Waiting to Engage in D.C. Is the Most Expensive Mistake You’ll Make

By: Chris Durlak

Straight to the Point

A company’s success can put a target on its back — the smart ones show up in D.C. and engage with policymakers and regulators before they’re in the crosshairs.
Waiting until you’re under fire to engage can be a costly mistake that could mean the narrative’s already written, and it wasn’t written by you.
Corporate leaders should look to engage early, pick their battles, and make sure Washington hears their story before someone else tells it.

What We See

Success can make you a target. In those golden years of rapid growth — when the headlines are glowing, and the public loves your product — it’s easy to believe your company is untouchable. But that’s exactly when policymakers and regulators in Washington start watching.

This year, Microsoft, one of the world’s most valuable and recognized brands, is celebrating the 50^th anniversary of its founding. Bill Gates recently reflected on the company’s early days and discussed one of his biggest regrets: “I was pretty naive about not engaging in Washington, D.C. as soon as I should have.”

After a high-profile antitrust battle, Microsoft shifted course — dramatically. They invested early in rebuilding trust, embraced smart regulation, and worked to become known as the “reasonable” tech company in Washington, compared to industry competitors. That early engagement later paid off in goodwill, credibility, and better policy outcomes, even as their peers faced headwinds.

They’re not alone. Other high-profile examples include:

Google, watching what happened to Microsoft, wasted no time embedding itself in Washington. It opened a D.C. office early, built relationships on both sides of the aisle, and funded think tanks and research to help shape policy debates on issues impacting the company. For over a decade, that early investment bought Google time, influence, and insulation from major U.S. regulatory action.
T-Mobile, facing tough antitrust odds on its merger with Sprint, launched an early charm offensive in Washington — defining the narrative and shaping the terms of approval before critics could effectively mobilize.
The auto industry, staring down climate policy and emissions mandates, chose to collaborate with regulators instead of fighting them — leading to one national standard that gave them regulatory certainty and reputational credit.

These companies understood that Washington isn’t just where problems are solved, it’s where narratives are written. And by showing up early, they were able to help write their own story.

What it Means

Late engagement in Washington is like trying to make friends in the middle of a fight. By the time scrutiny hits, alliances have formed, public opinion has hardened, and narratives are being written without you. Rebuilding trust at that point becomes harder, slower, and far more expensive.

Early engagement is not about self-congratulation or operating in crisis mode prematurely — it’s about risk management, influence building, and long-term resilience. It means shaping the conversation before your company’s name ever comes up.

Early engagement also doesn’t just mean hiring a lobbyist or opening a D.C. office. That’s table stakes, and it’s been that way since the ’80s. Today, real engagement means understanding the political landscape, defining a clear policy agenda, and aligning your company’s voice, values, platform, and reputation to support it.

What to Do About It

To avoid playing defense later, companies need to make intentional, early decisions now that shape how they’re seen and heard in Washington.

Start Before the Storm: Invest in engagement when the sky is clear, not when the storm hits. That means building your D.C. profile and your reputation in parallel with your business success. When companies wait until they’re under fire, they’re usually left playing defense.

Define Your Platform: Are you just another name on an industry association list, or are you known in D.C. for something specific — something that aligns with the politics of the moment? Many companies rely too heavily on outside voices. While a necessary lever in Washington, these associations support the interests of the collective, not the company. Sometimes you need your own voice.

Define Your Policy Agenda: What do you stand for in Washington? What do you quietly hope never happens? Being clear on both gives you the strategic edge to act early, not react late.

Reputation is the First Tool: Reputation is more than visibility — it’s the foundation of trust and the license to lead. In Washington, if you’re not known for something meaningful, you’re just noise — or worse, a blank slate others are eager to fill.

Match the Moment: Today’s policymaking is driven by populist pressures, regulatory activism, and rising demands for companies to take a stand on societal issues. This isn’t your daddy’s Oldsmobile: the old alliances are gone, and Republicans aren’t reflexively pro-business anymore. They rose to power on a populist wave — and they’re more focused on punishing elites than protecting them. Your policy approach needs to meet these new realities and adapt to an ever-changing political environment.

Engaging effectively in D.C. is not about checking every box — it’s about making deliberate moves that reflect where your business is going and what’s coming next. Get those moves right, and Washington becomes a partner, not a problem.

The Purple team has helped some of the world’s most well-known organizations navigate critical business challenges and engage in Washington. If you need support, contact us — we are here to help.

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