‘It’s only when you see 49-ton trucks in China running on batteries that you realize how serious electrification is’: Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson on Europe’s incumbency problem

Businesses built around simple products can face an unexpectedly difficult commercial challenge: giving customers a reason to choose one offering over another. The mirror industry provides a clear example, because the product has one basic purpose—reflection.

Differentiation is the central challenge

For mirror sellers, category differentiation is difficult. When the core function is straightforward, companies have limited room to distinguish the product itself. That makes the business of selling mirrors a demanding exercise, particularly for manufacturers trying to build a profitable position.

Greg Jackson, who later became known as the chief executive of Octopus Energy, encountered that pressure early in his working life. One of his first jobs was with a mirror manufacturer. The company, according to the account, typically broke even or generated only a small profit.

An early lesson in business

Jackson’s experience illustrates how a business can struggle even when demand is tied to a familiar and easily understood product. The issue was not the complexity of the item, but the difficulty of making the offering stand apart in a crowded category.

That experience also shaped an important business insight for Jackson. He had an idea while working at the manufacturer, although the available account does not provide further details about it. The episode remains a concise example of the pressure companies face when a product’s basic function leaves little obvious room for differentiation.

Why the example matters

The mirror business offers a simple case study in the relationship between product identity and profitability. Even a recognizable product can leave a company operating near break-even when it lacks a clear way to distinguish itself.