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This paper intends to describe examples of entrepreneurial growth and defensive strategies used by smaller firms against larger and aggressive competitors. It aims to focus specifically on the use of strategies of deception, which, for the purposes of this discussion, are defined as legal, but unexpected methods of pre‐empting or countering potentially harmful competitor actions.

These case examples of strategies of deception are drawn from two successful Australian firms, one from the horticultural industry, and the other from the petroleum retail industry. These cases are taken from a wider study of Australian entrepreneurs completed in 2009.

The two cases describe unique growth strategies that not only take market needs into consideration, but which are also designed to pre‐empt retaliatory strategies by competitors. One entrepreneur deploys a strategy designed to hide his success, giving the impression that his (very large firm) is only a very small family entity; the second entrepreneur takes this strategy further by completely hiding himself and his web of business interests from sight. This allows him to avoid aggressive competitive retaliatory behaviors. The strategies these entrepreneurs deploy are not unethical or illegal; rather, they offer a means of leveraging limited resourced firms against large, aggressive competitors.

These examples of strategies of deception are an extension from research originally reported in Pech. The case examples are valuable in their contribution to the study of entrepreneurial growth and defensive strategies, and provide insights into the means by which smaller firms can counter the presence of large and aggressive competitors.

This paper aims to present a number of important reminders and examples of oft‐overlooked managerial capabilities found to be useful in a variety of businesses.

This paper's “reflections on practice” are prompted by observations of kids in action – youth soccer. Combining those prompts with personal experiences drawn from over 30 years of working with business managers, and from a synthesis of over 100 contemporary business articles, 11 important bits of business wisdom are surfaced, explained, championed, and storied.

The paper presents 11 oft‐overlooked, under‐valued, subtle, bits of business wisdom. In addition, the usefulness of analogical thinking is demonstrated as observations from a non‐business setting spark insights and reflections applicable to business.

The field‐based bits of business wisdom presented here are immediately, broadly, and beneficially applicable across the corporate landscape.

Readers are provided with an engaging narrative, drawn from the youth‐soccer sidelines, that points to 11 specific business foci that can be embraced to broaden and deepen their managerial repertoires. Each of the points is embellished with numerous business examples…examples not often grabbing the business press headlines.