Tesla's Success Is a Story of Answering the 7 Questions

Tesla thrived in the cleantech space where others failed because it had strong answers to all seven critical business questions:

Technology: It created a superior, integrated product (the Model S) that was 10x better, not just a collection of incrementally improved parts.
Timing: It correctly identified a narrow, one-time window to secure a crucial government subsidy that is unavailable today.
Monopoly: It started by dominating a small, specific niche (high-end electric sports cars) before expanding, rather than tackling the entire auto market at once.
Team: It was led by a consummate engineer and salesman (Elon Musk) who built a "special forces" team of top talent.
Distribution: It took distribution seriously by building its own stores to control the customer experience, a unique and defensible strategy.
Durability: It built a strong brand, a significant head start, and a fast-moving culture that makes its market position defensible for the long term.
Secret: It understood the secret that cleantech was a social phenomenon. Rich people wanted to look cool and "green," so Tesla built a car that was desirable in its own right, not just as an environmental statement.