Run Your Own Race

From the start of Smart Dolphins, I’ve believed in keeping an eye on competitors without making them the center of our thinking. We were early in our market, so there wasn’t a lot of clear competitors and so I just naturally learned that our energy was best spent building something of our own, rather than chasing what others were doing. I’ve generally kept that attitude for 25 years.

That doesn’t mean we ignore the field – lots happens regularly. And healthy competition can be a net positive. It educates the market, keeps us sharp, and can often grow the pie for everyone. We’ve benefited from that dynamic and, I hope, contributed to it.

For me, competitor awareness means having a clear picture of who’s out there, how they’re positioning themselves, and any major changes. But it stops short of reacting to every move. I’d instead track the bigger forces shaping our industry: technology shifts, economic trends, evolving client expectations. Those are the tides we all have to navigate.

The pace of change makes this even more important. Chasing competitors means you’re already behind, and at today’s speed, that gap widens quickly. Agility comes from staying rooted in your own strategy, iterating fast, and learning in shorter cycles.

And when others appear to be copying us? It happens and I mostly take it as a compliment (with a mix of humility). I mostly take comfort in having good strategy, which is a mix of many things, not a single tactic. Copycats rarely execute with the same intent, depth, and mix – that shows over time.

Competitors will always be there, but the real test is whether we can keep anchoring back to our own strategy, our own values, and the work right in front of us.

What’s this 25/25 stuff about? 25 YEARS, 25 INSIGHTS – Reflections on Growth, Leadership and Resilience | Smart Dolphins IT Solutions Inc.