D.D.Bean

A textbook example of survival through “last-man-standing” efficiency. While we began by picking up the pieces of a crumbling industry, we eventually outlasted every major competitor in the United States.   A few key takeaways from what we have learned from the market to reach our current position:  Acquiring Used Wisdom: In 1938, the company literally built itself using used equipment purchased from other match companies. We didn’t reinvent the wheel; we optimized the tools that our competitors were discarding.  Out-Efficiency the Giants: During …

Continue reading “The Business-Strategy Choice”

  If you walked into a grocery store or gas station thirty years ago, you likely grabbed a book of generic matches without a second thought. They were a utility, simple, mass-produced tool to light a stove, a candle, or a cigarette. They were everywhere, produced in the billions, and often discarded just as quickly. …

Continue reading “From Commodity to Collectible: Why the World is shifting to “Small Batch” Matches”