I am working on my next book as I write this. One of the privileges of being an author is you get to speak with extraordinary people from all walks of life.  Today was no different.

I spoke with pro-surfer Holly Beck, and what she shared with me about surfing (and business) just can’t wait for my book to be published. She told me about the shoulder.

When a surfer rides a wave, they look for the core of the wave, the shoulder.  All the power and energy is here.  To ride the wave, you need to stay on the shoulder. Riding up and down it, and carving left and right. If you get off the shoulder for too long you lose the momentum and wipeout or sink. If you stay on the shoulder, you get a ride of a lifetime.

Marketplace waves have shoulders too. It is that core community of loyal clients in the marketplace. The energy and power is here. You need to know who they are and cater to them. As they change you need to morph with them. You need to carve, twist and turn to always be on the shoulder. If you ignore the shoulder you will wipeout or sink into oblivion. If you stay on it, you will have the ride of a life time.