I have this theory about product development and how it relates to escalators . . .

When I was a kid, there was only one business in town that had an escalator - moving stairs that took you up. The escalator (in the Southern Club Casino) led to the fancy section of the club where the high rollers played. From the street, people would peer into the Southern Club and dare others to step on the escalator and ride up to the 'forbidden zone'. (At least it was the forbidden zone for underage kids like me.)

We'd watch as the well dressed people would enter the casino and be ushered to the magic moving stairway. They'd step on, and be automatically taken to the next level (a level so exotic we could only guess what might be up there). The 'riff raff' (the rest of us) would stand out on the street and watch in wonder.

I think product development is kind of like that escalator. A lot of people watch on the sidelines in amazement as a few brave people step on the escalator of product development to be taken to the next level. Unlike escalators in the real life, we never really know where the product development escalator will take us. But almost always, it takes us on an adventure, often leading to opportunities we never imagined.

My escalator theory goes like this. Every project you get involved with almost always leads to another project - if you'll let it.

But, just like an escalator, you have to dare to step on. Or else you'll end up standing on the sidewalk watching others taking the ride.