Lessons from the GOAT

I watched the other day as Kelly Slater called time on his epic full time professional surfing career. Age? 52. There isn’t much Slater hasn’t done in the world of surfing, or the wider sporting world for that matter. A professional career spanning three decades plus, 11-time world champion and the ability to still be winning over competitors who weren’t born when he started out. It likely won’t be a career repeated. 

Alongside a competitive drive second to none, you can see some of the key ingredients to Slater’s success in his post-heat interviews. The standout comment for me yesterday that couldn’t be truer for business right now -

“If you don’t adapt, you don’t survive.”

Slater’s is a story of constant adaptation. From pushing the boundaries of progressive surfing, leading the charge of surfboard innovation over the years, to the establishment of his surfwear brand founded on a commitment to full sustainability and the first of its kind, high performance wave pool in central California. 

Adapting looks different for everyone and right now in a tight economic environment, that could look like reassessing your budget, tweaking your strategy or considering how automation could boost your efficiency. Obviously in a thriving economy, adapting takes a different form and options on the table might include diversifying your product offering, establishing new roles to expand your business or scaling up production. 

The fundamental message though is that regardless of the economy, adapting should always be a priority. The key is knowing how and when but without it, you risk becoming irrelevant at best, insolvent at worst.

Here are some possible red flags you’re not adapting like you should:

1. You’re still doing the same thing you were a year ago

2. You’ve put technology in the ‘too hard basket’

3. Your staff turnover is higher than it should be

4. You can’t remember the last time you worked on your business instead of in it

5. You’re interested in learning new things but just can’t find the time

If that’s all too familiar, don’t worry! If you can identify with one of more of those red flags and don’t know how to alter your course, this is the kind of stuff we live and breathe at Sudburys. We’d love to help you take a leaf out of Kelly Slater’s playbook – adapt, survive and leave an epic legacy. Get in touch