The Three Shoemakers
A story about positioning.
Three shoemakers in the same street were struggling to make a living.
One thought, “Who are those other shoemakers to steal customers away from me, when I am so much better at my trade?” And he put up a sign outside his shop, which read: “The best shoemaker in town!”
His neighbour, who had just arrived to open his shop for the day, saw the sign and thought, “Who is this man to think that he is better than me?” And he put up a sign too, saying: “The best shoemaker in the world!”
The third shoemaker arrived, and when he saw both signs, he put up a sign of his own, and it read: “The best shoemaker in the street.”