When Someone Tries to Cheat, It Makes You Want to Win Even More

We all grew up watching movies where the bad guys fight so dirty and cheap that ultimately the hero is forced to respond. Think The Equalizer, Taken, or John Wick – people minding their own business that were pushed to the brink, driven to extraordinary measures when threatened by those who went to far and played dirty.

The same dynamic exists in the startup world. Your team works tirelessly, disrupting an industry, and gaining traction. While startups don't do physical battle, ours is fought at conferences, with marketing campaigns, promotions, and sales tactics. All is fair out there - fighting to win new clients and create better outcomes.

Then, suddenly, just when things are working, an established competitor or regulator unleashes a legal threat. Nitpicky loopholes, unfounded claims, frivolous lawsuits – it's the business equivalent of a cheap shot aimed to cripple your company with distraction and legal bloodletting, not beat it fairly.

I've witnessed this firsthand. Archer and other prior startups were on the receiving end of such a tactics – a larger incumbent, feeling threatened, tried to bully us with a frivolous claim, hoping we'd back down.

When I vented to a friend and investor Adam Draper ? , he laughed and jokingly said (from the voice of the competitor):

"You're beating us at our own game, so stop please."

But here's the thing: when an opponent resorts to these tactics, it's a sign they can't win on a level playing field. It only fuels our determination to work harder, innovate faster, and ultimately win by delivering the superior product and experience.