To combat perceptions of favoritism, Colt McCoy's father, who was also his high school coach, intentionally held him back and set higher expectations. This forced McCoy to earn his starting position beyond any doubt, a process that built resilience and a powerful work ethic.

The single biggest lever for cold email success isn't the copy or sending strategy—it's the offer. Truly compelling, high-value propositions, such as fundraising for a fast-growing startup or an M&A inquiry, will inherently generate high response rates.

By not playing organized tackle football until 7th grade, Colt McCoy's anticipation and excitement for his first game were immense. This delay prevented the burnout common among children who start specialized sports early, making the experience more meaningful and cementing his love for the game.

At a University of Texas football camp, Colt McCoy discovered that players with scholarship offers were segregated onto a main field, creating a 'prize pony' group. This instantly established a clear hierarchy, forcing unproven players to perform exceptionally well just to get noticed by coaches.

The founders of Stamped emailed Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber's manager, pretending they'd be in LA the next day for a meeting. When he unexpectedly agreed, they immediately booked flights, pitched him, and successfully got Bieber to use their app, demonstrating the power of intense urgency.

To land a role at his target company, which repeatedly said he was too inexperienced, Jubin secured 16 other job offers. He then sent each offer letter to the hiring manager as proof of his value, a persistent and unconventional strategy that ultimately succeeded in getting him hired.

Succeeding NFL phenom Vince Young at Texas, Colt McCoy knew he couldn't match Young's physical gifts. He instead focused his energy on mastering the mental game—deeply understanding schemes, coverages, and play calls—to create his own unique and sustainable competitive advantage.

Beyond the standard offer letter, managers should tell new hires what unique qualities made them stand out in the hiring process. This simple act establishes their value, sets their identity within the team, and boosts motivation from day one. It's never too late to do this.

Boosters identified a short-term window where they could combine unregulated NIL money with future promises of revenue sharing, creating a unique, high-powered opportunity to attract top players before new rules settled in.