Why Every CI Pro Needs a Can of Bear Spray

Over the years, my travels have taken me to some incredible places — I’ve sweated through rooftop meetings in Singapore’s humid heat and stood in awe inside the towering pyramids of Egypt. But despite all my international mileage, there are still some iconic U.S. destinations I haven’t explored.

That’s about to change.

My wife Jennifer and I are heading out to Wyoming, home to sweeping landscapes, geysers that shoot to the sky, and wildlife that, frankly, could eat me. We’re finally checking off Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful, Grand Teton, and other postcard-worthy spots the state has to offer.

And yes — we’ll be picking up some bear spray after we arrive.

Because as the signs (and every ranger, blog, and terrified tourist) remind you:

“Yellowstone is Bear Country.”

To be honest, I’m thrilled… and a little freaked out. I’ve been told the old wilderness saying:

“If it’s brown, lie down. If it’s black, fight back.”

That does not ease my anxiety. Because what if it’s really dark brown? Or if I panic and do both?

But this fear-induced bear prep got me thinking bear spray is a lot like competitive intelligence (CI). It could save your hide.

So much of what we talk about in CI is about opportunity — finding whitespace, enabling innovation, influencing strategic growth. But the flip side, the often-overlooked side, is protecting the business from risk.

Just like my bear spray, CI is a just-in-case essential. It’s not optional!

It equips us to face what we didn’t see coming:

• A new market entrant
• A margin-eroding pricing shift
• A competitor who suddenly grows fangs and claws

So before I head out into the wild, here are…

3 CI Lessons from the Land of Bears and Geysers:

1. Don’t Just Prepare for Growth — Prepare for Threats

You wouldn’t hike Yellowstone without bear spray (I hope), so why build your strategy without thinking about worst-case scenarios? Map out potential disruptions just as thoroughly as you do opportunities.

2. Stay Alert to the Signals

Bears usually give signs — paw prints, broken branches, or that low guttural growl. Your competitors do the same. CI pros need to track weak signals like key hires, shifting product messaging, or channel activity. These clues can warn you before the attack.

3. Train Your Team Before Trouble Strikes

Bear spray won’t help if you don’t know how to use it. Likewise, CI insights are useless if your team doesn’t know how to interpret or act on them. Equip your stakeholders with the training and scenarios they need to use CI in real-time.

So here’s to new adventures — in the mountains and in the markets. If you don’t see me posting in the coming weeks, I may be off-grid…or getting hiking tips from a bear named Carl.

But assuming I make it back (with all limbs intact), I’ll have new perspectives to share.

Until then: Stay alert. Stay strategic. And pack your (competitive) bear spray.