The contrarian’s double-edged sword

Hey everybody,

Being contrarian is sexy in business.

Do the opposite of the herd, and you’ll stand out. Charge when others discount. Simplify when others complicate. Buck convention, and suddenly you’ve got oxygen no one else is breathing.

CrossFit is one of the best examples of this playbook. But it’s also the worst.

Let’s do it.

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Here’s the gist of the Crossfit story: Greg Glassman and Lauren Janai launched CrossFit in 2000 by flipping the entire fitness industry on its head. They did everything differently:

It worked. 

For a while, doing the opposite yielded 15,000 affiliates, millions of members, and a $150 million Reebok deal. 

But being so contrarian also set them up for a fall.

Going against the grain gave CrossFit three unfair advantages.

First, free attention. Being the anti-gym made for a powerful identity. Nobody bragged about joining 24 Hour Fitness, but CrossFitters wore their loyalty on their sleeves (literally, with branded tees). I have quite a few of them still!

Second, speed. The licensing model let them expand faster than franchises (which are highly regulated) ever could. Operators could pay a few thousand bucks, pass a test, and get started right away.

Third, tribe. People craved belonging in the 2000s, as “third places” like church attendance cratered. CrossFit boxes filled that gap, powered by contrarian rituals: odd lingo, punishing workouts, competitions for “the fittest on Earth.”

Now, that doesn’t mean these aren’t durable advantages. 

If you’re building today, being contrarian is still a great angle. Do the opposite, and you’ll get noticed.

But there are plenty of downsides.

But here’s the catch: being a contrarian works until it doesn’t.

CrossFit’s low barriers to entry eventually eroded quality. Some boxes thrived. Others were disasters. Injuries mounted, and suddenly “extreme” looked less badass and more reckless.

Competitors like OrangeTheory and F45 borrowed the appeal of intense group fitness while skipping the downsides. CrossFit’s open-source growth made it hard to police its own brand, while franchises enforced standards. 

(By the way: CrossFit’s licensing model had no territorial protection — anyone could open a box anywhere. Great way to turn a killer location into 2 crappy ones.)

And worst of all, founder Greg Glassman turned into a liability. His refusal to play nice, his public denial of COVID, and his public comments on George Floyd’s murder (to name a few) torched the brand’s reputation. The same edge that powered the rise became a liability.

Because here’s the problem: being contrarian isn’t the endgame. It’s just the spark. You still need discipline, quality control, and eventually, some level of conformity to scale.

Here’s the sweet spot to aim for:

The companies that thrive long-term (Tesla, Southwest, Costco) know when to toggle between the rebel and the grown-up. CrossFit never made that switch.

And of course, some businesses don’t need to be contrarian at all. 

In markets where customers crave predictability, being “boringly excellent” can be the ultimate differentiator.

Nobody wants a contrarian plumber. 

(By the way: this is a deeper dive into my YouTube video on the Crossfit story - you can watch that here!)

Thanks for reading!

Where’s your business at on the contrarian-to-boring scale? How’s that working for you? 

Michael

P.S. If you’re a business leader, you need a high-agency right hand person. That’s a Chief of Staff. I’m hosting a free talk with my Chief of Staff Robyn Smith next Friday, all about how we work together and how to find a great CoS for yourself. Sign up here!