Passion

When Bill Reichert of Garage Technology Ventures came to Chico recently to present his "new rules for innovation", he pointed out that while the old model was "build a better mousetrap", the new rule is "build a team of people passionate about killing mice".

I dropped into the hardware store the other day for some BBQ stuff, and the guy at the front counter was doing a new product demo for his colleague. It was a better mousetrap. With conventional mousetraps, you sort of have to hold down the spring-loaded clapper with one hand while fitting a fairly dodgy trigger, then bait it. A lot of thumbs have taken a beating from that setup. And yet sometimes the mouse gets the bait and escapes unharmed.

This new thing has a lever you use to pull the clapper back and cock it. It takes the slightest brush of a soda straw to trigger it, and you can bait it before cocking.

But what really got my attention was how excited the hardware store guy was about it. "The trick," he pointed out with evident glee, "is to bait it without arming it for a few days, let them get fat, and tell all their friends. Then arm it. Gets them every time!"

That guy is really passionate about killing mice. I wanted to buy one, but we don't have mice....