Military strategy offers powerful lessons for business leaders looking to outmaneuver competitors. Drawing on years of experience as both an Army officer and corporate executive, Scott J. Boulas has identified how tactical “raids” can help companies gather crucial market intelligence. The CEO of a medical device company believes that companies that study competitors and listen closely to customers can discover untapped opportunities, much like special forces teams operating behind enemy lines.
Thinking Like a Special Forces Team
“I’ve come to realize that a lot of the things I learned in the military really apply in business,” Scott explains. For those unfamiliar with military terminology, he breaks it down: “A raid is usually a very small group. It has a very intentional purpose—sometimes called a smash and grab.” Scott isn’t suggesting corporate espionage or anything unethical. His approach is much more practical: mystery shop your competitors. See what they’re doing right and wrong. Talk to their customers.
“This is a really novel concept that a lot of businesses get away from,” he says. “I’m not talking about an electronic survey. I’m talking about having a meaningful conversation with your customers.” These conversations often reveal opportunities that businesses miss—especially family-run operations that have done things the same way for decades. 
Finding Hidden Opportunities
Scott points to window cleaning companies as an example. A customer might say, “Hey, while you’re up there, I’d be willing to pay you to silicone caulk around my windows and seal them so they’re more energy efficient. I’m worried about water getting in.” Or they might ask, “While you’re up there, do you have a service that could you clean out my gutters?” Many business owners never think to offer these services, missing easy revenue opportunities right in front of them.
The business landscape is littered with companies that failed to evolve. “I’m old enough to remember brick-and-mortar stores called Blockbuster,” Scott says. At its peak, Blockbuster was “one of the fastest growing businesses anywhere in the world. They were putting up stores like Starbucks, one a week.” What happened? “Blockbuster expanded too quickly, never considered changing their business model,” he explains. “One of Blockbuster’s last acts to try and save itself was they made a play to acquire Netflix, and Netflix said no.” The rest is history. Blockbuster went bankrupt while Netflix transformed from a DVD-by-mail service into the streaming giant we know today.
Competing Against Industry Giants
For smaller companies trying to compete with industry giants, Scott suggests looking beyond the obvious strategy of undercutting on price. “I think the better answer is faster, better service, do something slightly differently,” he advises. “It’s understanding what their exploitable weakness is.” He points to local coffee shops competing with Starbucks. “Starbucks is struggling right now. They’re reinventing themselves. And a lot of smaller local coffee shops have done just a really good job of undercutting them and providing additional services like video games in the coffee shop.”
Scott sees customer service as a prime opportunity, especially in healthcare—his current industry. “It’s something I’ve been talking about and trying to change for 15 to 20 years.” A major issue? Doctors who barely look at patients. “There are some studies that show that they spend 90% of their time if not more in a patient’s record,” Scott notes. “They aren’t having real conversations.” But disruptive companies are creating solutions like voice-to-text technology that converts doctor-patient conversations directly into medical records—allowing physicians to maintain eye contact and human connection.
Scott is currently writing a book, exploring how military principles can help business leaders identify and exploit market opportunities others miss. Connect with Scott Boulas on LinkedIn or visit his website to explore more insights on applying military tactics to business success.
