I was born one of seven and smack in the middle. However, having a twin brother gave me someone to share the status with. Right behind me was another set of twins and my Mom would always say she got a great ROI on the twin carriage, double cribs and matching outfits that she bought for us. For me, being in the middle was never the best place to be. I usually inherited my brother’s sports equipment and bike; and my parents knew all the tricks in the book when it got to me. But I was always trying to find my niche — the thing that separated me from the pack.
I think the same applies for integrators in business today. Integrators are in a position where they need to be able to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack and have a clear and compelling value exchange that makes clients want to do business with just them.