INSIGHTS ‘Welcome to Permanent Beta’ By Catherine Wolinski Monday, September 15, 2014 12:00 AM In the tech world, the latest iteration of a software product is often referred to as being in “beta,” meaning it is new or in progress. For investors, according to Investopedia.com’s definition, beta is “a measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, of a security or a portfolio in comparison to the market as a whole.” For entrepreneurs, beta is a required state of mind. Quintessential careers are becoming less and less common, as Reid Hoffman, co-founder and chairman of LinkedIn, and Ben Casnocha, entrepreneur and author, detail in their joint venture, “The Start-Up of You.” From Silicon Valley to Valley, Neb., everyone is his or her own “start-up” with the ability—and necessity—to adapt, invest and transform. Unlike professional paths of the past, career tracks today aren’t necessarily lifelong journeys toward a particular job or task. This opens up a tremendous opportunity for businesses. There is room, and time, to find the right people to support your goals as they change and grow, to welcome fresh perspectives as new tools and trends change the eyecare business, and most importantly, to take on a certain amount of risk. It’s only a matter of time before another eyewear e-tailer steals the hearts and dollars of more myopic millennials, or an irresistibly charming, locally sourced, eco-friendly optical boutique opens up down the block. This will happen, but even if it doesn’t, or even if it doesn’t affect your business, is that a reason to stay as you are, unchanged in a changing world, resistant to trying something new? Take the advice of start-up gurus and seek change before it overshadows you. Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, concludes every annual letter to shareholders with the same signoff: “It’s still Day 1.” Even the companies that seem the most “figured out” are not without interruptions and improvements. You shouldn’t be either. cwolinski@jobson.com