• This one’s for the underdogs

    Posted on February 27th, 2009 by and currently 4 commenting.

    Why do we pull for the underdogs? Is it because of that Cinderella story that gets ingrained in us from our childhood? I dunno. But I do know that we love underdogs. I guess it’s about the potential story. Or that underdogs know they have to work twice as hard and be twice as smart as the big, established companies (or teams) out there.

    Then there’s the joy of the upset. The surprise and celebration of the long-shot win. The stories that are told over and over about the dramatic “I can’t believe it” happenings.

    But here’s the catch: What comes after being the underdog? Then you’re the big guy. Look at all the big companies out there today. At some point, they were the underdog. Nike. Microsoft. GM. Starbucks. The list goes on and on. When they started out, they had to be scrappy. Resourceful. And now? Well, there are a very, very small group of them that have maintained that mentality.

    So what’s the moral of the story? Be careful what you wish for.

  • http://thefastgrowthblog.com Doug Davidoff

    We say be careful – don’t lose your plot. Always be sure that you are reinforcing the story that caused your fans to fall in love with you in the first place. Growth that reinforces your plot is powerful, anything else is dangerous.

  • Sarah Pledger

    I hear that loud and clear. Speaking from a sports angle, when you’re #1 there’s pressure from everyone gunning for you, watching and analyzing every move. It’s easier to get complacent and comfortable.

  • http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com olivier blanchard

    No kidding.

    I just have to wonder… When does being the best turn into being the biggest? That’s when the culture shifts. That’s when things go south.

    Excellent post.

  • http://www.mansitrivedi.com Mansi

    I couldn’t agree more! It is so important to be “authentic” and they all claim it like its a buzz word in their mission statement but very few of them actually live it.