I’ve always been a bit allergic to the word “politics.” As founders, we want to believe that building a great product and delighting customers is enough. Unfortunately, as Bradley Tusk bluntly lays out in his book “The Fixer,” there’s an entire shadow game being played that can make or break disruptive ventures. Ignoring that game is a recipe for roadblocks, or worse – getting crushed by those who understand the rules even if they’re deeply unfair.
Key Takeaways
- Your Biggest Competitor Isn’t Who You Think: Yes, you need to obsess over customer needs. But entrenched industries, threatened by your innovation, will use the regulatory system as a weapon. Play defense early, or get blindsided.
- Politicians Aren’t Driven by Logic (Sadly): Don’t waste time with whitepapers or appealing to their better nature. Politicians care about getting re-elected. Period. Find ways to make their constituents LOUDLY support you, and you hold the leverage.
- The “We’re Above the Fray” Trap: Some founders think staying neutral, not ruffling feathers, is the safer path. It’s not. Incumbents will paint you as the enemy regardless, might as well fight for the future you want.
- Your Customers Are Your Secret Weapon: Uber’s playbook of mobilizing passionate users to pressure politicians should be in every founder’s toolkit. This is how you create grassroots support that regulators can’t ignore.
- Think Like a Challenger Brand, Not Just a Tech Company: Fighting for innovation often means exposing the absurdity of the status quo, shining a light on corruption, and not being afraid to get a little scrappy.
What I Found Most Surprising
Tusk’s chapter on the battle over worker classification laws (Handy vs. the unions) is a masterclass in the complexity of disruption. Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, the very solutions we propose have unintended consequences that create new enemies. It’s a sobering reminder that there are rarely easy answers when you’re truly changing the game.
Is This Book Right for You?
If you’re building a startup in a regulated industry (that’s most of us), or one that challenges existing power structures, consider this required reading. It’s blunt, sometimes cynical, but sadly, an accurate reflection of how the world often works.
Startups don’t just need a great product, they need a political strategy. “The Fixer” is the field guide for navigating that messy but necessary battleground
