I just watched the blackberry series last night. It was a great series and I recommend watching it.
It really brought me back to that time. I actually lived in Waterloo from 2005 to 2010. When RIM was at its peak the world was watching Canada. It was a truly global company, leading the world in what would be smartphones. I knew so many people who worked at RIM and have a career because of that company. Times were great back then.
It made me realize that after the fall of RIM, things have sort of been downhill. I know RIM is still around, but nothing like it used to be. Shopify has also been a great success story, but even still not on the same level as RIM.
Why have we not had any real innovation in this country in almost 20 years?
We as a country have had a lot of innovation and host thousands of successful businesses. But a company like RIM is now impossible because engineering has been commoditized. Even the tech giants like Apple, Google etc… are just shadows of their former selves where true innovation dies in dark offices while corporate accounting focuses on products that have already proven successful.
Innovation at a large company is exceedingly rare and can’t outlive the employees that nurtured that environment.