If you’re a general sports fan or a casual NBA fan, you’re no doubt familiar with the league’s past and present superstars — Players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.

But unless you’re an NBA superfan — one of those insufferable dorks like me — you’ve probably never heard of Patrick Beverly.

While he’s currently a starter on a good team (The Los Angeles Clippers) and has been a starter on a couple of good teams, he’s by NO MEANS a star player.

• He attended and played college basketball at the University of Arkansas, decidedly NOT a basketball school.*

*A “basketball school” is an institution like Duke, North Carolina (UNC), Kansas (KU), Kentucky (UK), and the handful of other colleges and universities that the majority of top NBA players pass through on their path to the league.

• He was drafted 42nd out of 60 picks, which is deep into the second round of the NBA draft. (To provide a little perspective, only a small percentage of players drafted each year actually play more than a few years in the NBA, and precious few successful players are drafted in the 2nd round.)
• At 6’1″ and 160lbs, he’s not big (for an NBA player). Nor is he particularly fast. Or exceptionally gifted athletically speaking.
• He has not been, and likely, never will be, an Allstar.

Yet, among NBA general managers, coaches, and fellow players, he’s well respected.

He’s also one of those players that, if he’s on the team you root for, you LOVE him. Because he does the dirty work. He makes all the “hustle plays.” He’s constantly diving on the floor after loose balls. And wins all the “50-50 balls” (which are the rebounds that either team has an equal chance of securing). In NBA speak, he’s a master of the “intangibles.”

And if he’s on a team playing against the team you root for, you HATE him. Also for all the reasons listed above.

Why am I blabbing on and on about Patrick Beverly, this semi-anonymous NBA player?

Because most folks aren’t Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or LeBron James. Most of us are not born with a singular, otherworldly talent.

We’re just regular people doing our best to get by.

And the same is true for most business owners. For various reasons, we’re not necessarily in a position to reach “superstar” status in our given professions.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. Or that your business can’t excel.

How do you achieve success and reach for excellence in your business?

The same way Patrick Beverly succeeded in the NBA.

By making the hustle plays. Diving on the floor after every loose ball. Winning every 50/50 ball. And generally mastering the intangibles. Albeit in the proverbial business sense of those concepts.

Which could be interpreted as…

• Consistently marketing your business and selling your services.
• Focusing on generating new leads and working to nurture those leads.
• Taking care to keep in touch and foster relationships with existing clients.
• Making customer service a chief priority in every facet of your business.

Of course, these are only a few critical issues. But they rank among the most vital contributors to the success of your business.

In many ways, Patrick Beverly’s success is best expressed by my favorite concept of luck…
Preparation + Opportunity = Luck

No doubt, Beverly caught some breaks along the way. Right place, right time. A sympathetic coach that saw his potential. The right complement of teammates, whose skills and approach dovetailed with his. A team composition that suited his style of play.

But whatever the circumstances, whenever any of Beverly’s coaches have called his number, he’s always ready to play. And his results have proven this fact — As he’s sustained a 12 year (and counting) career in the uber-competitive NBA.

Similar to Patrick Beverly, we’ve all had breaks. Some of us may have had more breaks than others. And some may have had bigger breaks than others. But it’s not so much the frequency or size of those breaks. It’s how well we take advantage of these opportunities when they arise.

Want to Become the Patrick Beverly of Marketing?

If you want to see more leads, increased conversion, and a large share of repeat business rate, I can help!

So, let’s chat: 310.466.7893 | ryan@ryananys.com