The Family Text That Went Viral As A Post, The Jean van de Velde Golf Collapse & Slash Just Keeps Rockin'

Welcome to the 2nd edition of my newsletter! I hope you enjoyed the first one! I had a blast writing that, and I'm super excited to share this one with you too!

Business

I often feel like some people and organizations spend too much time attempting to create the perfect formula to create viral content. Over analysis may happen, they go around in circles, and frustration can set in. In my opinion all business all the time is not necessarily the best business strategy, while fun, more personal content can go a long way to build your brand and/or business.

The best example I've found of this recently is from one of my favourite content creators on LinkedIn, Darren McKee. His wife texted him, and messaged as if she was a a client and said that she had worked with him on the parenting project this morning. She then asked if there was any update on him emptying the dishwasher! He replied and said that it would be "fixed by end of day". As of October 20th, Darren's screen shot post of this interaction has the following statistics:

93,666 likes, 2,670 comments, and 1,153 reposts. That's just incredible!

His posts are insightful and inspiring every day, that his large following interacts with. But none of his previous content has ever seen this much reach.

Food for thought next time you are about to post something that even you think may be a bit generic or blah. Let your personality shine through in your content, and change things up a bit.

Sports

It's never over until it's over in sports. There are so many examples that I could list about amazing comebacks that I've watched either on TV or in person over the years, but one collapse has always been ingrained in my memory moreso then most of those comebacks.

In 1999, at the Open Golf Championship, Jean van de Velde had a 3 stroke lead going in to the final hole, and after a comedy of errors based on bad decisions, he got a triple bogey 7 and had to go to a playoff. Sadly he lost the tournament, and will always be remembered for that collapse.

Click here to see what happened.

When I spin that story to business, I often think of starting to celebrate a sale, before you've officially won. Or getting overconfident after an interview, before actually being offered the job. How about assuming that you are getting promoted, but somebody really started to do a great job and got the "status" and bump in pay over you? Keep doing the work, and never take your foot off the gas until the job, or game is complete!

Music

Slash is one of my favourite guitarists of all time, and one of my favourite musicians in general. When Guns N' Roses broke up in the early 90's it did not long for Slash to land on his feet. He formed Slash's Snakepit. A few years later he founded an incredible supergroup called Velvet Revolver, Last but not least he formed his solo band with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators.

Click the band name links above for some great concert clips.

Of course Guns N' Roses is back together now so Slash can play with both bands!

My biggest takeaway from following Slash - when one door closed, he always found a way to open another one. He never sat still, and was always looking for his next opportunity. As your career and potentially side-hustles continue to evolve, always try to move things forward and don't sit still.

I'll tell anyone who cares to hear my music musings how Myles Kennedy ended up in Slash's solo band. Welcome to my music brain! See below:

Scott Stapp gets fired from Creed.

Myles Kennedy, ex-lead singer of The Mayfield 4 joins the 3 remaining band members in Creed and form Alter Bridge.

Velvet Revolver ends, lead by Slash, and Slash releases a solo album with a bunch of lead singers on it. Myles Kennedy is one of them.

Myles Kennedy continues as the lead singer of Alter Bridge but now joins Slash as "Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators", after really bonding during the guest singer sessions.

Myles has been making beautiful music for well over 10 years now with both bands.

Fun fact - Slash was after Myles to be the lead singer of Velvet Revolver when they got going many many years ago, but he respectfully declined!

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Until next week, thanks for reading!

Tim (C+ Jim)