#703 embrace it

Over the weekend, the owners of an obscure company became famous.  Ever heard of DAP Racing before Saturday?  Unless you are a thoroughbred aficionado, I doubt it.  But the (one and only) horse owned by this duo won the Kentucky Derby on Saturday.

DAP Racing is the legal entity that owns California Chrome, the colt that has America talking.  DAP is an acronym for Dumb Ass Partners, so named after a trainer shared that sentiment about their foray into racing.  Their silks even include an image of a donkey.

Instead of second guessing themselves after the taunts they received when breeding a $8,000 mare to a $2,500 stallion, partners Perry Martin and Steve Coburn embraced the doubt.  They believed in themselves, their 77-year old trainer (the oldest to win the Derby) and their California-bred racehorse.

DAP Racing is not the only one to turn taunts into their tagline.  Rock band Led Zeppelin took on its name after former members of the band suggested that a group without them would "go down like a lead balloon".  The remaining musicians changed the spelling of lead to led so that it would not be pronounced 'leed' and modified balloon to zeppelin.  The band went on to become one of the most successful and influential groups in history.

As you or your organization take risks, you may be faced with doubters or even question yourself.  Take a lesson from DAP Racing and Led Zeppelin and be fearless in pressing forward anyway.

-- beth triplett
leadershipdots.blogspot.com

@leadershipdots
leadershipdots@gmail.com

Sources:  

Fairy tale finish by Beth Harris for the Associated Press in the Telegraph Herald, May 4, 2014, p. 1C
Led Zeppelin from Wikipedia  en.wikipedia.org