This week, I witnessed something extraordinary in Charlotte. The Savannah Bananas brought their “Banana Ball” to Bank of America Stadium, selling out with 75,000 people each night for two consecutive evenings. What makes this remarkable is that Jesse Cole, the founder of the Savannah Bananas, was one of our first guests on the Anything But Typical podcast back in early 2020.
When Jesse first appeared on our show, the Savannah Bananas had only been around for a couple of years, and not many people knew about them. He rolled in wearing his signature yellow tux, and I remember thinking, “Who is this guy?” Little did I know I was meeting one of the most innovative leaders in sports entertainment.
The Power of Asymmetrical Leadership
Jesse’s success story reminds me of another asymmetrical leader, Graham Weaver, founder of Alpine Investments. I recently listened to Weaver’s 33-minute address to the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His story, while different in industry, shares striking parallels with Jesse’s approach to leadership.
From these two leaders, I’ve distilled four powerful lessons that can transform how we think about leadership:
- Do hard things – People see Jesse Cole as an overnight success, but he spent ten years with the Gastonia Grizzlies (a team most have never heard of) just outside Charlotte. For a decade, he experimented and focused on putting fans first.
- Do your thing – Be your authentic self. Don’t live someone else’s dream for you—live yours.
- Do it over decades – This is where many fail. True success requires persistence and a long-term vision.
- Pursue your dream and make it happen – Jesse had a vision in his heart to create something unprecedented, drawing inspiration from Walt Disney, PT Barnum, and the Harlem Globetrotters.
What makes these lessons so powerful is how they challenge conventional thinking about leadership and success. Most people look for shortcuts or try to copy what’s already working. Asymmetrical leaders take a different path entirely.
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The Yellow Tux Approach
Jesse Cole created something completely different with one core principle: fans first. His approach wasn’t just about baseball—it was about reimagining the entire experience. Now, the Savannah Bananas are such a phenomenon that I couldn’t even get tickets for their Charlotte appearance, despite over 200,000 people trying to attend.
What strikes me most about Jesse’s journey is his willingness to stand out. The yellow tux isn’t just a costume—it’s a statement. It says, “I’m not afraid to be different.” In a world where most leaders try to blend in with corporate norms, the asymmetrical leader understands that distinction creates value.
The Long Game
Both Jesse and Graham understand something critical that most miss: extraordinary success takes time. Jesse didn’t create the Savannah Bananas phenomenon overnight. He spent a decade experimenting, failing, learning, and growing with a smaller team before his vision fully materialized.
This patience is rare in today’s world of instant gratification. We want immediate results, viral success, and overnight recognition. But the most meaningful achievements—the ones that truly change industries—require years of consistent effort, often with little recognition along the way.
Your Unique Leadership Fingerprint
The most important takeaway from these asymmetrical leaders is this: both Jesse and Graham are definitely anything but typical—but so are you and so am I. Our uniqueness is literally proven by our thumbprints.
Your leadership style doesn’t need to mimic anyone else’s. In fact, your greatest strength as a leader might be the very things that make you different. The qualities others might have told you to tone down or hide could be exactly what will set you apart.
I believe the future belongs to asymmetrical leaders—those willing to challenge conventions, take the harder path, and stay true to their unique vision even when it’s uncomfortable. Whether you’re wearing a yellow tux like Jesse Cole or taking your own path to distinction, remember that your uniqueness isn’t a liability—it’s your greatest asset.