Here’s a company I can be pretty sure you’ve never heard of: Grace Manufacturing. I’d never heard of it either until this New York Times profile, though I’ve seen and used its products — “microplanes” for shaving cloud-like piles of parmesan, truffles, and other high-end ingredients. Microplanes for kitchens now make up 65% of the company’s revenue, yet it was a product category completely different from what Grace started out doing, and only got into reluctantly. It’s a fascinating example of questioning assumptions about your business domain when under pressure, staying alert to customer needs, and being open to opportunities as they appear.