Tata Nano - Bravo!

Hats off to Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Motors and a modern day Henry Ford.

By creating the Tata Nano, the worlds most inexpensive car he, like Henry Ford did originally,
will allow millions of people the opportunity to own a car. But it is more than that. Ultimately,
those people who can now drive will have access to new opportunities that were literally out
of reach before. Like better jobs beyond one's own neighborhood. Like better health care at
specialized facilities once too far to travel to.

Freedom. This is just the kind of thing America should be promoting and exporting. After all,
next to our country's founding documents, the automobile has directly contributed more to the freedom we enjoy that anything else I can imagine.

Who doesn't enjoy the freedom that comes from just getting in your car and going -anywhere-
any time you want to. Even if you use it very little, just knowing that you can creates an enormous sense of well being.

So bravo for Mr. Tata and all of those in developing countries who will benefit from his design.

Unfortunately, we will not see such a vehicle here. Safety concerns you know.
Such an automobile would not meet our country's strict standards for safety.

Listen, I'm thrilled that so many safety advancements have been created to protect myself and
my family. By choice, I drive a Volvo, one of the safest cars on the road. But I wasn't always
in a position to choose such a fine automobile. In fact, my first car cost $500- very used.
And I doubt it would pass our stringent safety requirements today.

But it let me get to my job. And then to get a better one.

Here in America, countless opportunities for economic and personal advancement have been
squashed in the name of some imagined "safety". We have become a nation of people expecting
security and safety. And if we cannot get it ourselves we demand our government legislate it
for us.

But we're choking on it!

New cars have become so expensive we go deeply in debt to purchase one. Manufacturing has become so choked with regulation that most our our stuff is produced overseas - costing
American workers millions of jobs - causing entrepreneurs to stifle their creative ambitions
rather than navigate the land mines of government regulations. Parents spend a fortune
buying safety equipment to protect their kids.

But the worst consequence I see is personal. This culture of safety and security keeps us
locked in our shell. Afraid of ridicule we don't speak up. Afraid of failure, we never try.

Hats off to Ratan N. Tata. He didn't buy into this culture. And neither should we.

No great success was ever obtained without trial and error, without failures that brought
improvement, without standing up and announcing to the world, "I have something great for you, won't you please give it a try."

Enough safety! Enough security! In the words of the great Oprah Winfrey,
"Dare to do something so great today even you can't believe you're doing it!"

Bravo to Ratan N. Tata and best wishes for success with the Tata Nano.

How can you re-create your business? Is there a starving crowd you've missed?