A Lesson From T. Swift (whether you love her or hate her)
I’m endlessly curious about personal branding and how people scale...whether it’s a business, a career, or a creative pursuit. And right now, in a house with two young girls in our home, we’re very much in our Taylor Swift era. (pun intended) It was actually a conversation with some fellow full-time RV'ers that led me to pick up the HBR Taylor Swift strategy book. (It’s fine...not groundbreaking. But, it answered some questions for me: like why her success was so astronomical... while so many other equally talented artists plateaued.) Here’s what stood out the most and why it matters for founders: 1️⃣ She had a crystal-clear vision early on (honestly this is so rare at any age, but especially at 13) Taylor knew what she wanted long before the results showed up. She knew her vision for what she was building and her ideal role within it (the songwriter). That clarity shaped: - the partners she chose to work with - the opportunities she said no to - the patience she had during the early years (It was three years before she realized any real success and that was mainly because she waited for the right label partner to even exist as a viable business.) 💣 Most founders quit or pivot long before this point—not because they lack talent, but because they lack vision. 2️⃣ She chose the right partners...and then parted ways as she outgrew them Scott Borchetta and Big Machine helped her launch. (This was who she waited for.) Later, she outgrew them. This is normal. In fact, it’s all part of the journey. As you scale: - some partners/employees will grow with you - others won’t - and holding on too long can cap the growth to your next level 💣Scaling isn’t about loyalty at all costs. It’s about alignment at every stage. 3️⃣ She found (and owned) a blue ocean. Teenage girls listened to country music, but no one was singing to them. And record labels weren't focused on them as a target market. She identified a gap, then built her brand around it. Growth accelerates when: