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The Playbook With David Meltzer

What It Takes To Lead For Decades

The Playbook With David Meltzer

David Meltzer, Entrepreneur.com

Entrepreneurship, Business, Careers

4.91.9K Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2026

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In today’s episode, I’m joined by David Abeles, CEO and President of TaylorMade Golf, and Adrian Rietveld, Senior Manager of Tour, to talk about what it really takes to stay at the top for decades. We get into the pressure of leading a dominant brand, why complacency is never an option, and how surrounding yourself with world-class talent changes everything. David shares how culture and values drive sustained success, while Adrian breaks down the importance of understanding individuals at the highest level of competition. We also talk about AI as a cultural shift, not just a tool, and how embracing technology can elevate both performance and people.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to Entrepreneurs the Playbook, and this becomes an annual event at the Masters.

0:04.9

I'm here with the executives with Taylor-made golf, the leading technology in golf for so many decades.

0:11.8

And it's purposeful that they are because they have great leaders like David Abelis and Adrian Rickville.

0:18.9

There we go, a South African leader here. Welcome, gentlemen, to the

0:22.4

playbook. Thank you. Thank you so much. You know, we were talking earlier about the pressure of success,

0:28.6

and I've been there, and I love the saying of the air is very thin at the top. You guys are at the

0:35.8

top. We saw your new video. Unbelievable, got the inside

0:40.5

scoop, the making of the sausage of success. But a lot of people don't know what it's like to

0:46.4

wake up every morning as a champion. And very few people, individuals know that, but even fewer

0:53.0

companies. Because think about it, there's only so many players on the tour, there's only so many NFL,

0:58.0

MLB players, and there's even fewer that are at the top for a consistent amount of time,

1:03.0

like a Tom Brady, for example.

1:05.0

Yeah.

1:06.0

But your company's been on top for decades, And I was curious where that secret sauce lies.

1:13.1

And two, beyond the secret sauce,

1:15.4

let's talk about the pressure of waking up every morning

1:18.2

with the number one, number two,

1:19.5

and number four player in the world,

1:21.1

decides the rest of the players as well.

1:23.6

You can't forgive the people that are number 11.

1:27.2

That's a pretty, some companies are based their entire company on people that are number 11. That's a pretty,

1:27.9

some companies are based their entire company on one player that's 11.

...

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