A Lesson I Never Forgot

Early in my career, a leader I deeply respected taught me to look at business through the lens of a simple triangle drawn on a whiteboard during a 1-on-1 meeting.

His advice was straightforward: every successful partnership depends on three connected points working together. If one side weakens, the entire partnership becomes less effective and less valuable for the client in the center. 

At the time, I saw it as a lesson in leadership. I never imagined it would become one of the most influential ways I would learn to think about business.

Over the past two decades—working across sponsorship, sports technology, hospitality, premium experiences, and strategic partnerships and business development—I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate alongside professional sports organizations, universities, athletic programs, technology consultants, agencies, developers, corporate partners, etc. 

Regardless of the organization, the boardroom conversations are remarkably similar:

1. How do we create sustainable growth?

2. How do we strengthen fundraising and improve enrollment?

3. How do we create greater sponsor value?

4. How do we activate facilities beyond game day?

5. How do we generate more value from the investments we’ve already made?

They’re all vital questions. But as industry trends increasingly surface around these topics, I’ve found myself asking a different one:

What if the greatest opportunities aren’t waiting to be built? What if they’re simply waiting to be connected?

That question always brings me back to the triangle. Not because the original lesson changed—but because my perspective did.

Seeing the Triangle Differently

Over time, I’ve learned that every successful organization is constantly balancing three responsibilities, or “The Three Anchors”:

1. Organization: The mission, the people, the places, and the authentic story that make the institution unique.

2. Community: The people who believe in that mission—fans, students, alumni, partners, supporters, employees, and the local community.

3. Commerce: The sustainable value that allows the mission to continue growing through sponsorship, fundraising, hospitality, partnerships, and long-term investment.

Individually, each point matters. But the real opportunity isn’t just strengthening one side of the triangle in isolation—it’s intentionally connecting all three.

At the absolute center sits the most important stakeholder: The Client.

Whether that client is a prospective student, a donor, a corporate partner, a fan,  or a visitor, every decision should begin with the same question: How do we create a better experience for the person at the center?

When Organization, Community, and Commerce intentionally connect around that individual, they create a Point of Experience. 

Not simply a place. Not simply a building. Not simply another technology investment. A deliberately designed environment where people, purpose, and business value intersect.

Why This Matters Now

Across sports, higher education, corporate environments, and entertainment, organizations are being asked to do more with the resources they already have. Facilities are expected to serve multiple audiences 365 days a year. Sponsors want authentic engagement, not just passive logo placement. Students and Fans expect memorable experiences, not transactional touchpoints. Communities want to feel genuinely connected to the organizations they support.

At the same time, leaders are balancing increasing pressure to grow revenue, strengthen relationships, and demonstrate measurable return on investment.

I don’t believe those are separate challenges—they’re connected opportunities.

This isn’t simply my perspective. It is where the industry is heading. Across all verticals, leaders are rethinking facilities as connected ecosystems rather than standalone assets. The conversation has shifted from building more space to creating more value from the spaces we already have through year-round programming, authentic engagement, flexible environments, and experiences that connect people with purpose.

Where Advent Comes In

At Advent this philosophy aligns so naturally with how we approach every project.

We don’t begin by asking what technology should be installed or what square footage should be built. We ask how will one investment create value across the entire organization? 

When you begin asking different questions, you begin designing different outcomes.

Instead of creating isolated physical assets, you create connected ecosystems. Instead of designing for a single purpose, you design for many. Instead of building another space, you create Points of Experience.

A Different Way to Think About Growth

Working across sponsorship, sports technology, hospitality, and strategic partnerships has given me a unique perspective on how organizations create value. Each discipline measures success differently, but the organizations that consistently outperform don’t treat them as separate functions. They intentionally connect them around the people they serve.

That’s why I believe the future won’t be won by the organizations with the most assets. It will be won by the organizations that create the most connected experiences. When mission, community, and commerce come together around the client, relationships deepen, stories become more authentic, communities grow stronger, and business value follows naturally.

Shared purpose creates deeper relationships. Deeper relationships create more authentic stories. And authentic experiences create sustainable value.

Revenue is no longer the destination—it’s the evidence that you’ve created something people genuinely value.

The Connector’s Perspective

Steve Jobs famously said, “Creativity is just connecting things.” 

I couldn’t agree more.

Whether we’re talking about people, places, partnerships, technology, or ideas, the greatest opportunities come from seeing connections that others haven’t. 

And I do believe that’s where the greatest opportunities are today: not waiting to be built, but waiting to be connected.

That’s what a simple triangle taught me nearly twenty years ago. (Perhaps that’s why my nickname at  Advent is “The Connector”).