What 20 Years of Ultimate Frisbee Taught Me About Digital Marketing, Leadership & Growth
For the past 20 years, I’ve chased a flying disc across fields, made impossible catches (and missed a few), and learned more than I ever expected—not just about the game, but about teamwork, adaptability, and strategy. Turns out, Ultimate Frisbee and digital marketing have a lot in common.
Here’s how two decades of Ultimate Frisbee have shaped the way I approach digital marketing, measurement, and growth:
🔥 1. Positioning is Everything On the field, knowing where to be at the right moment makes all the difference. The same goes for marketing—brands that position themselves well, anticipate customer needs, and deliver the right message at the right time win.
⚡ 2. Adaptability Wins Over Rigidity Ultimate is a fast-moving game—conditions change, opponents adjust, and you have to pivot in an instant. In digital marketing, platforms evolve, algorithms shift, and customer behaviours change constantly. Marketers who can test, iterate, and optimise on the fly—whether through performance marketing, SEO adjustments, or campaign refinements—are the ones who stay ahead.
🤝 3. Success is a Team Sport No Ultimate player wins alone. Success comes from trust, communication, and playing to each other’s strengths. The same applies to digital marketing—growth happens when content creators, data analysts, paid media specialists, CRM managers, and developers work together towards a shared goal. The best campaigns are cross-functional efforts, where creativity and analytics align.
📊 4. Play the Long Game & Measure Everything Not every match is won in the first few points, just like not every marketing campaign delivers instant results. Long-term success comes from consistency, learning from failures, and refining strategies. That’s why measurement is critical.
🎯 5. Fundamentals First, Creativity Next You can’t throw a perfect hammer or make a no-look pass without mastering the basics. In digital marketing, flashy campaigns mean nothing if you don’t have the right tracking, targeting, and messaging in place.
🚀 6. Test, Learn, and Iterate Ultimate Frisbee isn’t about playing the same way every game—it’s about learning from each match, refining plays, and adapting to new challenges. The same applies to digital marketing. No strategy is set in stone—every campaign should be tested, measured, and optimised based on data.
What’s a sport or hobby that has influenced the way you approach your career? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇
For the past 20 years, I’ve chased a flying disc across fields, made impossible catches (and missed a few), and learned more than I ever expected—not just about the game, but about teamwork, adaptability, and strategy.
Turns out, Ultimate Frisbee and digital marketing have a lot in common.
Here’s how two decades of Ultimate Frisbee have shaped the way I approach digital marketing, measurement, and growth:
🔥 1. Positioning is Everything
On the field, knowing where to be at the right moment makes all the difference. The same goes for marketing—brands that position themselves well, anticipate customer needs, and deliver the right message at the right time win.
⚡ 2. Adaptability Wins Over Rigidity
Ultimate is a fast-moving game—conditions change, opponents adjust, and you have to pivot in an instant. In digital marketing, platforms evolve, algorithms shift, and customer behaviours change constantly. Marketers who can test, iterate, and optimise on the fly—whether through performance marketing, SEO adjustments, or campaign refinements—are the ones who stay ahead.
🤝 3. Success is a Team Sport
No Ultimate player wins alone. Success comes from trust, communication, and playing to each other’s strengths. The same applies to digital marketing—growth happens when content creators, data analysts, paid media specialists, CRM managers, and developers work together towards a shared goal. The best campaigns are cross-functional efforts, where creativity and analytics align.
📊 4. Play the Long Game & Measure Everything
Not every match is won in the first few points, just like not every marketing campaign delivers instant results. Long-term success comes from consistency, learning from failures, and refining strategies.
That’s why measurement is critical.
🎯 5. Fundamentals First, Creativity Next
You can’t throw a perfect hammer or make a no-look pass without mastering the basics. In digital marketing, flashy campaigns mean nothing if you don’t have the right tracking, targeting, and messaging in place.
🚀 6. Test, Learn, and Iterate
Ultimate Frisbee isn’t about playing the same way every game—it’s about learning from each match, refining plays, and adapting to new challenges. The same applies to digital marketing. No strategy is set in stone—every campaign should be tested, measured, and optimised based on data.
What’s a sport or hobby that has influenced the way you approach your career? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 👇
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