How To Strategize Ahead of the Midterm Elections
Separating signal from Noise to Determine What’s Best in the Face of Election Upheavals
Government’s power is supposed to be derived from its people. Does it feel that way anymore? After decades of caustic politics plus the increasing costs and complexity of engaging the government, far too many are disengaging and hoping someone else will handle the problems that affect us all.
It’s easy to become a one-issue voter, that is why the political parties constantly try to force us into a dogmatic loyalty to a particular issue. Despite their best attempts, the parties do not run our government and have no control over you and your organization's future. To that end, your politics are not your company’s, and if they are, that is a problem.
Too many Founders get stuck in the personal politics trap. Truly impactful and successful public affairs campaigns aren’t just built by your good intentions; they’re built over time, step-by-step with intentionality, preparation, and above all a willingness to build bridges and alliances.
Persistent problems aren’t a reflection of which party is in power, but who is benefitting from an existing structure. If you’re a disruptive tech or a startup, you are not a part of that existing structure. In order to change that and advance your own organization, this needs to change. Here are three easy steps to strategize for after the midterms.
Step One: Identify Risks and Rewards
Startups should assess where there is risk and conversely, how can your company benefit from a change in political control.
While larger corporations may not have liked President Trump’s trade talk, they certainly benefited from his tax law. On the other side, more established startups may not like President Biden’s tax increases, they’ll be able to leverage the Green Bank and updated infrastructure.
Step Two: Fail -> Iterate -> Learn -> Grow -> Repeat
Prepare to miscalculate and make mistakes. You’re an unknown commodity. However, this is where the greatest potential is for asymmetric results.
Engaging the government isn’t so different from pitching investors. It can be daunting, impossibly hard, thankless, and scary. From compliance, to vendors and consultants, the list goes on and on. I’ve experienced how hard it is to succeed, and just how easy it is to fail. However, if your startup is bringing new and life changing solutions, you’ll have to engage the government and you don’t get to choose the party in power. Smart incumbents know how to navigate shifting political landscapes, and if you’re going to reach your full potential, you need to, as well.
Step Three: Get Off the Sidelines!!
Leave your trigger warnings and pearl clutching at the door. You’re not going to agree with everything someone says, nor should you.
Regardless if the D’s or R’s are in charge, your company has goals it needs to achieve. Allowing the makeup of legislative bodies to determine your success or failure, is failure. Take your time, establish good initial conditions and a strategic outreach framework to continue moving the needle and gaining traction. You may have to collaborate with people in which you disagree on a particular issue, but your idea might be where you have synergies. The smart companies learn to adjust. For example, Meta employs just as many Republican lobbyists as Democratic ones. They de-risk, and look for opportunities wherever possible. So should you.
(BONUS) Step Four: Stop Waiting and Stop Kidding Yourself!
We hear this a lot, but to confirm, government is NEVER not functioning under normal circumstances. There is no mythical break where no government action is taken. We’ve seen Christmas Eve votes and a lot of regulations go into effect on New Years Day. You should’ve started engaging yesterday, not in 6 months when you think they’ll be waiting for you. Hint: they’re not!
Sound like you? If your startup is interested in learning more about how government funding works or how to get your startup funded at the state and federal level, you should reach out. We’d love to hear about your vision and help you make it a reality.