Growing up, sports were a huge part of my life. I played football, volleyball, and basketball in high school, and later fell in love with hockey as well. At the time, I thought I was just playing games and staying active. I had no idea that those years on the field and the ice were shaping the way I lead in business today. Looking back, I can say with certainty that sports taught me lessons no classroom could. They helped me understand teamwork, leadership, preparation, and the value of showing up for the people around you.
Even now, whether I am working with companies in health, wellness, consulting, or growing new businesses, I see the same patterns repeat themselves. The best teams in business succeed for the same reasons great sports teams succeed. And the mistakes I see in companies are often the same ones that cause teams to fall apart in a game.
Everyone Has a Role and Every Role Matters
One of the first lessons I learned from football is that no single player wins a game alone. The quarterback might get the spotlight, but if the linemen do not protect, the receivers do not run their routes, or the coaches do not make the right calls, the whole thing collapses. It is the same in hockey. You can have a star forward, but without a solid defense or a reliable goalie, the team will struggle.
Business works exactly the same way. A great CEO cannot carry an entire company. A top sales rep cannot succeed without marketing, operations, and customer service backing them up. When leaders forget this, the team starts to fail.
When I help companies grow, the first thing I look at is how well their people work together. Do they trust each other. Do they understand their responsibilities. Do they respect the value each person brings. Success happens when everyone feels their role matters. It creates unity, confidence, and a shared sense of purpose.
Preparation is Everything
In sports, preparation separates the good teams from the great ones. Practices, film study, conditioning, and drills all build the foundation that wins games. You cannot skip the preparation and expect great results. That is something that stuck with me as I shifted into the business world.
In business, preparation shows up in planning, training, and investing in your people. Too many companies wait for problems to appear before addressing them. They treat challenges as emergencies instead of preparing in advance. Great teams think ahead. They anticipate obstacles. They build systems, strategies, and skill sets long before they need them.
Whether I was flying an aircraft, advising clients as a financial professional, or helping companies build wellness programs, preparation was always the anchor. It builds confidence and reduces risk. It is the difference between reacting and leading.
Communication Builds Trust and Speed
Football taught me the importance of calling plays clearly. Hockey taught me the value of quick signals and constant communication. Without it, everything falls apart. The same is true in business. Teams that communicate openly move faster, stay aligned, and avoid costly mistakes.
I have seen talented companies fail simply because leadership and employees were not communicating. People worked in silos. Departments hid problems instead of talking about them. Small issues turned into big ones because no one said anything early.
Strong communication builds trust, and trust builds speed. When people know they can speak up, when they understand the strategy, and when they hear from leadership regularly, everything becomes smoother. It is just like a team that reads the play correctly and moves together down the field.
Adaptability Wins Games and Builds Strong Businesses
Sports change in an instant. A broken play, a turnover, a quick shift in momentum, or an unexpected power play can force a team to adjust fast. You cannot freeze when things go wrong. You regroup, you adjust your plan, and you move forward.
Entrepreneurs face the same thing. Markets shift. Clients change their minds. Technology evolves. Challenges hit without warning. The companies that thrive are the ones that adapt quickly without losing their focus.
During my time in aviation, adaptability was essential. Weather changed. Schedules changed. Aircraft issues appeared out of nowhere. Staying calm and thinking clearly under pressure was a skill that translated perfectly into business leadership. Sports taught me how to adapt. Aviation sharpened it. Business depends on it.
Accountability Strengthens the Entire Team
One of the best lessons sports taught me is accountability. When you miss a tackle or lose the puck, you own it. You learn from it and you get better. The same mindset applies to business. Teams that hold themselves accountable grow stronger, while teams that play the blame game fall apart.
Accountability is not about punishing mistakes. It is about learning from them. It is about being honest with yourself and your team. When leaders take responsibility, employees follow. When everyone commits to improving, the entire company rises.
Celebrate Wins and Support Each Other Through Losses
In football and hockey, you celebrate every win, whether it is a championship or a single hard earned victory. You also come together after losses. You look at what happened, support each other, and move forward as a group.
Business is no different. Celebrating wins builds morale. It motivates people and reminds them that their work matters. Supporting each other after setbacks builds resilience. It strengthens culture and loyalty.
Too many leaders skip the celebrations or ignore the losses. Great leaders do both well.
Final Thoughts
Sports taught me how to lead, how to follow, and how to be a part of something bigger than myself. Those lessons have shaped every company I have helped create or grow. Football and hockey taught me discipline, communication, adaptability, accountability, and teamwork. They taught me that success does not come from individuals. It comes from strong teams.
If you want your business to operate like a winning team, look at the principles that drive great athletes. When people work together, trust each other, and prepare with purpose, they can achieve more than they ever could alone.