How you talk about your competitors says more about you than it does about them.
By Andri Sadlak · September 5, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
How you talk about your competitors says more about you than it does about them.
Across the businesses I’ve built and advised…
I’ve never believed that someone working in the same space automatically has to be an enemy.
From a distance, a competitor can look like a threat.
Up close, you'll usually see another human carrying similar responsibility, uncertainty, setbacks, sleepless nights, and belief that a difficult problem is worth solving.
I genuinely respect that.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧: 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭.
𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.
Competition is healthy.
It raises standards, sharpens execution, and gives customers better choices.
The best work rarely comes from watching competitors.
It comes from being a little obsessed with your customers.
The better question is not:
“𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦?”
It is:
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?”
When someone in your space does excellent work, acknowledge it. Support it. Collaborate! When doing so elevates the industry.
Then return to building your own tower.
Maybe it doesn’t even need to be the tallest.
Maybe it just needs to add something nice to the skyline?
I've never wanted to be the only one standing.
𝐈'𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐤𝐲𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭.
💭 Think of one person in your industry whose work has raised the standard. Give them credit.
Here, or better yet, directly.
Who deserves some credit in your space? 👇👇👇