It’s become fashionable to blame corporate executives as being hide bound and traditional, and to bemoan the fact that they aren’t innovative.
This is unfair.
Executives have a business to run, and are forced to be realistic.
They meet hundreds of promising startups with clever solutions, but because they don’t have a crystal ball and can’t identify which ones will succeed, it’s too risky for them to stick their neck out and back the wrong one!
They have burned their fingers in the past, which is why they are reluctant to committing their resources to unproven solutions.
Also, please remember that the reason this businesses have become large and successful is they need to follow well-established systems and processes. Over time, these become encrusted with red-tape, and there’s little anyone can do about it – this is the nature of the beast, and you need to start by accepting this reality !
The good news is that if you develop the right strategy, it’s possible to succeed. However, you need to be patient, and understand their predicament. Being empathetic helps !
Finally, remember that this inertia can actually be a powerful weapon. Once you have bagged the elephant, this is a huge competitive edge, and it’s very hard for some other startup to displace you – though I can promise you they will keep on trying !