I know that subject line sounds like bait, but hear me out for a second, I think you’ll enjoy this story. I take the time to share it because I am often told by people of all ages that they can’t find a way to make money doing what they love. Or they can’t find an opportunity to mix their passions. I think this story will open your mind a bit to what is possible…
I’ve always been a fan of Winston Churchill. My grandfather used to quote him often and it seems like you can’t go through life without hearing his quips and wisdom out of the mouths of global leaders and cocktail drinkers alike.
Anyhow, a couple of years ago, a client of mine, Dr. Yar Zuk, posted something on my Facebook wall. I got a notification, and as usual, I went to check it out. I was amused at what I saw but pretty quickly decided to laugh and move on. Dr. Zuk is a very interesting guy. He is a dentist out of Canada and has done some interesting things in his business but one of the most unique, attention getting PR moves I have ever seen, was when he bought John Lennon’s tooth. Yes, he really bought the tooth of the legendary John Lennon of the Beatles rock band from an auction house. I found it amusing that a dentist had bought a famous tooth, and apparently I wasn’t the only one! It quickly went viral as the Doc took the tooth on “one last world tour.” Hilarious, entertaining and smart all at one time!
So, what does this have to do with me, Facebook and Sir Winston Churchill? Well, the link Dr. Zuk posted on my wall happened to be a link to a London auction house that was selling a cigar that was half-smoked by none other than Sir Winston Churchill. Knowing that I like the smell of cigars, Dr. Zuk shared it with me.
I still remember the day I started to think about it seriously. I was on a shoot for the movie “Visioneer: The Peter Diamandis Story” with a few members of my crew and I showed them the auction online. It didn’t take longer than a few minutes before they too, like Dr. Zuk, thought it was a piece of history I should own. It was a Celebrity Branding® story like none other, and being that we own the Celebrity Branding® agency, it seemed all too easy of a fit.
On that fateful lunch break, I decided to set a price I was willing to pay, and I bid on it, and got back to work.
As you have probably already guessed by now, as fate would have it, I won the auction and soon the cigar was “across the pond” and sitting in my office.
It didn’t quite arrive looking majestically
But it didn’t take long for us to fix that!
What happened next was even more interesting….click here to read part II)