Innovation is often misunderstood. We tend to think innovation means inventing s
By Liranhirschkorn · February 14, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Innovation is often misunderstood.
We tend to think innovation means inventing something that has never existed before, or a leap in features/capabilities.
But many of the biggest breakthroughs don’t come from new ideas — they come from doing something differently.
For years, the oral care market looked like $10 manual toothbrush or $150 electric.
Then brands like AquaSonic saw what others missed. It was the gap between affordability and premium experience.
Instead of accepting the industry’s pricing structure, they asked a better question:
Why can’t premium technology exist at an accessible price?
So they delivered: an electric brush at a fraction of the cost, ,more brush heads included and trust symbols like ADA approval to overcome quality skepticism. While new entrants have come to market with better solutions, first to market is a major advantage.
Innovation is often about reframing the equation, not reinventing the product.
Look at your own industry and ask:
Where are customers being forced into bad tradeoffs?
What pricing structures are simply “accepted truths”?
Where is the friction everyone ignores?
Because the biggest opportunities are usually hiding in plain sight. Often in a delivery mechanism of an existing product (think capsules to gummies).
What are some other brands that have done the same?