What Football's Struggling Teams Teach Us About Failing Businesses
West Ham and Spurs aren't just struggling football clubs — they're case studies in what happens when identity drifts and strategic direction blurs. Dom Geary draws the parallel for agency and media businesses.
As the football season wraps, the parallels between running a media organisation and a football club keep surfacing.
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur aren't just teams — they're case studies in identity drift.
What we're seeing now feels more like a tipping point — where unresolved issues finally catch up and become impossible to ignore.
From the outside, it looks obvious. From the inside, it often isn't. And that's exactly how it plays out in media and agency businesses.
It usually starts with a lack of clear strategic direction. Leadership teams begin to pull in different directions, priorities blur, and over time the market identity becomes inconsistent. None of it feels catastrophic in isolation — but together, it creates drag and confusion.
That drag builds gradually. Growth slows. Clients and staff churn increases. Internal friction rises. Margins come under pressure.
Eventually, momentum stalls — followed closely by reputation.
The fundamental questions become harder to answer: who are we, what do we stand for, and how do we actually win?
Those same questions sit at the heart of every media business. When they become hard to answer, that's rarely a late-stage problem — it's an early signal.
If a business feels like it's drifting, it usually is.
I help agencies and media tech companies cut through complexity, realign strategy, and focus on what drives sustainable growth.
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