The 2024 graduating class of Dartmouth College was fortunate to have Roger Federer as their commencement speaker. One of the greatest of all time, a true GOAT in the tennis world and all of sports, he was actually humbled to be chosen. It was only the second time he’d set foot on a college campus, so he was thrilled to be invited and given an honorary doctorate.

As I began watching his speech, I was struck by how well he personalized his remarks to the Dartmouth community, talking about the campus culture as if he’d been a student. He created an instant connection with the graduates by first walking in their shoes, then imparting valuable life lessons he gleaned on the court in order to help them walk in his shoes.

As his speech went on, I found myself relating to every lesson he shared—not only as an amateur tennis player and a devoted fan of the sport, but also as an entrepreneur who understands just how hard it is to achieve success. Here’s my take on this GOAT’s three key lessons learned and why they resonated as I reflect on building the company I founded 20 years ago this month.

Lesson #1: Success is never effortless.

Federer told the crowd he was often the subject of frustrating comments like “He barely broke a sweat” and “Is he even trying?” Spectators thought his play was effortless and his warmups a bit casual. But in reality, he had to work really hard to make it look really easy.

An experience early in his career underscored the importance of hard work, when an opponent claimed, “Roger will be the favorite for the first two hours, and then I’ll be the favorite after that.” The takeaway was clear: Any professional can play well for a while, but eventually your body and mind tire out and your discipline falters. It takes hard work, day in and day out, to compete at a high level over the long haul. Though Federer is an undisputed athletic talent, he credits much of his success to outworking his opponents.

I get it, Roger. As I’ve often said, I’m not always the smartest person in the room but I’ll always be one of the hardest working. I excelled in college on sheer determination, not because I was a naturally gifted student. I became an engaging speaker because I worked at it tirelessly, not because I was hard-wired with strong presentation skills. (I’m actually a born introvert.)

My work ethic and drive have always been among my greatest assets, especially in those early days before I had a full staff. As a marketing consultant, you ARE the product. But you’re also handling every other aspect of the business. And that creates constant, unrelenting pressure. Too many times to count, I sat in my office in downtown Doylestown, Pennsylvania working on a sunny Saturday or a holiday weekend, glancing out the window and watching people go about the fun parts of life. I turned down many a trip to the beach and lots of dinner invitations because I knew I needed to work extremely hard to get my business off the ground and keep it thriving.

As Federer told the Dartmouth graduates, “Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having grit.”

Lesson #2: Remember, it’s only a point.

Federer shared a startling statistic with the audience: He won nearly 80% of the 1,500+ singles matches he played. But he only won 54% of the points in those matches.

“When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot,” he said.

What a lesson for sports, for business, and for life! It’s an interesting perspective that can keep you from dwelling too much on any one loss or misstep.

When I look back on all the “points” in my 20 years running a marketing agency, I remember lots of campaigns that far exceeded their goals, wonderful new clients signed on, and great additions to our team. But there were also times when a project didn’t go according to plan, a client proved the wrong fit, or a new hire didn’t pan out.

If I traded all those lost “points” for gold, I’d have a fun little nest egg. But I’d rather trade them for valuable learning lessons, because each one has taught me how to be better and ultimately more successful at running Marketri. Sure, every lesson comes at a price—some financial, others emotional—but when you reflect on what you’ve taken away from those experiences, you find that what you’ve learned is priceless. Best practices and better ways of working often originate from mistakes and setbacks. You cross-pollinate the learning so others don’t need to figure it out the hard way.

But once you’ve incorporated the learning, it’s time to forget what prompted it and move on, so you have the energy and fortitude to tackle that next match. For me, that means spending time with family and friends, doing yoga, and taking my dog for a walk. As Federer said, “When you’re playing a point, it is the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point… and the next one after that… with intensity, clarity and focus.”

Lesson #3: Life is bigger than the court.

Federer spent decades playing singles matches on courts that measured only 2,106 square feet. But his world was so much bigger. As he told the grads, “Tennis has given me so many memories. But my off-court experiences are the ones I carry forward just as much.” He described a rewarding life filled with family, friends, travel, and community service. He sounded very much like a man who feels truly blessed.

I feel much the same way, even after two decades of the proverbial blood, sweat, and tears it has taken to found, grow, and lead a successful business. While I spent many days and nights at my desk, I always carved out time for life experiences off the court and I’m all the better for it.

I have fond memories of my work as a member of many outstanding Bucks County, PA organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society, Workforce Investment Board, and SPCA. I accomplished some good work that helped many people in the community, working alongside many talented individuals. Now that I’m firmly established in Maryland, I’m looking forward to getting involved in the new local community I call home.

I’ve also enjoyed meeting so many clients these past 20 years and getting to know so many of them personally. Some were close to home; others took me to places like the Philippines, where the wonderful team at Scrubbed introduced me to their amazing culture. Many of my clients have been entrepreneurs too, and I’m honored that they invited me to be part of their journey and their work families—and to actually shape their journey through marketing. When you help a successful family-owned company relaunch under the second generation of leadership or help a business celebrate its 100^th anniversary, it doesn’t get much better.

Listening to one of my favorite sports heroes speak, I enjoyed his “tennis lessons” off the court almost as much as I always enjoyed watching him score a match point on the court. It’s gratifying to know I’ve been guided by some of the same lessons as this much-revered GOAT.

---

If these lessons resonate with you as you navigate your own journey in business, let’s connect and explore how we can inspire success together.