I have been following the Sam Darnold story since he graduated from San Clemente High School in 2015 and enrolled at USC as the #13 ranked quarterback entering college that autumn. Interestingly, Joe Burrow (#15) and Lamar Jackson (#18) were ranked below him in the same class (https://247sports.com/season/2015-football/recruitrankings/?InstitutionGroup=highschool&PositionGroup=QB). Three years later in the spring of 2018, Sam Darnold was drafted #3 by the New York Jets (https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/rounds/_/season/2018) behind Baker Mayfield who went #1 and ahead of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in the first round. Sam’s talent as a quarterback was never in question. His road to greatness was uphill and difficult, but as of Super Bowl 60, he has lifted a Super Bowl championship trophy in victory (https://www.seahawks.com/news/sam-darnold-is-a-super-bowl-champion-quarterback-that-s-something-you-can-t-take-from-him) and Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen have not. I love a good success story where adversity was overcome and Sam Darnold’s is a good one. I am pleased to say I witnessed parts of it from games at Husky Stadium to Lumen Field.
The Sam Darnold story is a good example to study for those with entrepreneurial dreams.
Many people dream of being entrepreneurs. The playing field for entrepreneurship is available to all equally in America regardless of ethnicity, national origin, religion, economic class, or gender. A much smaller percentage have the ability to execute on a vision, put in the work necessary to be successful, and are willing to risk the resources required to reach the critical velocity required to achieve profitability and long-term viability.
The reality is that 20% of business owners fail in their first year and almost 50% fail by year five (https://www.commerceinstitute.com/business-failure-rate/). After his third year, the New York Jets gave up on Sam Darnold, after his 5th year so did the Carolina Panthers. The next year he essentially interned with the San Francisco 49ers passing for less than 300 yards in the whole season (https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/3912547/sam-darnold). However, talent and perseverance won out in the end with him leading his team to a Super Bowl championship. Sam Darnold truly has the heart of a champion. A similar heart and belief in yourself is necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. When no one else believes in you, you will need to believe in yourself.
All successful business owners have experienced years where they underperformed, made bad business decisions, did not set up employees for success, and overextended themselves financially. Those that learn from their experiences improve, evolve, and achieve positive outcomes. They are the business owners that people want to work for, customers wish to buy products and services from, financially prosper, and lead and contribute to our communities.
IBA has proudly served as a resource and professional advisor to the entrepreneurial communities of Washington & Oregon since 1975. Business has been called the “ultimate competitive sport”. It is both rewarding and unforgiving. Serving the region out of our ten offices, we have helped over 4400 business owners sell their privately held companies and family businesses in exits that have often produced tears from them, their employees, and customers at the conclusion of a period of championship level seasons. It is an honor and a pleasure for us to help entrepreneurs sell companies to retire with the ability to be comfortable, secure, achieve their legacy objectives, and continue philanthropy in their communities. We also welcome the opportunity to support the next generation of entrepreneurs through facilitating best practice sales with integrity of quality businesses.
Sam Darnold did not fulfill his destiny of becoming a Super Bowl winning quarterback without traversing difficult chapters of his life. Entrepreneurs do not dominate market share, increase revenues, achieve financial prosperity, and feel personally fulfilled without days in the rain and advancing through the mud. I think the great Arthur Ashe summarized it well when he said,
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
IBA wishes all success in the pursuit of their dreams. We hope you get to look down from the top of the mountain with a smile on your face like the 2025-26 Seattle Seahawks and Sam Darnold. If you are ready to exit as champion, give us a call. We are ready to go to work for you and find a quality successor for the helm of your ship.
IBA, the Pacific Northwest’s premier business brokerage firm since 1975, is available as an information resource to the media, business brokerage, mergers & acquisitions, and real estate communities on subjects relevant to the purchase & sale of privately held companies and family businesses. IBA is recognized as one of the best business brokerage firms in the nation based on its long track record of successfully negotiating “win-win” business sale transactions in environments of full disclosure employing “best practices”.