All Companies Fail, But Some Have Better Reach
I don’t encourage anyone to start a company unless they really want to. Knowing what I know about running a company, I wouldn’t wish that task on anyone. There are times when people can’t find employment and starting a company seems like the best solution. But the odds are against success: Nine out of ten companies fail in five years. Of those that survive the first five years, nine out of every ten of those eventually fail as well. (Location 1225)
All companies (like empires) eventually fail. Some companies last longer than others because they find a way to adapt to the underlying problem that they solve instead of the fashion of the era. This is an example of reach (^912630) A good example is how AT&T's core competency is in communication, whether that communication is through phones or the Internet.
Companies that fail, fail to address their core problem before they burn up all of their assets or collect too many liabilities.
