It’s a common piece of advice shared by seasoned entrepreneurs—including many from Shark Tank:
“If Johnson & Johnson wants to make your product, they’ll crush you.”
It sounds terrifying. How could a startup compete with a global giant with billions in R&D and marketing spend? But let’s take a breath—and a closer look. Because that statement, while rooted in caution, is far from universally true.
In fact, plenty of startups not only survive but thrive even when industry titans take notice. Here’s why.
Johnson & Johnson moves with the weight of a global empire. That means layers of approval, bureaucracy, internal politics, and slow pivots. Startups, on the other hand, are nimble. You can launch, iterate, get customer feedback, and pivot—all before their innovation team finishes their first internal pitch deck.
Speed is your superpower. Use it.
Let’s be honest—people are craving authentic brands. They want transparency, mission-driven founders, and stories they can root for. You have that. A small brand offering skin-tone bandages for every color has a voice. Johnson & Johnson releasing the same product a year later feels more like... cleanup PR.
Startups have soul. Consumers know the difference.
The problem isn’t that giants can’t make what you’ve made. The question is: will they care enough to do it right?
You’ve lived the problem. You know your audience. You've had one-on-one conversations with customers and cried over the emails thanking you. That emotional intelligence and precision makes your product more thoughtful—and more valuable.
A massive company may have money. But you’ve got something more powerful: community. The early adopters who’ve waited for someone to finally make a bandage that matches their skin tone. The influencers who love an underdog story. The press hungry to talk about David vs. Goliath.
Community creates momentum that no ad budget can buy.
Big companies chase mass markets. You can build a moat by going deep, not wide. Start by serving the people overlooked by those giants. Own that space. Become the category leader in inclusive care, or ethical design, or targeted wellness. That laser-focus keeps you safe while the giants fumble to understand nuance.
Instead of fearing them, take it as validation. If a global brand sees your product as worth copying, it means you’ve tapped into a real market need. It doesn’t mean they’ll win—it means it’s time to double down.
Build your brand. Nurture your community. Stay agile. And remember: they might have the dollars, but you have the story.
