What My Dad Taught Me About Breaking the Rules (and Why It Worked)

Jun 16

JUNE, 16 2025

Transformation doesn’t come from bold talk, it comes from quietly challenging what’s always been done, being willing to go first, staying the course and trust the results will follow, even when no one else sees it.

Look at where you're just following the script, and ask if it's time to rewrite it.

When you grow up in a multi-generation family business, “this is how we’ve always done it” becomes kind of expected. Especially when that business is grocery retail, an industry not exactly known for embracing wild innovation between aisle 4 and the frozen peas.

So imagine the reaction when my Dad decided to blow up the status quo.

This was back when “loyalty programs” were mostly something airlines and your punch card at the sandwich shop offered. No grocer in the U.S. had done it yet. But my dad had an idea: What if we used tech to create a loyalty program that actually rewarded people for coming back?

The board said it was unnecessary. Customers said it was weird. The tech team said it was too hard to do what he wanted to do.

And Dad said: “Let’s do it anyway.”

Spoiler: It worked.

Not right away. At first, some people thought they were being tracked by the FBI. And one woman called customer service in a rage about finding her card. And there were issues with the tech.

But eventually, the results were undeniable:
Higher retention.
Increased profitability.
A competitive edge in one of the most cutthroat grocery markets in the U.S.

And behind it all was a quiet, relentless kind of courage, the kind that doesn’t need fanfare, just follow-through.

Turns out, Dad was onto something. Research from McKinsey shows that organizations that break out of industry norms through “first-mover” innovation are 2X more likely to see long-term revenue growth. My dad didn’t have the McKinsey report. He had gut instinct, a whiteboard, and a belief that sometimes you have to do something different than how you’ve always done it.

I’ve spent years now working with leaders, sales teams, and innovators. I’ve stood on big stages talking about how discomfort leads to growth. But that seed was planted way back when I watched my dad work with people stuck in yesterday, and calmly pitch tomorrow.

I learned that:

Disruption isn’t loud, it’s consistent.
Change will always be misunderstood at first.
If everyone gets it right away, it’s probably not innovation.
Pushback is often a sign you're headed in the right direction.

And maybe most importantly: Sometimes you just have to be willing to go first.

So this Father’s Day, here’s to my dad and everyone that goes first. It’s an act of courage the world needs.

Key Idea

Growth often requires challenging the status quo. Transformation doesn’t come from bold talk, it comes from quietly challenging what’s always been done, being willing to go first, staying the course and trust the results will follow, even when no one else sees it.

Takeaway

Look at where you're just following the script, and ask if it's time to rewrite it.

Build your Movement

Where in my work or life am I playing it safe by sticking to what’s always been done, when I know there’s a better way?