Review of "Stadium Status: Taking Your Business to the BIG TIME," by John Brubaker

Review of

Stadium Status: Taking Your Business to the BIG TIME, by John Brubaker, ISBN 9781138636699

Five out of five stars

 The main point of the book is the goal of nearly everyone to play in the big time in front of large crowds, the meaning of the term “stadium status.” Nearly all of the players in business and sports dream of the day when they are featured on a major stage in their profession. In that respect, this is just another “rah-rah” book, one that talks about how great it feels when you reach stadium status and that most people can achieve it.

 However, the reality is that the masses simply cannot achieve that level. It is the old joke, common among statisticians if no one else, that it is not possible for everyone to be above average. To succeed at that level one must either be lucky or plan better than others, finding a way to differentiate themselves from what can be considered the pack.

 Brubaker breaks from other commentators when he openly advises people to cheer on their competitors. His rationale is that if you are not good enough now to get the gig, at least your profession is being successful and because of that you may have a chance to get it next time around.

 The best example I have ever encountered in this area is the story about the blue-chip high school sports prospect. Even though he privately made a verbal commitment to attend a specific college, he refused to make his choice public. When asked why some time later his response was that much of his success was due to his teammates and the longer he held out the more times that college recruiters would come to his games to see him and perhaps be impressed by his teammates.

 Another pearl of wisdom that makes this book valuable is the story of two clients that are the coaches of college sports teams. One is the coach of a major sport at a major university while the other is a coach at a small college. Each is envious of the other, seeing only what they consider to be the positive aspects of the other’s position and none of the downside. The small college coach would like the money of the university coach while the university coach would like the position in a small college where there is much less pressure.

 This book contains some of the best case histories that have ever appeared in a book on business management.