--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not be scared of the incumbents." description: "\"Do not be scared of the incumbents.\" — Alexis Ohanian" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png" --- # Do not be scared of the incumbents. ![“Do not be scared of the incumbents.” quote by Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png) > “Do not be scared of the incumbents.” [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Do not fear established competitors; they can motivate innovation and growth. **In simple terms:** Don’t fear incumbents; use them as motivation. Key Takeaway Embrace competition as a catalyst. Themes competition innovation growth Mood determined energetic Type business motivational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - product launch - career advancement - skill development Key Concepts Disruptive strategy market dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What can you learn from the leaders? - How can you differentiate yourself? A Different Perspective Incumbents may have resources that are hard to match. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Incumbents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incumbents/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Scared Incumbents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared-incumbents-5173838/) ## Related quotes > [I want to be in an industry where the upstarts can grow and displace the incumbents, because that's why there's so much innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-want-to-be-in-an-industry-where-the-upstarts-can-grow-and-displace/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Hundreds of these companies I've seen since the beginning stages - including Dropbox and Airbnb - one of them has actually been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/hundreds-of-these-companies-i-ve-seen-since-the-beginning-stages/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Listen, Al Gore is a very tough opponent. He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/listen-al-gore-is-a-very-tough-opponent-he-is-the-incumbent-he/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's incumbent on the President to entertain. Clinton did a better job of it - and was forgiven for the scandals, incidentally. Bush is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-s-incumbent-on-the-president-to-entertain-clinton-did-a-better-job/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/this-is-the-day-in-which-god-s-most-excellent-favors-have-been-poured/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [And what terrifies me is that we're entering a phase where if you start to speak about this as something that can be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/and-what-terrifies-me-is-that-we-re-entering-a-phase-where-if-you/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [Ambition, and Covetousnesse are Passions that are perpetually incumbent, and pressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/ambition-and-covetousnesse-are-passions-that-are-perpetually/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [I think it is time we learned the lesson of our century: that the progress of the human spirit must keep pace with technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/i-think-it-is-time-we-learned-the-lesson-of-our-century-that-the/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Remembering is a noble and necessary act. The call of memory, the call to memory, reaches us from the very dawn of history. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/remembering-is-a-noble-and-necessary-act-the-call-of-memory-the-call/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [If a close examination of the evidences of Christianity may be expected of one class of men more than another, it would seem incumbent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-greenleaf/if-a-close-examination-of-the-evidences-of-christianity-may-be/) [Simon Greenleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-greenleaf/) > [I think that many citizens understand how our system works, or rather, fails to work, for structural reasons. But who has the capacity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/i-think-that-many-citizens-understand-how-our-system-works-or-rather/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church's missionary consciousness in recent decades, has been the growing desire of many lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/one-of-the-promising-indications-of-a-renewal-in-the-church-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [The President? Hmmm, I wonder who that might be? Could it be, perhaps, the sitting two-term incumbent of the same party holding its convention?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fallows/the-president-hmmm-i-wonder-who-that-might-be-could-it-be-perhaps-the/) [James Fallows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fallows/) > [In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elections-like-2008-just-are/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) ## More by Alexis Ohanian > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Everything is derivative. Everything is a remix, and we all stand on the shoulders of giants - a great phrase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/everything-is-derivative-everything-is-a-remix-and-we-all-stand-on/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Let's say you're all worried about student-loan debt and you need to have steady income. That doesn't have to be your everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/let-s-say-you-re-all-worried-about-student-loan-debt-and-you-need-to/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I'm probably the worst Silicon Valley insider ever. I don't hang out with Silicon Valley people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-m-probably-the-worst-silicon-valley-insider-ever-i-don-t-hang-out/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Every founder has to delude themselves into thinking, "Yes, it's going to be big. It's going to take over the world."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/every-founder-has-to-delude-themselves-into-thinking-yes-it-s-going/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Love making jewelry? Awesome! Find blogs that inspire you, follow people on social media who have great taste, start an Etsy store, and borrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/love-making-jewelry-awesome-find-blogs-that-inspire-you-follow-people/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Hundreds of these companies I've seen since the beginning stages - including Dropbox and Airbnb - one of them has actually been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/hundreds-of-these-companies-i-ve-seen-since-the-beginning-stages/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Until we actually get legislation that protects our rights online, we will continue to fight against stupid, lobbyist-bought legislation. We want bills that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/until-we-actually-get-legislation-that-protects-our-rights-online-we/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I often think of a quote from entrepreneur Jim Rohn: 'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-often-think-of-a-quote-from-entrepreneur-jim-rohn-you-are-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Because it's so empowering, I want people to think about being entrepreneurial regardless. They don't have to start companies, but that's what makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/because-it-s-so-empowering-i-want-people-to-think-about-being/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [People want a remarkable experience; it's what they'll talk about, largely because the bar has been set so low by so many companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/people-want-a-remarkable-experience-it-s-what-they-ll-talk-about/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [My entire career has been built on the understanding that I am not only not the smartest person in the room, I am definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/my-entire-career-has-been-built-on-the-understanding-that-i-am-not/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [If I didn't believe in rooting for founders and investing in founders, I'd be a bit of a hypocrite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/if-i-didn-t-believe-in-rooting-for-founders-and-investing-in-founders/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I try to help founders as much as I can, but so many of us we won't even take meetings with people who still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-try-to-help-founders-as-much-as-i-can-but-so-many-of-us-we-won-t/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [The first version of everything is janky,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/the-first-version-of-everything-is-janky/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) [Explore all 113 Alexis Ohanian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## More Incumbents quotes > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elections-like-2008-just-are/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [The President? Hmmm, I wonder who that might be? Could it be, perhaps, the sitting two-term incumbent of the same party holding its convention?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fallows/the-president-hmmm-i-wonder-who-that-might-be-could-it-be-perhaps-the/) [James Fallows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fallows/) > [One of the promising indications of a renewal in the Church's missionary consciousness in recent decades, has been the growing desire of many lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/one-of-the-promising-indications-of-a-renewal-in-the-church-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [I think that many citizens understand how our system works, or rather, fails to work, for structural reasons. But who has the capacity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pogge/i-think-that-many-citizens-understand-how-our-system-works-or-rather/) [Thomas Pogge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pogge/) > [If a close examination of the evidences of Christianity may be expected of one class of men more than another, it would seem incumbent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-greenleaf/if-a-close-examination-of-the-evidences-of-christianity-may-be/) [Simon Greenleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-greenleaf/) > [Hundreds of these companies I've seen since the beginning stages - including Dropbox and Airbnb - one of them has actually been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/hundreds-of-these-companies-i-ve-seen-since-the-beginning-stages/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Remembering is a noble and necessary act. The call of memory, the call to memory, reaches us from the very dawn of history. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/remembering-is-a-noble-and-necessary-act-the-call-of-memory-the-call/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I think it is time we learned the lesson of our century: that the progress of the human spirit must keep pace with technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/i-think-it-is-time-we-learned-the-lesson-of-our-century-that-the/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [Ambition, and Covetousnesse are Passions that are perpetually incumbent, and pressing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/ambition-and-covetousnesse-are-passions-that-are-perpetually/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [And what terrifies me is that we're entering a phase where if you start to speak about this as something that can be understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/and-what-terrifies-me-is-that-we-re-entering-a-phase-where-if-you/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baha-u-llah/this-is-the-day-in-which-god-s-most-excellent-favors-have-been-poured/) [Bahá'u'lláh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baha-u-llah/) > [It's incumbent on the President to entertain. Clinton did a better job of it - and was forgiven for the scandals, incidentally. Bush is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/it-s-incumbent-on-the-president-to-entertain-clinton-did-a-better-job/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Listen, Al Gore is a very tough opponent. He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/listen-al-gore-is-a-very-tough-opponent-he-is-the-incumbent-he/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ Everyone, including the Athenians \[...\] are right to accept advice from anyone, since it is incumbent on everyone to share in that sort of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/protagoras/everyone-including-the-athenians-are-right-to-accept-advice-from/) [Protagoras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/protagoras/) [Browse all 105 Incumbents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incumbents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do not be scared of the incumbents.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexis Ohanian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Incumbents" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/alexis-ohanian-4303_incumbents_do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents-14438_1443845.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do not be scared of the incumbents.” — Alexis Ohanian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexis Ohanian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do not be scared of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/do-not-be-scared-of-the-incumbents/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```