First Off the Starting Line

When I was growing up a local newspaper sponsored an amateur bike race to engage the community.

At 13, I had just gotten a new Schwinn 10-speed bike which were the new thing. It was a serious move up from my Schwinn Stingray. Although I have to admit I missed the racing slick, banana seat and sissy bar.

My Dad encouraged me to put my new bike to the test and sign-up for the race. I thought, “Why not, I have a 10- speed now. It’s a piece of cake.”

The race was taking place in a hilly industrial park. There were no age groups. It was mostly adults, I was one of the few kids.

They blew the whistle. I sprinted off the starting line. I left the whole group in the dust.

Everything went great until I hit a hill at about mile 2. My legs were burning. I was sucking air.

And then one by one, over the next 3 miles, every other racer passed me by. Even the other kids.

I’d started first and finished dead last.

I suddenly realized all those other riders had one thing I didn’t have.

It’s something I carry with me to every client meeting and every project I work on today. Whether it’s branding, marketing, product development, competitive positioning or innovation.

To come in first you have to have a strategy.

Then winning is a piece of cake.