---
title: Being copied
date: "2006-04-17T12:00:00Z"
categories:
  - links
wp_id: 353
description: Starting a startup on an easy-to-copy idea is still worth it because competitors are slow to notice, slow to implement, and prone to execution errors. Your continuous innovation keeps you ahead as a moving target.
keywords: [startups, competitive strategy, innovation, execution, idea validation, paul graham]
---

It's worth starting a startup based on an idea [even if it is easy to copy](http://paulgraham.infogami.com/blog/copy).

> First of all, it will take competitors a long time to realize that your idea is even a good thing to do.
>
> Even when competitors realize your idea is good, (a) it will take them a long time to implement and (b) they'll probably screw up critical things.
>
> And finally, working on your ideas will lead you on to new ideas. So you'll be a moving target; by the time competitors copy what you're doing now, you'll be doing more.