Look for problems to solve - TMR #23
For over a century after Heinz started selling tomato ketchup in 1876, the mass population painfully struggled with the problem of pouring watery ketchup all over their food.
The way the bottle was made (even after they switched from glass to plastic) required vigorous shaking, with the bottle upside down, to get the good stuff out because the liquid would easily separate from the “good stuff” when sitting on the shelf.
For 116 years consumers put up with this tedious ritual at every meal just to access a tasty condiment.
And Heinz was no small company. Heinz dominated the ketchup market, yet did little to improve the universal liquid/chunk separation issue plaguing households worldwide.
Hmm…
Finally, in 1991, some ingenious packaging engineers at Heinz said enough is enough and changed the industry.
By simply inverting the bottle and putting the lid on the bottom, the thicker tomato mixture now effortlessly slides towards the easy-pour opening.
The solution now seems laughably obvious, yet it took over a hundred years to unlock a multi-billion dollar industry.
Why is this relevant?
Because this was an iconic moment of questioning the status quo and reimagining a better way. Now you see this design on condiments like mustard, relish, and many others.
The story of the Heinz ketchup bottle illustrates how the average person passively accept daily friction and annoyance rather than seeking innovative solutions.
We put up with things without even realizing it.
How many things in your life elicit complaints but no action? Like consistently misplacing keys and wallet items, forgetting to take medication on time, or stepping over those unused amazon boxes to get to your desk?
Or perhaps larger challenges like difficulty building wealth, navigating relationships, or overcoming bad habits?
The point is, PROBLEM ARE EVERYWHERE and a billion-dollar fix may be right in front of you if you shift perspective. At the very least, your day may get a little easier.
Ask yourself:
“Why does this keep happening?”
“How could it work better?”
“Why is this taking so long?”
Then imagine a smarter system.
LOOK FOR PROBLEMS in your day-to-day and solve them. Constantly be brainstorming of things you would “pay to have fixed,” then fix it.
Successful inventors look for problems to solve while the common individual meanders through life with blinders on.
Who knows? You might just discover the next Post-it note, iPhone, or Heinz inverted ketchup bottle that permanently alters an industry.
Starting today, and for this week, take a note of the things that annoy you. That slow you down. That get in your way. Don’t you think it affects others as well?
