Operating As A 'David' Amidst An Industry Of Goliaths: Three Timeless Principles To Sustain Success

Everybody loves a good underdog story. Well, most everyone—everybody except the “goliath” of the pair.

Of the many fears that plague industry leaders, it’s the rise of the unknown competitor that resides up there at the top with going out of business (of course, there may be a direct relation between the two).

The underdog companies are the ones to watch out for because they offer a completely new and revolutionary product that--almost instantly--has the potential to propel them from the bottom of the D list to the top of the A list. Under Armour is one example, as it takes on Nike. The performance company has been around less than 20 years (since 1996) yet their growth rate has remained steadily increasing since their inception. Prior to Under Armour, Nike was the one shaking up the competitive landscape and they did so for, again, roughly 20 years.

But times they are a changing. There’s a new kid on the performance apparel block that may bring the biggest, most profitable product to the industry to date.

Enter Sivil, quite possibly the most technologically advanced performance shirt ever made, founded by Will Simon. I spoke with Will about his new venture and his plans for taking over the performance apparel world. Here are the highlights from the conversation (edited for brevity):

Don’t be afraid to fail. There’s a difference between fear of failure and fear of failing. Fear of failure refers to an absolute, non-comprisable state of catastrophe that bears no opportunities for recovery. This is less than ideal. A fear of failing completely temporary, for the fear of failing is only determined by where you (choose to) stop. In this case, failure is not absolute but rather a pathway toward more insightful learning and therefore continued success.

Don’t be intimidated by giants. Entering into a market with Nike, Puma, Adidas and Under Armour as the top brands isn’t for the faint of heart much less a weak product. To distinguish itself amidst global competition, Sivil brings three unique factors that distinguish it from industry goliaths:

• Chemically free fabric development technology
• Scientifically engineered fibers so colors don’t fade
• 100% eco-friendly

The results speak for themselves: Sivil outperformed its competitor in every category including saturation, drying power and many others that I don’t have notes for but know exist (view the rest here).

There’s no such thing as weakness, only opportunities to develop. Trying to be taken seriously as a new kid on the performance apparel block won’t be easy. However, the lack of awareness from a competitor perspective also serves as a Sivil advantage. After all, it was Sun Tzu who once said, “In chaos, there is opportunity,” which is another way of saying that the very absence of certainty affords the very opportunity to forge it.

Will’s outgoing message: expect success. Leverage your relationships and the people who know and support you, and don’t waiver against the face of adversity.  The wave of uncertainty is but a temporary storm.