Month: April 2020

Pour One Out For The City: USA Today Cancels “The City Podcast”

Image via TheCityPodcast.com/USA Today

While 2020 has hardly been the best year of my adult life — for obvious reasons — one of the shining stand outs from this year has been the culmination to “The City” podcast that was produced by USA Today in conjunction with the Reno Gazette-Journal. To be clear, I am not referring to USA Today cancelling the series, but rather the series being created in the first place. This series chronicled the changing landscape of my hometown in a way that has never been done before (at least from what I have seen), and helped shine a light on one of the country’s most fascinating cities in terms of its image changing. So I wanted to salute the crew who put this together since Reno’s economy is much more diversified than ever before and for spotlighting all of these changes, for better, and for worse.

Image via the Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.

Stand out reporting: Headlined by the RGJ’s Anjeanette Damon, “The City” follows the story of Reno changing from a town with a history of quickie divorces, gambling and brothels to a burgeoning tech hub that is aspiring to be the next “Silicon Valley” in many ways. The show is also produced by one of my old colleagues from college, Fil Corbitt, and narrated by Robin Amer who does a fantastic job of setting the pace of the entire story. The crew does a great job of making sure to involve the major players of “Old Reno” and some of the new tech and development acolytes that are moving into the region to take advantage of its growth opportunities. Similar to the boom of the 1859 Comstock Lode in Virginia City, northern Nevada has seen a ton of new interest and investment in the region.

The cast involved: In terms of a colorful characters, I don’t think I have listened to another podcast that does so well in terms of framing its cast. If you are from Reno or northern Nevada, you will no doubt recognize a slew of these names and businesses that have helped to grow our region to where it is today. As a Reno High alumnus, I am very familiar with the Keshmiris and their contributions to the city and also their generous investment in the Reno High track team (Go Huskies, shout out to coach Green). So seeing this story along with the parallels of the new developments out in USA Parkway, was very exciting and beautifully told. Reno is a town that has a lot of grit and personality, and is a place full of people who have made it what is today.

Expanding on the history of my hometown: Reno is a town with a marred history in some regards, but it is still a place I am proud to call home. With a much more diversified economy since the Great Recession of the late 2000’s, northern Nevada has weathered a lot of storms and has grown into a trendy and thriving community, well until March of earlier this year but we won’t get into that. With our community banding together once again, I cannot say how thankful I am that a podcast is available to those interested in learning more about the changing state of our community. It’s not every day that a town undergoes an identity crisis amidst an economic boom and you get to live through it, but that’s what it is like living in Reno right now. It is a pretty special time and I wanted to salute the crew of “The City” for making this possible.

Turn Up The Radio: The Most Profitable Hair Metal Acts of the 80’s

Image via Amazon.com

In music history, there might not be a more polarizing time period than the mid-to-late 1980’s hair metal scene. Set amidst the haze and sunshine of Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip, 80’s hair metal birthed a number of different important musical acts as the decade drew to a close. Bands such as Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Guns N’ Roses (kind of a fringe hair band, but still), Dokken, Warrant, Poison and Whitesnake ruled the day as these acts were all the rage in stadiums and bars across the country. So who made the biggest impact on the state of music as the decade wore on? Well in many wayss they all did in one way or another, but I wanted to take a classer look at who had the most mainstream appeal, stayed the most true to their initial “look” and finally, who made the most money during this time.

Def Leppard: Is Def Leppard really a hair band? Well thanks to some exhaustive research, Rolling Stone tabbed “Hysteria” as their number one greatest hair metal album of all time so for this list this they qualify. In terms of mass appeal, few bands were able to rival DL in their heyday thanks to their strong arena rock anthems. Released in 1987, “Hysteria” topped the UK and U.S. album charts. As of 2009, it has reached beyond the success of “Pyromania” (my personal favorite), having been certified 12× platinum for sales of over 12 million in the U.S. and has gone on to sell over 25 million copies worldwide. DL was later inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, so their lasting appeal from the time period is warranted.

Poison’s 1986 album “Look What The Cat Dragged In” is one of the most memorable albums of the time period. Image via Amazon.com

Poison: Now in terms of iconic looks from the era, Poison is right there at the top. Their 1986 album ‘Look What the Cat Dragged in’ was full of classic sing-along hits that defined a lot of the sound from the era. Front man Bret Michaels would later on go to become a successful reality television star and the band would find somewhat of a second wind because of this. Poison probably won’t win any “greatest bands of all time” lists, but their look defined an era.

Bon Jovi: You don’t become the owner of an Arena Football League team by not selling a TON of albums, but that’s exactly what Jon Bon Jovi and his band did and still continue to do since their formation in 1983. Bon Jovi has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the bestselling American rock bands of all time and has also landed them in numerous halls of fame. Their third album, “Slippery When Wet”, has sold over 20 million copies and included three Top 10 singles, two of which reached No. 1 (“You Give Love a Bad Name” and “Livin’ on a Prayer”. Indeed, Bon Jovi is not only one of the most successful hair bands of all time, but also perhaps one of the most successful bands of all time, period.

Honorable mention: Dokken: Now I don’t think Dokken is really one of the best bands of the era (even though they did beat out Metallica at one point in terms of headlining appeal), I just think they’re underrated. Plus the “In My Dreams” music video is one of the best depictions of that era. So while I might not have lived through the 1980’s, if you grew up in Reno listening to the radio, it still is a staple in your rotation at one point or another. So let me know who you think is a great 80’s hair band and why in the comments below.

NFL Draft: Best Case Economic Scenarios for Three Teams

Image via CBS Sports.com

With the first round of the NFL Draft wrapping up last night, teams around the league are doing their due diligence to make sure their new chess pieces fit within their sets. LSU’s Joe Burrow was selected as the first overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals and a number of other bluechip prospects were scooped as the evening went along. So who were the big winners and losers from the draft? Well you can Google that pretty easily and find an assortment of opinions and hot takes that would fit the bill for pretty much anyone. What I want to find is which picks make the most sense economically for the teams selecting in the top 10 of the draft and their impact later on this off-season.

Los Angeles Chargers: Ah yes, my beloved Bolts. The Chargers selected Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick and also traded back into the first round to select inside linebacker Kenneth Murray of Oklahoma. While the Chargers have a glaring need at QB since the departure of franchise stalwart Philip Rivers, the team has a strong defense with a handful of weapons on the offensive side of the ball along with a bolstered offensive line. So how does this stack up on an economic scale for the Chargers? Well they need to fill seats in their stadium that they will be sharing with the Rams and a potential franchise QB and playmakers on both sides of the ball fit the bill. Also with Rivers moving on, the team has cap space to move and find playmakers which it did this off-season by signing a handful of ex-Pro Bowlers in G Trai Turner, CB Chris Harris Jr. and DT Linval Joseph.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Well, signing Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski is one way to energize a stagnant franchise. With the Pats, I mean Bucs, having one of the splashiest off-seasons in recent memory, the draft was meant to help bolster some of their other needs and the team made another great choice by selecting Iowa offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs in the first round. Tampa now has another great talent to help protect and help TB12. So with the Bucs really readying to win now, Tampa is in a great position to win this season and make a lot of money. If there is a season that is.

NFC Scout Has Incredibly Honest Quote On Joe Burrow
LSU’s Joe Burrow was picked as the number one overall pick by the Bengals. Via @ TheSpun.com

Cincinnati Bengals: As mentioned at the top of the article, the Bengals opted to go with Heisman Trophy winner Burrow as their top pick and for good reason. The Ohio native won the national championship last season as the leader of the Tigers and will be able to transition into being the eventual leader for Cincy. Burrow was touted as the top pick by multiple sources and should fire up a stagnant franchise since they drafted Andy Dalton in 2011. In terms of economic appeal, it is hard to quantify the success of Burrow, but the excitement is palpable in Cincy. Plus the Bengals just drafted Tee Higgins out of Clemson to start day two of the draft which will hopefully compliment disgruntled All-Pro A.J. Green.

As day two of the draft kicks off, let me know which team will make the biggest splash in 2020.

A Sneakerhead in a Pandemic: A Diary

Image via SoleCollector.com

Among the top most desired items in a household in America circa April 2020, a new pair of tennis shoes is not even close to the top of the list. Toilet paper (!!), hand sanitizer and other discretionary cleaning supplies reign supreme as the world changes and shifts due to the demands of COVID-19. While oil prices have dropped drastically, the sneaker stock market has not seen much a shift in the way of Air Jordan’s reverting back to their 1980’s price point. Of course this hopefully means the sneaker economy will be able to rebound in 2020, but with changing release dates and times, should I really be prioritizing the latest sneaker release over the bare essentials? Well I guess it depends on who you ask.

With the upcoming release of the “Fire Red” Air Jordan 5‘s, my mind immediately gravitates toward the idea of owning this OG pair of shoes and adding it to my collection. However, with the economy changing almost every day and the future uncertain, is buying a new pair of sneakers the best move? Well, in my eyes yes because it is one of my favorite hobbies and the price is right. Indeed this is a time for anybody around the world to fulfill their hobby needs if it brings them joy and happiness. Also if it is within reason, of course.

Jordan 5 Retro Oregon Ducks
A brand new pair of Jordan 5 Retro “Oregon Ducks” will cost you at least $7,000 on StockX brand new. This is almost six times as much as the base federal stimulus check ($1,200) sent out earlier this month. Image via StockX.com

While my wallet has certainly had its fair share of battles with sneakers, it seems only a global pandemic can slow down the likes of Jordan and Yeezy. Over the past couple of decades, tennis shoe prices have only gone up, with a new pair of Air Jordan or Yeezy V2 sneakers easily costing you over $220 retail for just one pair. This doesn’t even get into the fact that the values skyrocket up even more on the resale market (anybody looking to drop over a grand original 350 Turtle Doves?). Nonetheless, sneaker sales have been down this year and release dates have been pushed back as supply chains have shifted and companies batten down the hatches on their warehouses.

However, sneaker websites like StockX and GOAT have made it clear for their customers that they are there to support them during these restricted times due to COVID-19. Their brand is one of style and fashion so having to shelter in place is not ideal for their target market consumer showing off their latest kicks. Indeed though it does present an opportunity to make sure their customers are taken care of and know that they are still doing business during these uncertain times. Which somehow makes me want to buy shoes more. Maybe it is the cabin fever or that the timing is just right.

So let me know what you think on Twitter if you think buying shoes or spending on your hobby is a good idea right now.

The Other Guys: The Unsung Heroes of “The Last Dance”

Image via the Chicago Tribune

Well I think it might be safe to say that more than 20 years after the end of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, they still can be one of the most unifying teams in America. As ESPN’s 10-part series on Michael Jordan’s iconic Bulls has proved, the team still resonates deeply within the American sports culture. With viewership for the first part of the special coming in at a whopping 6.1 million, America made its voice heard that they desperately still desire live sports in this peculiar time we are living in right now. As such, I felt there was no better time to spotlight some other members of those Bulls teams and their impact on the game of basketball in the 1990’s. Everyone of course knows Michael, Scottie and Dennis, but giving a spotlight to the other star players on those teams is a key element of how general manager Jerry Krause built those elite squads.

Horace Grant (1987-1994): A dominating presence on the glass during Chicago’s first three-peat, Grant made sports goggles one of the most popular fashion accessories during the early 1990’s. Drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 1987 N.B.A. Draft, Grant immediately became a key contributor to those early Bulls teams as they battled with the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons for Eastern Conference supremacy. After Jordan’s first retirement following the 1992–93 season, Grant became the number-two star behind Scottie Pippen, and helped the Bulls push the Knicks to seven games in the second-round playoff series before being eliminated. While he was eventually traded to the Orlando Magic before Jordan returned later in the decade, Grant was a key cog of those early Bulls teams that helped spark a dynasty.

Steve Kerr (1993-1998): Though he is more widely-known now as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, Kerr made a name for himself on the Bulls as a sharp-shooting point guard. An alumnus of the University of Arizona, Kerr became a key rotational piece for the second three-peat by utilizing his high basketball IQ and court savvy. With Jordan back full-time for the 1995–96 season, the Bulls set a then NBA-record of 72–10 and defeated the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1996 NBA Finals. Kerr played a major part in the Bulls’ championship victory in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. In the final seconds of Game 6 with the score tied at 86, he took a pass from Jordan and hit the title-winner to secure Chicago’s fifth world title. Kerr has since gone on to become a three-time N.B.A as head coach of the Warriors. Also according to Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune, Kerr was Bulls head coach Phil Jackson’s recommendation when people asked him about hiring a coach.

John Paxson (1985-1994): Signing as a free agent with Chicago in 1985, the same year Jordan was drafted, the crafty Notre Dame point guard made a name for himself by continually hitting clutch shots and giving the team some grit. While never the fastest player on the court, Paxson did hit a clutch shot to help secure the team’s third consecutive world title as the Bulls knocked off the Suns in 1993. Paxson is still involved with the Bulls as a senior advisor and had a solid career as general manager of the team from 2003 to 2009. He also is in some ways was the spiritual successor to Kerr running the point for Chicago.

CHICAGO – 1997: The 1996-97 NBA Chicago Bulls pose for a team portrait in Chicago, IL. Front row (left to right): Luc longley, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper, Middle Row: Jud Buechler, Jason Caffey, Toni Kukoc, Bill wennington, Robert Parish, Dickey, Steve Kerr,Randy Brown. Back Row: John Ligmanowski (Equipment Manager), Frank Hamblen (Asst. Coach), Jimmy Rodgers (Asst. Coach), Phil Jackson (Head Coach), Tex Winter (Asst. Coach), Chip Schaefer (Trainer). NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright NBAE 1997 (Photo by Bill Smith/ NBAE/ Getty Images)

Toni Kukoc (1993-2000): A member of the FIBA Hall of Fame, Kukoc’s tenure with the Bulls started on rocky terms as he was picked as the successor to Jordan and Pippen’s success according to then general manager Jerry Krause. While Krause never made the terrible business decision to completely relinquish the franchise to Kukoc, he did find a way to help all the personalities gel together — at his own expense most of the time. A three-time champion with the Bulls and the 1996 Sixth Man of the Year, Kukoc was a solid starter for Chicago following Horace Grant’s departure. Though he might not have had the strongest relationship with the team, he was still able to become a decisive cog in their arsenal.

Well let me know in the comments below what you think about the list and if I missed anyone. Also make sure to check out “The Last Dance” as well!

Award Tour: How The Low End Theory Changed Hip-Hop

Image via atribecalledquest.com

The early 1990’s is regard by many music historians as one of the most brilliant era in the history of rap music. You have the west coast G-funk scene headlined by Dr. Dre, Tupac and Snoop Dogg and are also juxtaposed with the likes of New York mainstays, Wu-Tang Clan, Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. However, one of the most seminal albums of this time period emerged from a Queens Hip-Hop group by the name of A Tribe Called Quest. Released in September of 1991, The Low End Theory was a smash hit and helped propel ATCQ to lasting success as a hip-hop group for the majority of 1990’s. While there a ton of great tracks off of this album, I wanted to talk more about the impactful ways it changed hip-hop during their decade from a business and cultural standpoint.

The Low End Theory album cover. Image via emusician.com.

Bridging the gap between Jazz and Hip-Hop: Thanks to magnificent production work from Q-Tip, The Low End Theory was a sonic masterpiece in terms of sampling songs and creating new sounds. Tunes like “Check the Rhime” and “Award Tour” are certified classic party tracks along with more slower songs like “Jazz (We’ve Got)” and “Buggin’ Out” give the album a balanced feel. Thanks to his excellent production work, Q-Tip and ATACQ have inspired a slew of musicians over time including the likes of Kanye West and Pharrell and were one of the forefathers of alternative hip-hop. Indeed, a marvelous fusion of of sounds is what makes The Low End Theory a standout and must-listen album.

The Emergence of Busta Rhymes: Featured prominently on one of the album’s stand out hits, “Scenario,” a young Busta Rhymes made his mark on the landmark track that featured a slew of other artists. Rhymes would go onto to have a successful solo career and is listed as one of the greatest 50 MC’s of the last 20 years. As an original member of Leaders of The New School, Rhymes is a huge influence on hip-hop to this day and one of the genre’s greatest visual artists. Indeed his cameo on Scenario is one of the most iconic in hip-hop history.

Historical Impact on Hip-Hop: With ATCQ coming off of one of hip-hop’s greatest debut albums ( People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm), The Low End Theory had a huge bar to cross over to make its own impact on hip-hop culture. The album is regarded as Phife Dawg’s lyrical breakout, as he established himself as a formidable MC. The group is credited with showcasing how hip hop was made before commercial success influenced many rappers’ creativity, and for challenging the “macho posturing” of hardcore and gangsta rap. Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 153 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, stating that people “connected the dots between hip-hop and jazz”, as both were revolutionary forms of black music based on improvisation and flow, however, “this LP drew the entire picture.”

So tell me your favorite song from The Low End Theory either in the comments below or on Twitter and make sure to have a safe and peaceful weekend!

Must Be The Money: Pro Wrestlers with Best Business Gimmicks

Image via WWE.com

In the pantheon of pro wrestling, there has always been the haves and have-nots. Whether it is the grimy underbelly of Extreme Championship Wrestling (or the even grimier backyard wrestling scene) to the sparkling spectacle that is Wrestlemania, pro wrestling has had its share of colorful financial personalities over time. So with the stock market a hot topic day in and day out in our climate, I wanted to take a look back at some of the biggest wrestling personalities ever that made it a point to showcase how well off they were. This list is in no particular order and is meant to spotlight the superstars who have showed crowds around the world what it really means to live the “high life”. So without further ado let’s get into our list.

Known as one of the greatest heels of his time, DiBiase would regularly use underhanded tactics to win his matches. Image via. SI.com

“Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase: As one of the greatest villians in pro wrestling history, DiBiase is also noted by many as one of the greatest technical wrestlers in WWE history. With his sidekick (and noted Twitter personality) Virgil by his side, the Million Dollar Man was a thorn in the side of both Hulk Hogan and the “Macho Man” Randy Savage. As his name would suggest, DiBiase was not bullish about his wealth — from his iconic “Million Dollar Championship” to his flashy ring entrances, DiBiase was a great heel for the 1980’s. Later on in life, DiBiase would become an ordained minister and would hold multiple championship belts in his career. DiBiase also headlined the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, being inducted by his sons.

Ric Flair: As potentially the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time, Ric Flair made a name for himself by showing off his lavish lifestyle and his ability to not only look the best but be the best. His famous quote “the stylin’, profilin’, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin’ and dealin’ son of a gun,” is famous in wrestling lore. As one of the co-founders of both the Four Horseman and Evolution, Flair’s legacy is one of the greatest of all time. Also special consideration needs to be given for his love of sneakers and his cameo on Complex’s Sneaker Shopping.

John “Bradshaw” Layfield: As a former member of both the APA and the Acolytes (don’t forget about The New Blackjacks as well), Bradshaw changed his image in a major way in 2004 when he transitioned to J.B.L. Billed as a Texas millionaire, J.B.L. ran roughshod over the heavyweight division for one of the longest championship reigns in the company’s history. His feuds with Eddie Guerrero, the Undertaker and Booker T were solid battles all throughout this period. His persona rubbed plenty of people the wrong way, but his time as one of the greatest heels of the 2000’s left a memorable mark on the company.

Honorable mention, The McMahon Family: This is more of an honorary induction because it really goes without saying that the McMahons are the epitome of wealth and power in wrestling lore. As the ruling family of the WWE, Vince and Co. are the strongest powerhouse in the wrestling world especially with son-in-law and COO Triple H in tow. However, the most special kudos need to go to son Shane’s entrance music video during his time as a competitor. Now if you are a fan of wrestling drop a comment below with your favorite of the above group.

He’s Going To Take You Back to The Past: The Angry Video Game Nerd’s lasting Appeal

Image via Medium.com

As many YouTube personalities have come and gone over the years, a handful have seemed to have some lasting staying power. One of those strong personalities has been James Rolfe aka “The Angry Video Game Nerd”. What started as a passion project has blossomed into a YouTube page with 3.2 million subscribers and hundreds of videos to choose from. Indeed his Cinemassacre website has a plethora of information and videos to choose from that should engage most of the gaming community. So what does AVGN have to do with business? Well his look backs at various video game consoles and games over time have spotlighted how much the video game industry has grown.

In one of his famous tirades, The Angry Video Game Nerd loses his mind in one of his early videos. AVGN has amassed over 3.2 million subscribers since 2006 and is still producing tons of content today. Image via YouTube.com

Starting back in 2006 with his famous review of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” on the Nintendo Entertainment System, AVGN has steadily grown his fan base over time as he has spotlighted a plethora of awful games from various consoles throughout history. His reviews of the Atari Jaguar to the Sega 32X have all shown that video game companies have the capacity to make colossal financial blunders over time that have cost them millions of dollars. With AVGN or “the Nerd” spotlighting these over time, it is really easy to see why these companies lost a lot of money, because these consoles and games were garbage! With millions of followers, the Nerd has stayed true to his base by pumping out content to this day as we are nearly in the era of the next generation of consoles.

What has also made AVGN a solid YouTube business model is his commitment to his brand and craft. He shares a lot of his videos with his friend and business partner Mike Matei and has still prominently featured Kyle Justin as the intro music to his videos for almost 15 years. His original partnership with ScrewAttack.com allowed him to spin off into his own website with Cinemassacre which has even branched off into reviews of horror movies, Godzilla and all kinds of different forms of media. As both a critic and businessman, the Nerd has found a variety of ways to reinvent his niche and making sure he is always serving his fans as they grow older over time, like myself.

In closing, AVGN will always be close to my heart thanks to his staying power and his ability to always make something new. No one on YouTube has done video game history quite as much justice as Rolfe and his Cinemassacre and for that we should all be thankful. That being said, one could even use Rolfe as a standard for harnessing your passion and turning it into a viable business model. Rolfe has found numerous ways over time to dig deep and turn deeper into his content library and make it a successful and strong product for his viewers and for that I salute you Nerd. So go check out one of AVGN’s famous videos and leave a comment with the one you like best.

“I Ain’t No (Joe)ke” – Is Joe Exotic the true everyman’s businessman?

Image via People.com

Well here we are at the beginning of April and things are much more different than they were at the beginning of this year. Yes, I am sure you are aware of what kind of circumstances we are under because it is all over the media and in our personal lives, but there has been one hero to emerge from all of this. While society is much more gloomy these days than before the beginning of this new decade, the world has been blessed with a personality to fill up an entire zoo. The man’s name is Joe Exotic and he has been the underdog hero the world needs as it reels from COVID-19. As the former owner of the G.W. Zoo in the middle of Oklahoma, Exotic has illustrated a few do’s and a ton of don’t’s as a business owner that might need a deeper dive on this blog.

In Netflix’s “Tiger King” anthology, Exotic is the main character amongst a cacophony of larger than life characters at his large cat zoo in Oklahoma. As the former main proprietor of the zoo, Exotic illustrated a certain charisma and knack for finding employees from all over the state that were at the proverbial “end of their ropes”. Indeed his ability to lead a group of park employees over time to work as a unit was one of his main strong suits. Exotic also illustrated his ability to leverage social media in a way that many parks were not doing at the time. Of course, he mainly used it to mock and threaten his rival Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue down in Tampa, Florida, but his ability to galvanize new forms of advertising at their advent is a tactic that many business owners can pull from in tasteful way of course.

Joe Exotic’s most recent mugshot from 2019. Exotic recently asked for a pardon from President Trump. Image via The Sun.com

While Exotic did certainly have some business school highlights in the show, he had certainly had a ton of “what not to do” in running his business. “I’m never gonna financially recover from this,” Exotic bemoans after one of his zoo employees has their arm accidentally torn off from a tiger cage. Truly a human resources nightmare, Exotic somehow recovers thanks to the truly tough as nails personality and his ability to circumvent conventional laws. Okay that might not be the case, but he certainly has illustrated a couple hard earned lessons over time. Also his eccentricity has come to bite him in the rear multiple times.

While I am by no means endorsing Exotic’s various flaws, it has to be acknowledged that his initial mission of trying to save and help rehabilitate these wild animals was at first a noble one. Also as some sources have acknowledged, he is also in some ways a “tragic hero” and in today’s modern society, a self-admitted “broke as shit”, polygamist, gun-toting man, is as relatable to anybody as it ever has been. Sure Exotic might be incarcerated right now, but his lessons on the show could be applied to what to do for your company and also certainly what NOT to do. Indeed his entrepreneurial nature and enthusiasm as a business owner could be quite successful if captured and projected in the right way. Especially when it comes to country music videos.

While I type this article, Exotic has asked for a pardon for his crimes from President Trump and some sources are saying it is being considered by the president. With the new roaring 20’s off to a very strange and bizarre start, who is not to say that Exotic could be walking free to ride off into the Oklahoma sunset once again? It will remain to be seen if he ever starts another business but his dealings with nefarious characters are a lesson to any business owner to always vet your connections and make sure you know who you are dealing with. Exotic’s journey can in some ways be seen as a cautionary tale, but in other ways can be seen that most anything is possible if you put your mind to it and also install multiple piercings on your body. So please below drop me a comment with your favorite scene from “Tiger King” or a line on Twitter @CDBoline.

”All That Power” – A tip of my hat to Mr. Dave Ramsey

Image via dailyjournalonline.com

In an era of get-rich-quick social media entrepreneurs and schemers, one man has stood above the rest and appealed to the common person. This man’s name is Dave Ramsey and he is here to tell you you are stupid you bought that $50,000 truck with a household income of $40,000 per year. As a financial guru that has survived bankruptcy and helped thousands of people, Dave Ramsey is not for those that need coddling at every turn. His profound insistence on his financial “baby steps” and also utilizing the debt snowball method has helped to carve a very lucrative career in many spaces from radio shows to being a best-selling author. As a fairly new listener to Mr. Ramsey, his tools and methodologies have even helped me in my young business career.

Since Ramsey started broadcasting a radio show back in 1992, he has grown his financial following into the thousands and has pioneered a new way at looking at debt. His seven baby steps are:1. Save a $1,000 beginner emergency fund ,2. Get out of debt using the debt snowball, 3. Building a fully funded emergency fund, 4. Invest 15% of household income for retirement, 5. Save for children’s college,6. Pay off your home early, and 7. Build wealth and be generous. Indeed while this might be preposterous to some, it is solid financial advice that coupled with the debt snowball method (where debtors pay off their lowest balance debt first instead of paying off their highest interest rate debt first) can be surprisingly effective. While this approach has been criticized by some, research done by the Kellogg School of Management has found that the debt snowball method is generally effective, because it helps debtors become motivated by the small victories.

Financial guru Dave Ramsey first started a radio show back in 1992 and now has thousands of listeners that use his financial tactics to obliterate debt. Image via abcnews.com

Since surviving bankruptcy back in 1988, Ramsey has espoused his values to thousands of viewers across the world. As a young adult in the professional world, his advice has always stuck out as practical and pragmatic. It is easy to keep up with “the Joneses” but sticking to your core fundamental financial values can help you dramatically in the long run. His direct and candid demeanor is a much-needed outlet for listeners that need to be told the honest truth and also for those that just need a guide in their journey. Sure he is not perfect by any means, but his methods to help curb debt and build financial freedom is a welcome voice for many.

Over the past year or so that I have listened to Mr. Ramsey, I have found numerous ways to shoring up my own spending habits. From using my credit card less and less to paying off my undergraduate student loans earlier this year (the biggest brag on this blog, I promise), Mr. Ramsey has made me more stoked about personal finances than ever before. His blunt straight talk about incurring as little debt as possible and always paying for things in cash, would make even the Cash Money Records crew blush. Also as a rabid Tennessee Vols fan, his talks relating to sports have a certain level of relatability around him as does his own personal story.

Indeed while I might not agree with everything Mr. Ramsey says, his policies have a certain level of candidness needed in this day and age. Plus who does not want to have your virtual finance “dad” yell at you or somewhere else when you do something stupid? If he doesn’t do it, there might not be any others who will. As always, drop me a comment below with your favorite finance story and how you have bounced back from it!

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