Sometimes Growth Means Doing Less

There’s a moment in my latest conversation with Gene McCarthy that stuck with me.

Gene was leading the Michael Jordan Brand for Nike when he made a recommendation that sounds counterintuitive for anyone trying to grow a business:

Cut distribution by 50%.

The brand was everywhere. And that was exactly the problem.

More distribution had created more sales opportunities, but it was also weakening demand and diluting what made the brand special.

Gene’s philosophy was simple:

Mind share before market share.

If people don’t care about your brand, expanding your reach won’t fix the problem. Sometimes the better move is to pull back, protect what makes you valuable, and rebuild demand before chasing more volume.

It’s a lesson that applies far beyond footwear.

As business owners, we’re conditioned to believe growth always means more. More customers. More products. More locations. More revenue. More opportunities.

But sustainable growth is often about being more selective.

Which customers are the right customers?

Which opportunities strengthen the business rather than distract from it?

Where are you sacrificing long-term value for short-term revenue?

Gene spent his career helping build and lead some of the most recognizable brands in the world, including Nike, Jordan Brand, Reebok, Timberland, Under Armour, and ASICS. But our conversation wasn’t just about brands.

It was about the decisions behind them.

We talked about why he walked away after 21 years at Nike, what it takes to lead through difficult turnarounds, and why building a great company ultimately comes down to human connection and character.

Gene’s own story started long before the boardroom. Running gave him a path out of the Bronx and eventually took him to a 4:01 mile, just one second away from breaking four minutes.

That pursuit became a metaphor for much of his life and the inspiration for his book, Chasing Four: A Personal History of Work and Play.

One of my favorite things Gene said during our conversation was this:

“We don’t own this brand. Kids do. We just manage it for them.”

There’s a powerful leadership lesson in that.

Whether you’re managing a global brand or building a company you hope to eventually sell, you’re a steward of something bigger than the next quarter’s numbers.

The question is whether the decisions you’re making today are increasing its long-term value or simply increasing its size.

In this week’s episode, Gene and I unpack those decisions, the risks behind them, and the experiences that shaped his approach to business and life.

Listen to the full conversation with Gene McCarthy.

And if you’re building a business right now, here’s a question worth considering:

Are you chasing more market share, or are you building something people genuinely care about?

– Steven Pivnik