Conflict is part of the game, especially at the highest levels of business and investing. The question isn’t whether conflict will arise, but how you navigate it. Over the years, I’ve developed an approach that lets me resolve multiple conflicts at once while still coming out ahead.
1. Lawsuits
Big players often fold when real discovery begins. Behind the egos, many can’t withstand the pressure of transparency, just like John Wick’s enemies when they messed with his dog.
Once facts are on the table, reputational risk becomes far more painful than legal fees. That’s why discovery is such a powerful equalizer.
I also make it a point to inform mutual connections when someone is acting in bad faith. In today’s hyper-connected world, credibility is currency. Everyone acts like a “big boy” until the media gets involved.
2. The Cost of Conflict
Not every battle is worth fighting. Some drag out conflicts just to look tough, wasting time, money, and energy.
The smarter play is knowing which fights truly matter. If you can assess the value of conflict, choosing the ones that impact long-term positioning while ignoring the distractions, you’ll dominate professionally.
Most people burn out chasing the wrong conflicts. Play smarter, not louder.
3. Do I Ever Walk Away?
Never.
Time breaks everyone. Eventually, people slip up. When that happens, intel becomes leverage, and reputational cracks turn into full-blown losses in the court of public opinion.
You may win technically, but I win where it counts when LPs lose trust in you, when talent walks away, when your reputation can’t recover.
Think of Jay-Z saying, “Robinson Cano is coming with me.” That’s how I operate. I take your best people and I smile, LOL.
At the end of the day, conflict is less about who throws the hardest punch and more about who knows how to play the long game. Pressure, time, and perception always shift the battlefield.
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