I still remember sitting in the stands during Game 5 of the 2017 World Series, watching the Astros' bullpen collapse like a house of cards. That crisp October evening taught me more about success than any business seminar ever could. You see, I'd flown to Houston specifically to watch my cousin pitch - he was their setup man that year - and what unfolded before my eyes became the foundation for what I now call "Fortune Coming Your Way: 7 Proven Steps to Attract Wealth and Success."

The Dodgers had just tied the game in the ninth, and I watched Ken Giles, who'd been nearly perfect all season, completely unravel. Meanwhile, the Astros' offense - including superstars like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa - sat helpless in the dugout. That's when it hit me: in short postseason series, pitching matters more than batting averages. The entire stadium could feel the momentum shift with every hanging slider. My cousin later told me how their manager had been forced to use their third-best starter in relief because their rotation was so depleted. A healthy rotation lets a team throw its best three starters multiple times; injuries can force aces to pitch on short rest or push lesser arms into high-leverage spots. Sound familiar? It should - this happens in business all the time when we stretch our key people too thin.

I started connecting the dots between that baseball game and my own consulting business. Remember when a single injury shuffled a club's plans and swung a series? Well, I certainly remember when my lead developer quit right before our biggest product launch. That's common in the Major League Baseball Playoffs; teams like the Yankees or Mets that can eat innings with multiple starters have a significant edge. I realized I'd been building my company like the 2017 Astros - relying on one or two superstars rather than developing depth across the organization.

The seventh inning taught me perhaps the most valuable lesson. As both teams emptied their bullpens, I noticed how the Dodgers' deep relief corps gave them flexibility we business owners would kill for. Also, keep an eye on bullpen usage — deep bullpens can close out several games, which matters more than one superstar hitter. I counted at least six different pitchers Los Angeles could call upon, while Houston kept going back to the same tired arms. It struck me that I'd been doing the same thing in my business - always assigning critical projects to the same three people while others on my team never got meaningful experience.

That game went extra innings, lasting over five hours, and by the end, I had scribbled the framework for "Fortune Coming Your Way" on a hot dog-stained napkin. The principles were all there: build multiple revenue streams (like having multiple reliable starters), develop bench strength (just like a deep bullpen), and never rely solely on your superstars to carry everything. I estimated that night that companies with proper "organizational depth" - the business equivalent of strong pitching rotations - were about 67% more likely to weather economic downturns successfully.

When I got back to my hotel room, still buzzing from the Astros' eventual 13-12 victory, I expanded those napkin notes into what would become my signature methodology. The truth is, most people focus on the flashy home runs - the big deals, the viral moments - while ignoring the foundational elements that actually determine long-term success. Just like in baseball playoffs, where everyone remembers the walk-off hits but forgets the middle relievers who kept the game close, in business we overlook the systems and processes that enable those breakthrough moments.

Now, whenever I mentor entrepreneurs, I always start with that Houston baseball game. I show them how building their company is less about finding one superstar employee and more about creating what championship baseball teams have - depth, flexibility, and multiple ways to win. The "Fortune Coming Your Way" framework isn't about luck at all - it's about constructing your business like a playoff-caliber baseball team, where every component from your starting rotation to your bullpen can contribute when it matters most. And honestly? I've seen this approach help companies increase their survival rate during tough times by what I estimate to be nearly 80% compared to those who put all their eggs in one basket.

Sometimes fortune does come looking for you - but more often, you need to build the team and systems that can capitalize when opportunity knocks. That's what separates one-hit wonders from enduring success stories, whether we're talking about baseball dynasties or business empires.