You are just like any of the guys who rode against Lance Armstrong and lost. Those guys – clean or not – lost to a world-class cheater. Tests and testers failed to pick up on the constant doping and blood-swapping in trailers on the side of the race routes. And, just like those guys, your competitors are doing their own form of doping to beat you. I know, because I’ve seen it.

I once considered representing a guy – a real charmer – who told me when his competitors’ engineers retired, he bribed them for product recipes. This guy – none too bright or decent – was a leader in his business, because he figured out how to steal research and development instead of invest in it. (He took a hike.) And, that’s just one example.

The threat from such awful competitors is the reaon you need both serious, careful regulations that set the rules of play and umpires calling strikes. Armstrong was able to bust the rules because he outsmarted the testers. And, just like the honest athletes who lost to Armstrong, you need referees watching for fair or foul play. It is the only thing saving you from a rigged race you cannot win.

(PS: By the way, I think today’s regulations themselves are horrible. Unclear, winding and mysterious.  Most regulations require teams of lawyers to discover and interpret the rules you must know. And arrogant regulators need to shelve their attitudes and adopt a mission to help people comply with the rules, rather than just catch them in traps. And, no I’m not saying anything inconsistent. The point is to facilitate fair business, not stop it in its tracks. You have a right – unmet but absolutely valid – to understand what you need to do to comply with the law. You and I must demand that regulations get stripped down, simplified and clarified. I’ll write about this later.)