Hey Mavericks,
Welcome back from Miami… and Maui… and Baja. I’m back again at “Hotel Ridge Mist” as my wife Missy calls our house. All the staff seem to remember me here… and gave all sorts of great welcome hugs and kisses.
Since the last newsletter, the Mavericks have been kicking it in Miami at the 1st Annual M3 Summit, in Hawaii for Maverick1000 member #85 Vishen Lakhiani’s AwesomenessFest event — and the Maverick “Burn Baby Burn” Dangerous Dinner — and then of course there was Mexico, for our annual Ultimate Maverick Baja Experience. Not even sure what to recap or where to begin…
…So first, a little recap out of Baja:
We had another incredible group of Mavericks attend this annual rite of passage in the dirt. It was my fifth time, and I never get tired of Baja. There’s something magical each time you go — and new routes and adventures make it incredible.
Of course, I could go on and on about some of the stories and wrecks on the trip. (We did have our first flip and I’m not naming names….er…William… I mean… cough…cough… nobody!)
This might have been a little warning sign when he was navigating along with newly minted Maverick1000 member #131 Sam Carpenter. Here’s a little comic illustration I created of their scene from day one:
I’d also like to give a fond welcome to my man Matt Clark, Maverick #141. Complete and total badass move to join Maverick1000 and sign up for Baja — all within a few days of the trip… though I guess in th
e training manual, we forgot to tell Matt to look out for those prickly things in the desert. Somehow he managed to get us completely stuck in a cactus at approximately 10mph. I have no idea how he jammed us in pretty good in there (look at the bumper) so let this be a lesson for you crazy kids.
I could go on and on, but anything I’ll tell you in print about Baja completely underwhelms the true experience. For next year, you just need to be there if you haven’t attended yet. We’ve had multiple repeat offenders back for more, like Maverick1000 members #1 Mike Filsaime, #61 Mike Cline and #3 Mike Geary.
(Hmmm… if you’re named Mike, the Mexican government would like to give you a bulk discount and a permanent pass to make sure the customs checklight is always green for you.)
And then it was off to Hawaii…
A few days after Baja, I turned right around and flew to the West Coast (+ another 5 hours) to Maui for Awesomenessfest. Maverick #85 Vishen and the MindValley team really put on a first-class event that was an interesting combination of entrepreneurship, self development and fun parties.
The Mavericks kicked things off with our Dangerous Dinner Volume III – Burn Baby Burn! The fire theme started off with a flaming welcome drink, and extended to parts of everyone’s meals being ignited. Then a professional fire troupe came in, for a cool performance that looked a little like this:
Now remember this pic — because I’ll show you some amateurs coming up in a moment… After dinner, everyone got a chance to play with some of the toys, and then, we held a “talent” show for best performances.
Maverick #104 Shelby Larson’s amazing cast of female dancers ended up winning the most votes (and charity donations for NFTE – Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship).
And — as a special victory prize — we let the winning team go down to the beach in a totally unsanctioned way, and actually spin fire. (Our very own Community Samurai Aydika James is an incredible fire dancer and supervised our covert operation.)
[Side note: Our covert plan was almost foiled by the security at the Grand Wailaia, with a conversation that went like this:
<<Ring Ring>>
“Hello?”
“Yes, this is the manager on duty, I’ve been informed by the bellman you have a gallon of fuel in your room.“
“Actually… we have two.”]
So here’s a pic of our WINNER, Maverick Shelby Larson, doing everything her mother told her not to:
It ended up being an incredible experience on the beach, because Brian, one of the professional fire dancers, told us the beaches are all public property, so we were free to do anything we wanted there. When it was my turn, they had a ‘fire chief’ standing by at the ready to put me out with a blanket. Not sure what gave them the impression I might end up whacking myself with a fireball or anything like that.
[Editor’s note: If you want to know what gave us this “impression” about Yanik’s fire-danger factor, ask me personally. I’m happy to elaborate off-record.]
Remember, we’ll be putting on more Dangerous Dinners throughout 2012, each with different experiences and themes, so keep an eye out. Each one has sold out in no-time flat!
I mentioned part of Awesomenessfest involved connecting with others in a fun way, so of course there were quite a few parties. Here’s a little pic of your “Maverick Super Friends.” I’ll let you guess who’s who…
And as I would say in Hawaii, “Mahallllo!” (You have to say it with a rap-like vibe for full effect, and then interject “Shut yer mouth!” right after!)
Next up: Miami, baby.
Last but DEFINITELY not least, we closed the year in Maverick-style, with the First Annual Maverick M3 Summit in Miami. How to even recap such an event? I guess I’ll just list a few take-aways for those of you who were there in person and or just in spirit…
Some of the big ideas that really stuck out for me from our presenters:
- Frank McKinney – And yes, we discovered even Super-Star Dare-devil real estate developers have moments of being unsure. At the private lunch we held with Frank, he mentioned he had a little bit of trepidation around the bus tour he’s headed out on to support homelessness. He didn’t know how much publicity he wanted — andif he was doing it for himself, or to help put more attention on the homelessness issue. We ended up doing a bonus session with Frank to get the group’s input and support in brainstorming around this.
- Mark Ford – Mark does not speak much anymore, so it was a real treat to have him come in. My biggest take-away was simply focusing on ways to profitably and consistently acquire a customer. This seems so simple, yet when applied, it makes a huge difference and allows you to scale your business. It’s exactly why Mark has gone on to be involved in selling over $1B of products via direct marketing.
- Chip Conley – Chip’s new Emotional Equations concept hit home for me (and many others), as he explained it at M3 via the magic of the Interwebs (aka: Skype). I had received a preview galley copy of the new book and really liked it — but when he started talking about howyou can bump up pieces of the equations, it really made sense.
For instance: Anxiety = Uncertainty x Powerlessness
So if I simply identify where I can add more certainty or power to things I can control, it reduces anxiety. Really powerful stuff about controlling and figuring out our own emotions. Plus, it was a nice surprise for Chip to give all the Mavericks in Miami a copy of his new book before it hits the shelves. (You can pre-order a copy for people close to you at www.EmotionalEquations.com) - The Maverick 6-Minute Big Idea Blitz – There were a TON of great ideas shared at M3, especially dove-tailing together with Mavericks #127 John Ratliff, about the unique culture in their organizations, and how to reward your team — without simply paying them more. (These are the kind of ideas that get me really excited — the kind I want to help spread to other Mavericks and entrepreneurs around the planet!)We recorded those 6-minute Big Ideas, and should be posting them inside your Maverick1000 member’s site shortly.
And how could I do a recap without a few photos of the Maverick Mayhem?
Take a gander…
Nice, huh?
And finally, the Saturday JetLev experience was really exceptional for those who stayed (and for those of us who stayed out ‘til 8am… ahem! Gene, Will, Kris, Sophia etc…. it came a whole lot earlier than we imagined).
The jet pack technology has only been available for a few months, and so our Mavericks are some of the FIRST few hundred people in the world to actually do it. There’s a nice recap on Jet Lev (and dreaming big) from Maverick Mike Cline on his blog. Click here to read the post.
And for a good laugh, there’s an awesome wipe-out from Maverick1000 Member #69 Craig Handley on the Maverick1000 Facebook Group page. 😉
*ACTION!*
Be sure to post your own pics and videos from M3 and other Maverick events up on the Maverick1000 Facebook group too. (If for some reason you did not get an invite, contact kim@maverick1000.com and we’ll get you looped in ASAP!)
Oh yeah — we got an extra surprise at Jet Lev that day. I’ll let Aydika pipe in here:
[Aydika here for a sec…]
So as we were critiquing each other’s flying techniques (see: hoping to catch a crash-landing shot), guess who just happened to appear on shore with us? None other than the inventor of JetLev himself, Mr. Raymond Li.
The man just suddenly materialized — arms folded in silence, watching our group of crazies fly, twirl and splash. Once we realized who he was, our whole crew swooped in to encircle the inventor with a chorus of eager questions. Clearly the “shy genius” type, Li handled the attention with cool, calm practice… but as we continued talking, a mischievous little smile crept across his face, revealing the real innovator within — the impish spark of wonder and curiosity of all things possible.
Speaking of which: holy smokes, you want to hear an inspiring story? Ask Raymond Li how he came up with the idea of a jet pack (boyhood flying dreams), how he got hooked on the idea (ever seen “Thunderball”?), what inspired him to take action (a tragedy at sea in Hong Kong that took 83 lives), whether he had any engineering background before he began (Nope!)… and how many people insisted he was a: Certified Crazy, and b: chasing the “impossible” (everyone—wife and pro engineers included).
Talk about a man who isn’t afraid to stand behind his biggest, wildest dreams. What a treat not just to experience the actual sensation of flying, but to hang out with the game-changer who made it happen… a man who’s currently working on “Much, MUCH bigger things now… things too big to talk about yet.”
Yow.
Favorite quote:
“Everyone told me I was crazy. Even my wife. But I knew if I was here on earth to do one thing, this was IT.” — Raymond Li
[Aydika out — back to Yanik]:
Well, there you have it. Mark your calendars now for next December, when we do the M3 Summit all over again. But FIRST, make sure you’re coming to Underground® 8, this March 1-3, 2012 — and the special Maverick Pre-Day on February 29th. We’ll be sending details shortly on how to reserve your spot (FREE for all Maverick1000 members again).
Until 2012, all the best and Happy Holidays to you all!
— Yanik
PS: I’m really excited about the 2015 Maverick Mission, and where we are headed in developing this Maverick Ecosystem. Lots of exciting enhancements are coming up, and right now is THE time to get in. If you have a colleague or friend who has fits the bill and has the Maverick1000 DNA, please let us know. (Your referrals will also count towards a totally outrageous contest we’ll announce soon!)
UPCOMING ADVENTURES!
Here’s some details on upcoming Maverick experiences for the first part of 2012. Be sure to contact us soon if you’d like to reserve your spot. (Necker is now almost completely sold out!)
February 8 – 11, 2012: Maverick IMPACT Event: Rebuild Haiti
Come experience — along with me, Maverick icon Frank McKinney, and an incredible group of your fellow Maverick1000 members — an exclusive IMPACT trip that will change your life… and build a home for a family of eight in Haiti, in a new Maverick Sustainable village. You’ll share in experiences that will take your world from rich to enriched, from seeing the devastation this poorest country has endured, to the hope and future of a new Haiti.
Location: South Florida, with charter to Haiti
March 24 – 31, 2012: Necker Island Experience with Sir Richard Branson
What more needs to be said? A truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be on Sir Richard Branson’s private island, for brainstorming sessions, water sports, and unique experiences with the world famous Virgin visionary and billionaire. (Dates are tentative, due to the recent fire that burned down the Great House.)
Location: BVI
April 19 – 22, 2012: “The Art of Deadly Persuasion”
Experience first‐hand what it’s like to know you can handle any situation. First, you and your fellow “tough enough” Mavericks will train with MMA super stars of the UFC. Second, you’ll learn critical self-defense techniques from the guy operations like the US Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces call in behind‐the‐scenes, to teach them when it’s a “kill‐or‐be‐killed” situation. And, to top it off: your weapons training. Plus, our special guest will be an expert on influence and psychology… All in one action‐packed adventure.
Location: Las Vegas, NV
July 1 – 5, 2012: 2nd Annual Maverick Family Freedom Entrepreneurship Event
Come together to inspire, motivate, educate and build the entrepreneurial spirit in your entire family. We’ll have sessions for parents on raising more independent (and less entitled!) children; with concurrent entrepreneurial sessions for the kids (ages 6 – 23), who will create an actual business and engage in ‘on-the-street’ selling. Plus, expect a LOT of built-in fun and adventures, to create lasting family memories. (No kids of your own? Single Mavericks are invited as mentors too!)
Location: Park City, UT
