400. That is the number of different ways you could open a chess match. It is also the number of ways in which your opponent can respond. As the game progresses, the number of potential movements only increases. To spare you the math, let’s just say that “endless possibilities” in chess are not too far from the truth.
When you sit down at that checkered board, you’re not just sitting down with pawns and rooks, knights and bishops, a king, and a queen. You’re faced with 400 possibilities, but it all comes down to one choice. Suddenly, the game is a little more daunting. If you want to win, you need a strategy. If you want to win big, you need the Gambit.
The board is set, the pieces are in place, and the game has begun. Now, what will your next move be?
Making Your Move
Of the many opening strategies, there is one that stands out among the rest: the Gambit. If you play chess, or have had a Netflix subscription in the past year, you have undoubtedly heard this word, and more specifically, its most famous iteration, the Queen’s Gambit. What makes this move so interesting is that it is a motion in which one seeks to gain an advantage by sacrificing one of his or her own pieces. Whereas the loss of a piece in chess is already inevitable, a Gambit requires one to lose a piece willingly.
So what’s the advantage? How much success can possibly be gained by willingly giving up a piece? The answer is: much.
Amateur players of chess often see their pawns as inconsequential fodder in the way of the more “powerful” pieces (particularly as calling someone a “pawn” has become something of an insult). The Queen’s Gambit, however, makes a single pawn the piece whereby a player can take control of the center of the board, a position that can turn the tides of any game. By willingly relinquishing control of a single pawn, you could very well gain control of the strategic high ground and place a potential victory in your grasp.
The Chess Master And The Business Owner
So, what does the Gambit have to do with business? As a business owner, you’re sitting at the metaphorical chess board. You are, in fact, the chess master. This is where the distinction between the Business Owner and the Job comes into play.
Just as the chess master cannot limit himself or herself to the moves of a single piece, you cannot afford to engulf yourself in a single job when you’ve got an entire enterprise to look over. Just like any other human on this earth, you’ve got 24 hours in a day, and you’ve got to use them wisely. The pawn, the rook, the knight, and even the king and queen cannot see the board at large, but you can. Therefore, let the pawn do the job of the pawn, the rook do the job of the rook, and so on, so that you can watch and make the movements necessary to keep things running smoothly.
The Business Gambit
As the business owner, the pieces are in front of you, and so are the possibilities. Maybe you do have 400 potential opening moves. Maybe fewer. The point is that you need to go into this with a strategy and where business is involved, chances are your first move will be the Gambit. Remember that sacrificing your pawn in this sense is not abandoning it. Rather, it is to relinquish control of it so that you are free to make the moves that only you can make.
When you engage in “The Gambit” for your business, something remarkable unfolds: your enterprise begins to flourish. By relinquishing control of a pawn, you’ve effectively broadened your horizons. Your possibilities increase. The path to victory becomes just a little clearer. But your business is not the only thing that will grow; you will too. Together, you and the company you’re growing will become more self-reliant. The cogs will start to turn without you having to physically turn them yourself, giving you more freedom, and lightening your load until all that’s required is a little grease every now and then to keep it running smoothly.
To Run The Gambit Successfully, You Must Be Committed
The Risk And Reward Of The Gambi
You’ve heard the phrase, “You’ve got to spend money to make money,” right? In business, that is not just true but an established fact of amelioration. Often, it might sound counterintuitive, and the fear of throwing good money after bad is very legitimate. That’s why gathering data and making a strategy will help find the channels to make your Gambit an educated one, the result of which will lead to a freer schedule, more fulfillment in your work, and even increased cash flow.
This is not a work exemption. Part of having a strategy is sticking to it. Improvement is an ongoing process, not just an event. Keep in mind that in the gambit of chess, your opponent’s moves require responses, just as they must react to yours.You might find yourself making more than one Gambit before victory is fully yours.
That’s precisely why opting for an established marketing team is “The Gambit” worth embracing. By hiring one, the money you spend and the control you relinquish are directed towards giving you a greater grasp on the business you’re growing as a whole. What sounded at first like giving up power is actually giving you room to expand your capabilities and become more self-reliant. We know that because we’ve seen it happen.
Growth Outside Of The Comfort Zone
We’ve recently worked with a client who has grown her business from a seed. She was knowledgeable in her field, and she was yielding success. The checkered board was laid out before her, and she knew her pieces. But after a while, growth required more hands than two. To sustain growth and uphold the sought-after quality, she found herself compelled to initiate a strategic move—the gambit.
That’s when she reached out to us. It was a sacrifice she was making, one that would take her out of her comfort zone for a little while. But she was willing to relinquish control of her pawn in favor of greater control and an increase in quality. By making this move, she has gained the freedom to improve in her field, becoming better at what she does, while we are able to expand her control over the board. Checkmate.
Don’t Put Off Improvement
Not long ago, another client came to us. For years, he had a product that he believed in, but he found that by doing everything alone, his growth had stagnated. The moment called for “The Gambit,” where he entrusted us with control over marketing. By crafting a strategic plan and executing the calculated move—the gambit—based on the acquired data, we unearthed invaluable feedback. This feedback has been harnessed to propel his product’s visibility. Meanwhile, his workload has lessened, giving him more room to move and more freedom to focus on improving his business.
Your Board Is Set. It’s Your Move
When a parent hands the keys of the car over to their teenager, it’s a sign of trust. As a child grows, the parent takes on more responsibility, which encourages growth, self-reliance, and experience. These experiences have built up to the moment when that freedom, those horizons, have been unlocked. It’s the same way with business.
Just like the chess master who sacrifices his pawn to gain the board, just like the parent who finally hands over the keys, you, as the business owner, have the opportunity to make your opening move. 400 potential openings, and you get to make your choice. How liberating is that? We want to see you make the right choice. Which is why we extend this call to action: Are you ready to give up some control of your marketing to gain control over your company? Are you ready to employ “The Gambit” of marketing?
The board is set, the pieces are in place, and the game has begun. Now it’s your turn; make it “the Gambit” move.
