Why Has Nobody Been Sent to Murder Chill Subs with a Money Pillow?

Examining some industry insights to figure out whether or not we were simply in the right place at the right time.

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I was at my brother's birthday party last year when a friend of his told the room to quiet down. "I have an idea," she said, "but before I talk about it, everyone in this room needs to promise not to steal it." 

We agreed, of course, because who's going to say, "Actually, I'd likely steal it so let me see myself out for a few minutes."

Her idea was this: "Christmas Tree rentals for apartments. Think about it, nobody likes real trees, anyway, and where are you going to store a fake tree in an apartment? So, we rent out the trees for the holidays, then pick them up after!"

It was—admittedly—a good idea. 

So good, in fact, a quick Google search offered me six companies that already do this.

I didn't tell her this. What would be the point? Anyone not motivated enough to Google their idea before announcing it at a party is unlikely to be the type to start it. The point wasn't to share her future vision, but to let a group of revelers know how brilliant she was while simultaneously assuming them unbrilliant enough that no one would think to look it up. 

I don't see a problem with this so long as it's not hurting anyone—if I can do anything to make someone feel brilliant, loved, or beautiful, in any moment, I'll take it. But that won't stop me from double-checking their work and mercilessly judging them inside my own head as a bozo.

Or it was simply Christmastime, and she was simply shit-housed.

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But this scenario got me thinking about why nobody had created Chill Subs by the time we got around to it. As our audience and user base have exploded over the past year, we've been so tense—always wondering, why? Why hasn't someone done this? What horrific, company-demolishing roadblock lay ahead? But, a year later, we're pretty sure we haven't missed anything.

So, back to the question: why? Are we so brilliant that we are the first to think combining a database, community, and set of tools for the writing community was a good idea?

I don't think so. If anything, there are several factors we attribute to how positive people have responded to the work we do.