My Ignorance Built My $40M Business

You don’t know what you’re doing.

You’ve never done this before.

Why do you think you can do it better than people who’ve been here for years?

There’s reasons things are done the way they are. 

Who the hell are you thinking you can do better?

I’m betting those words sound familiar. 

Because any time you try to break into a new industry, or even just take a fresh approach in your own field, these doubts show up, often disguised as wisdom or experience.

Do “Insiders” have the gift of experience and information? Sure. 

But “Outsiders”? 

We have something even more powerful: sheer ignorance.

That “I don’t know better, so I’m going to do it my way” attitude. 

My ignorance turned into a $40M a year portfolio of businesses and investments. 

And I say “ignorance” because I knew NOTHING. I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.

But, I also wasn’t bogged down by the way things should be done.

Instead, I stayed curious and open minded. 

I’m convinced it’s a concept more people need to be tapping into. It’s super under rated…

Don’t believe me? Well, let me show you how it played out for me.

My Experience Breaking into Custom Auto Parts

When I started my first successful business, it was in custom auto parts (exhaust systems, wheels, tires, etc).

I was as far outside the industry as you could get. 

I didn’t even own a car. 

Now, this field is dominated by “old dogs” who run things “the things always were”. 

It’s also an industry that, at the time, was mainly dominated by local or regional brick and mortar locations, and not necessarily online. But in that past few years, they too have transitioned into e-commerce. 

Here’s their approach: They create a website with hundreds of part options, expecting customers to sort through endless SKUs (or part numbers) and decide exactly what they need on their own. 

The logic? 

“Our customers know what they want, so we let them decide.” 

But that made no sense to me. Why would I want to spend MY time going through YOUR business to find what I want, when YOU can just guide me a bit.

That just seemed such an obvious misstep to me, 

And it also went against human psychology because of The Paradox of Choice.

The paradox of choice is simple: The more options you have, the harder it is to decide, and the less satisfied you are with your decision. 

The custom auto parts industry’s average conversion rate hovers below 1%, and this isn’t a coincidence. 

These companies bank on their big-ticket items and high average order values to scrape by. 

But what if they could double that conversion rate? 

When I set out to take on the “old dogs,” I realized that most custom auto parts customers really wanted three things: 

1. Top-notch performance

2. High-quality parts

3. Compatibility across components 

In other words, they wanted quality and simplicity. Meaning what was important to them was the END RESULT, not a sea of choices. 

So I did what any “outsider” would, I removed the clutter.

Instead of 20 exhaust options, I offered the two most popular. 

Instead of 15 different performance tunes, I offered three. 

Then, I bundled everything together in a way that was easy to understand and made sense for the end user. 

I wasn’t catering to the industry standard; I was catering to the customer.

The result? Our conversion rate shot up to nearly 2%, which was more than double the industry average. 

That small shift allowed us to compete with the established players, despite their deeper pockets and stronger connections.

Why Being an Outsider Matters

My “outsider” approach wasn’t a conscious strategy at first. 

It was born out of necessity, I didn’t know the industry’s norms, so I ignored them. 

The old guard was too close to their product, too invested in their ways, to see that their complexity was actually pushing customers away. 

But coming in fresh, I could see what customers actually needed. 

And that’s what being an outsider gives you: fresh eyes and the freedom to break unwritten rules.

Being an outsider gave me the guts to simplify an industry that prides itself on complexity. 

And here’s the irony: even the hardcore customers who knew every detail of their engines appreciated a more straightforward buying process. 

By reducing the options, I also opened the door for casual buyers who might have been intimidated by all the jargon and choices.

Applying the Outsider Advantage

So, how can you use this concept of “outsider advantage” in your own business? Here are a few ways to get started:

1. Challenge the Status Quo: If you’re breaking into an industry, don’t assume the way things are done is the best way. 

Sometimes, industries are stuck in their own echo chambers, and just because something is a “best practice” doesn’t mean it’s best for your business. 

Question it. Look for gaps where you can simplify or add value.

2. Put Yourself in the Customer’s Shoes: When you’re too close to a product, it’s easy to forget what it’s like to be a customer. 

Take a step back. If you’re new to the field, you have an advantage here because you are closer to the customer’s experience. 

Use that perspective to design solutions that make sense from the outside looking in.

3. Embrace “Beginner’s Mind”: Even as you gain experience, try to maintain the curiosity and openness you had when you started. 

Avoid getting trapped in the mindset of “this is how things are done.” 

Stay hungry, and keep your willingness to explore uncharted paths.

4. Test and Adapt: When you’re coming in as an outsider, you’ll hit some roadblocks. 

The established players might have resources you don’t, or you’ll make a few mistakes along the way. 

That’s part of the deal. The key is to keep testing, adapting, and refining your approach. 

Don’t let initial failures deter you.

Ignorance is a Gift, Use It

Here’s the truth: ignorance can be a powerful asset if you know how to leverage it. 

It keeps you open to possibilities that industry veterans might dismiss. 

When you don’t know the “right” way to do something, you’re free to explore every other way, and often, those other ways are where you’ll find the gold.

Take a moment to think about your own business. 

Is there an area where you’ve followed the traditional path without questioning it? 

What would happen if you simplified your product, like I did? 

Would you attract a broader audience, or maybe improve customer satisfaction? 

So next time that little voice tells you, “You don’t know what you’re doing,” treat it as a badge of honor. 

Because sometimes, not knowing is exactly what you need to create something extraordinary. 

- Vessal