting “shiny object” initiatives
- Simplifies strategic planning
03) Brand Clarity
- Builds strong, consistent brand associations
- Creates clear differentiation from trend-chasing competitors
- Develops deep customer trust over time
04) Operational Excellence
- Allows for continuous improvement in core capabilities
- Creates deep institutional knowledge
- Enables efficiency through focus
How to Apply This Approach
To implement a constants-based strategy:
01) Identify Your Constants
- What fundamental customer needs does your business serve?
- Which customer desires will remain unchanged in 10+ years?
- What core values drive purchasing decisions in your industry?
02) Audit Your Investments
- Are resources aligned with constant customer needs?
- Which initiatives serve trends vs. constants?
- How can you redirect resources to better serve unchanging needs?
03) Build Long-term Capabilities
- Invest in infrastructure that serves constant needs
- Develop processes that can scale over time
- Create metrics that track performance on constants
04) Communicate Your Focus
- Make your commitment to constants clear to stakeholders
- Use constants as a framework for explaining decisions
- Build brand messaging around unchanging customer needs
Conclusion
In a business environment obsessed with change, the most sustainable competitive advantages often come from focusing on what doesn’t change. By identifying and investing in constants, companies can build enduring businesses that create value through multiple cycles of change.
The next time you’re planning strategy, ask yourself: What won’t change about your customers’ needs? The answer might just be your key to long-term success.