Precision Beats Power
Why smaller, sharper, and more focused always beats big, bloated, and distracted.
Let’s set the politics aside for a second. It doesn’t matter if you love Elon Musk or can’t stand him. The announcement the newly-formed America Party—and the strategy behind it—is worth paying attention to.
In his announcement post, Musk said the way he plans to “crack the uniparty system” is by doing what Epaminondas did to the Spartans in 371 BCE at the Battle of Leuctra:
“Extremely concentrated force at a precise location on the battlefield.”
That line caught my attention.
Because in a world obsessed with size, scale, and saturation, this idea—precision over power—feels downright radical. And oddly familiar. At B:Side, we don’t have the size of some of our competitors. But we’ve outperformed more than a few of them. Same goes for any small, nimble team trying to compete in a rigged game.
The Battle of Leuctra gives us the blueprint. Let’s break it down.
The Myth of the Unbeatable Spartan
Before Leuctra, the Spartans were undefeated for over a century. They were the boogeyman of ancient Greece—disciplined, brutal, and massive. If they showed up, you lost. That was the story.
But stories get old. Especially when they aren’t true anymore.
By 371 BCE, Sparta was stretched thin. They still had the brand, but they didn’t have the edge. Thebes, a rising city-state, saw the cracks. And Epaminondas—one of history’s most underrated tacticians—was ready to exploit them.
He knew his army was smaller. Less experienced. Outnumbered. So he changed the game.
Stack the Left. Hit Hard. Break the Line.
Instead of spreading his forces evenly across the field like everyone else, Epaminondas did something insane: he packed his strongest warriors—led by the Sacred Band—50 men deep on the left wing. Not in the center. Not across the field. Just one wing. One spot.
He was betting the whole battle on that point.
Why? Because that’s where the Spartan king was. That’s where their elite soldiers were lined up. That was the heart of the Spartan force.
So Epaminondas concentrated everything he had on that one point—like a scalpel, not a sledgehammer.
And it worked.
The Spartans collapsed. Their king was killed. Their formation shattered. And with that, a myth died on the field.
The Power of Precision in a Bloated World
Musk is taking a similar approach with the America Party. Not trying to win everything. Not building a national machine. Just targeting a few Senate and House races where the margins are razor-thin. The political equivalent of hitting the Spartan right flank.
It’s not a new idea. It’s just been forgotten.
We see this all the time in business. Big companies try to dominate every category. They chase scale and lose sight of leverage. They bloat. They get slow. Meanwhile, small teams—if they’re sharp—can find the one spot the big guys are vulnerable. And if they hit it hard enough, things fall apart.
Focus wins. Depth wins. Intentional imbalance wins.
Our Own Leuctra Moments
We’ve had our own little battles like this at B:Side. We’re not the biggest player in SBA lending. But we are one of the most active. Why? Because we know where to concentrate our energy.
We don’t try to be all things to all people. We don’t waste time on every shiny object that crosses our path. We focus on the places where we can matter most—on the left flank, if you will.
Whether it’s building out our CDFI strategy, launching our own tech, or going deep with relationships instead of spreading ourselves thin, the lesson holds: concentrated force at a precise location.
This is why small, elite teams can win against much larger forces. They don’t waste motion. They can focus, adapt, and strike where it counts. The bigger the opponent, the more blind spots they tend to have.
What Leaders Should Take from This
You don’t have to be running a third-party political campaign or a startup taking on J.P.Morgan to learn from the Battle of Leuctra. You just need to understand the core principle:
You don’t need more. You need sharper.
Here are a few places leaders get this wrong:
1. Trying to fix everything at once.
You spread your team thin. Everyone’s a little busy, a little involved, and a lot ineffective. Stop. Pick one thing that actually moves the needle and go all in.
2. Chasing consensus over conviction.
Epaminondas had to convince six other generals to back his plan. Not everyone saw the vision. That’s fine. You’re the leader. Make the call. Own the risk. Be the one who chooses where to strike.
3. Mistaking activity for strategy.
The Spartans showed up with more troops, more experience, and more muscle. Didn’t matter. Thebes had a better plan. Focus is strategy. Activity is just noise.
The Modern Application: More Isn’t Better, Better Is Better
Let’s take this beyond politics and ancient battles. Think about your business. Your team. Your calendar. Your product.
Where are you playing wide instead of deep?
Where are you following the traditional formation because it’s what everyone does?
And where could you—today—pick one spot to concentrate your force?
It might be:
One deal you have to close.
One internal initiative that needs your best people.
One underperforming region where a small change could unlock growth.
One customer segment that actually fits, instead of chasing everyone with a pulse.
The instinct to do more, be everywhere, and cover your bases is natural. But it’s also the fastest way to lose. That’s how bloated organizations die. That’s how leaders burn out.
Instead, go 50 men deep on your left flank. Find your Leuctra.
Final Thought: Courage Makes the Strategy Work
Let’s not forget what Epaminondas was really doing. He was breaking rules. His own allies thought he was nuts. If the plan failed, he’d be a footnote. But it didn’t fail. Because he saw the field clearly. And he was willing to bet everything on a better way.
That takes courage.
It’s easy to admire the strategy after it works. But the hard part is committing to it before it does. That’s where leadership lives—in the gap between conviction and confirmation.
So, whether you’re running a company, leading a team, or trying to break through a stagnant industry, remember:
You don’t need more people.
You don’t need more money.
You don’t need more time.
You need a better plan. And the guts to follow it.
So pick your spot. Stack your left. And hit it hard.
Because sometimes the way to topple giants is not to match their size…It’s to aim for the one spot they didn’t think you’d dare to touch.