After attending an AC/DC concert in Las Vegas, entrepreneur and speaker Curt Mercadante reflected on what the iconic band can teach about lasting success—and it has little to do with playing it safe.

“Most people think longevity is about slowing down. AC/DC proves it’s about staying loud,” Mercadante wrote in a LinkedIn post.

He identified three lessons on longevity drawn from the band’s 50-year career:

First, never abandon your core identity. AC/DC has stayed true to its signature sound despite changing musical trends. “Staying true wins long-term,” Mercadante observed.

Second, energy matters more than polish. The band focuses less on perfection and more on igniting the audience’s spirit. “People don’t remember ‘perfect.’ They remember energy,” he said.

Third, momentum beats constant reinvention. Rather than endlessly reinventing themselves, AC/DC kept showing up consistently—album after album, tour after tour. Longevity, Mercadante emphasized, is about stacking small wins over time, not chasing a single breakthrough moment.

“You don’t need to change who you are,” he concluded. “You need to double down on it.”

Curt Mercadante is an agency owner and serial entrepreneur. He is co-founder of Accelerate Media Labs and Pipeline Media Agency, as well as Freedom Rising Enterprises. He has spoken to and coached entrepreneurs and audiences around the globe, and is author of the Amazon bestseller, Five Pillars of the Freedom Lifestyle.