When Danica Patrick, 22, qualified this year for the 89th Indianapolis 500 race, she became just the fourth woman to ever do so.
Fellow NASCAR driver, Robby Gordon, was up in arms before the race complaining that Patrick had an unfair advantage. At 5'2" and 100 pounds, Patrick is almost 100 pounds lighter than her beefier, male competitors, which some claim could lead to a 1 mph difference in speed over the course of the race.
"I won't race against her until the IRL [Indy Racing League] does something to take that advantage away" said Gordon. Of all the factors contributing to winning a race, a driver's weight was enough to cause one of America's most successful racers to wave the yellow flag at Patrick, an Indy 500 rookie.
I'm not a race car fan, but I know that winning the Indy 500, in which cars careen around the brickyard oval at speeds approaching 225 mph, requires more than a good driver and a souped up car--experience, a great pit crew, a flawless driving strategy, and a favorable pole position also matter a lot.
Sports analogies are so overused in business that I was tempted to let this one go, but it's just too good. Imagine what you could accomplish if you could find one differentiator, like Patrick's weight, that gave your business such an edge that your competitors cried uncle before the client got serious about choosing a consultant.
Every consultant and firm has the equivalent of the 100-pound advantage. It may be hidden in your ideas, insights, or innovative approach. But it's there, and clients want it. Combine that 100-pound advantage with the right experience, crew, and strategy, and you'll be a surefire winner.
Oh, due to some bad luck, and a driving error or two, Danica Patrick finished fourth behind Dan Wheldon, the 157-pound winner.
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