LESSONS OF INNOVATION FOR 2017

On September 4, 1921, my grandfather arrived in the United States, 17 years old, with just $25 in his pocket. He became a dressmaker, and in 1937 received a patent for what he called “a new, original, and ornamental design for a Dress Ensemble.” While my grandfather has been gone for many years, I recently asked my uncle about the patent. He claimed that the actress Elizabeth Taylor once wore the dress it describes in a photo shoot for Seventeen.

In many ways, my grandfather was an innovator. He launched his own business, and thrived in the teeth of the Great Depression. But beyond our family, his impact was modest. His business closed when he retired. It never achieved scale or left a mark on our culture.

This personal story underscores just how difficult it is—and how rare—for even a successful business to break through.