Always Play Offense AND Defense

I love the way people talk about business.

They use the language of war, of sports, of a high-stakes poker game. And they’re not wrong, not entirely. But they’re missing the nuance. They see the game, but they don’t see the whole board. They’re all offense, all the time.

“Go, go, go.”

“Growth at all costs.”

“Move fast and break things.”

I’ve seen it a thousand times, and I’ve seen the wreckage it leaves behind.

Me? I think of it differently. I think of it like a boxer. Not a brawler, swinging for the knockout with every punch, but a technician. A master of the sweet science. Every move you make in that ring has to have a dual purpose. It’s not just about landing a punch; it’s about what happens after you land the punch. It's about where your hands are, where your feet are, where your opponent is. It’s offensive, yes. But it's also defensive.

It has to be both.

Every. Single. Time.

This is the philosophy that’s guided my every move in business. Every hire, every product launch, every cont…