Recently, I applied to become an ambassador for Daymond John as he prepares to release his newest book entitled Rise and Grind. I was accepted. I have never done anything like this before, and I applied to do more on a whim than anything else.
After I was accepted as an ambassador, I figured I'd better give some thought to exactly why I am investing my time in this new project. I have three reasons, and I thought I'd share them with you.
Why I Became an Ambassador for Daymond John
- I like Daymond John.
Earlier this year, we read Daymond's book, The Power of Broke, in the Indie Business Book Club. Everyone enjoyed the stories Daymond shared in that book about people who grew successful businesses with big dreams and only a little bit of money.
Through reading the book, I discovered that Daymond is less impressed with your business idea than he is with you as a person.
Business ideas are everywhere, but Daymond likes to do business with people who have just as much of a hustle mentality as he does. I like that about him. Money is important, but it's not everything, and Daymond seems to understand that. I like that about him too. It's great that I actually like the person whose book I'm going to be promoting.
- I am curious.
I have never been an ambassador for anyone before, and I may be one of the only entrepreneurs I know who has never serves as an affiliate for anyone.
(Side note: I am an affiliate for Audio Acrobat (which is the great service I use to host my MP3 audio files), but they automatically set you up as an affiliate when you purchase their service. I was earning commissions for years before I even knew they were there!)
I want to know how programs like this work. I may want to launch something with an ambassador component to it. What better way to learn how to do it than from a multi-millionaire uber successful entrepreneur who is already doing it?
- I want an autographed copy of his new book.
Daymond did not promise us one, but I want one. The way I see it, I'm one step closer to getting an autographed copy than I would be if I had not agreed to promote the heck out of his book.
I'd settle for a copy without his autograph, but I'd love the one with his signature in it.
- I love stories.
I know I said I'd give you three reasons, but I just thought of another. I love stories and storytelling. It's so important to me that the theme of my next Indie Cruise is “The Storytellers.” As you can see from the image here, Daymond's book is not a cookie cutter “how to” entrepreneurial book — although those have their place. Instead, like his last book, Rise and Grind is a book of stories.
I learn so much by reading the stories of other people's experiences, and I am looking forward to reading the ones Daymond has chosen for this book. I know they will include a lot of grit, persistence, and scrappiness, along with people who just kept pounding until they built a business that was exactly what they wanted it to be. That's what I've done, so I feel like I'll be in good company.
Donna Maria, Indie Business Network
You can pre-order Rise and Grind in the Indie Business Book Store at this link.
Have you ever been an ambassador for someone else's product? What did you get out of it? What it a good experience, or something you never want to repeat? Please share your thoughts, and if you get a chance, it would make me and Daymond very happy if you would also share on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
