{"id":14240,"date":"2020-05-05T12:46:25","date_gmt":"2020-05-05T12:46:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clone4.10pearls.com\/?p=14240"},"modified":"2026-07-30T11:27:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T11:27:03","slug":"camel-vs-unicorn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/10pearls.com\/uk\/blog\/camel-vs-unicorn\/","title":{"rendered":"The Camel Is the New Unicorn"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Unicorn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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This past decade was the era of the unicorn. It seemed like every article was touting some new startup as\u00a0“the next big thing.” Investors were scouring the earth for the next Unicorn and business leaders desperately aspired to have their companies crowned as such.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Alex Lazarow\u2019s book, \u201cOut-Innovate,\u201d makes the case that Unicorns are not imbued with the long-term value or staying power to justify all the hoopla. Unicorns that can\u2019t make the transition past that first disruptive innovation will go the way of the dodo bird. You can\u2019t find dodos in the wild or a zoo. You’re just as likely to spot a unicorn.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The business qualities that seemed important before now seem superfluous, catalyzed by the emergence of COVID-19. Durability, lean productivity, strong partnerships, predictable revenue\u2026these are the characteristics of a camel, not a unicorn, and suddenly they seem to matter most.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In the world of technology startups, unicorns are companies that possess a rare type of value proposition. These are generally venture-backed companies with valuations over $1 billion dollars. Yet the private market often lacks any independent estimates of value, and valuation is often not tied to anything tangible. These companies tend to be asset-light, highly specialized market makers, and due to the more risk-tolerant investment culture of Silicon Valley, that\u2019s where you\u2019ll find 90% of these unicorn companies.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Although the return on investment on unicorn companies is high, it\u2019s very difficult to predict which of these companies will succeed. There\u2019s a very fine line between a highly successful startup and a total failure, but you won\u2019t know what side of that binary such companies will land on without significant investment.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The latest investment trends indicate that the venture landscape is shifting. No one has limitless capital to spend on insolvent companies with poor business plans and no track record of success.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Camels are organizations that can survive a drought and take advantage of opportunities. These companies are resilient and use constraints to their advantage. They build sticky, full-stack solutions for their customers including the infrastructure that their products or services rely on.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Seldom based in Silicon Valley, these companies often form in smaller markets with limited financial assistance and their growth rate is slow. Camel companies have a proven track record of success, strong relationships, and they can manage adversity. During challenging times, they not only survive but come out of the desert stronger and thriving.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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That\u2019s the kind of company investors are looking for and executives want theirs to become. To start with, companies ought to consider a new model and strategy by borrowing from what the \u201ccamels\u201d have always known.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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While Silicon Valley startups recognize that failure is a real possibility, durable companies create a long-term and proven business plan from inception. They manage costs and maintain transparency with investors and customers by charging for the value they create. They are not concerned with the hyper-growth of many venture capital markets, focusing instead on building organizational-wide resilience. These organizations may also have diversified revenue streams, which gives them multiple legs to stand on in rough times.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The COVID-19 crisis will continue to separate the unicorns from the camels. Companies that can\u2019t innovate, evolve, and find new ways to delight their customers may not make it through the Coronavirus economic dessert. Camels will thrive. Camels will be better positioned to outperform their peers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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At 10Pearls, we have experience with unicorns and camels but our approach is optimized to support products and partnerships that will last – helping companies manage cost, do more with less, conserve energy, and execute with speed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sure, we help our clients develop unique category defining capabilities. But more importantly, we help them maximize the value of their budget so they can navigate the desert like a camel and survive even in arid conditions.\u00a0At 10Pearls, our business isn\u2019t at risk because of COVID-19 because we have always focused on building long-term relationships with our customers and making a positive social impact as we continue our growth.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We suggest you do the same if you\u2019re not already. We find that forming strong partnerships with customers and effectively managing your goals and objectives are among the keys to lasting success, and the foundation by which we can continue to support our customers and deliver innovative and cost-saving digital solutions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Do you have a digital initiative you’d like to discuss? Schedule a consultation<\/a> with our team today.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here, we\u2019ll discuss why being a sustainable company, in the long run, is better than being a unicorn that can\u2019t make the transition past its initial successful and innovative 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