Guiding Principles

To us, fortissimo is so much more than a musical annotation—it’s a mindset. To fully embrace this mindset and our mission, we are guided by the following core beliefs and principles:

Stay Curious. We never stop asking Why. Curiosity is our DNA; we are never satisfied with the first answer that presents itself. We encourage each other to dig deeper, look beyond the obvious, and find the nuance that underpins the more elegant solution.

The Best Ideas Win. A great mentor of mine loved to say “intelligence is randomly distributed in large groups” to mean that the best solutions are not the property of the biggest titles or the most years of experience. We believe great ideas and provocations can and should come from anywhere.  

Fit-for-Purpose. Prescriptive, one-size-fits all solutions represents a good chunk of what gives our industry a bad name. Context is everything. Benchmarks are as seductive and they are dismissed for not being perfectly relevant. We bring tailored insights based on decades working in, studying and advising businesses of all sizes across a wide range of industries. 

“Yes-And” Mindset. It’s the golden rule of Improv.  “No, but” prematurely kills the scene. The best insights and solutions rarely come from taking an “either/or” approach.  We challenge each other to explore the possibilities that come from seeing how two opposing ideas can both be true opens unforeseen doors.

The 54% Rule. Roger Federer won only 54% of all points played throughout his professional career.  But it translated into winning 80% of all his matches played. This just-above-average metric is the track record of one the greatest and most respected athletes out there. We remind each other to not let perfection at the point level distract from winning in the bigger picture.  And to have some fun along the way.