The Vader Way

Ye olde Agenda

• They do what?? (people who make a living doing the thing they love)

• Camp skit characters I’m proud of (the legend of the bumblebee)

• Best BURG in LA, perhaps the world

• Wildsparq Newsletter

• Musical Baby Playlist (not for talented babies, rather, for showtune fans).

Sending you into the weekend !

They do what??

Do you ever see someone online and think… they do that? for a living? what a DREAM.

This segment will highlight an entrepreneur who has made a living doing fun stuff and is getting paid to continue to do the fun stuff.

Some of these people will have turned their passion into full-fledged businesses, while others continue to fly solo - but it all starts with a passion!

Ben Kielsesinski has amassed over 3 Million followers on his socials (2.7M on TikTok).

You may have seen his videos that begin like this:

“Want to come on an adventure with me? Too bad, you’re coming”

Then he’d take you on his scenic hikes around BC Canada, and he’s now seemingly in a new part of the world with every video. He dives, he climbs, he hikes, he traverses, he whatever - you name an outside activity, he’s doing it.

He’s an entrepreneur, not only in the creative sense, but he owns an outdoor apparel brand, Widly Outdoor.

He’s built an audience who loves watching him go on adventures and make his coffee and travel the world - lucky for him, he LOVES that too, and gets to continue doing that for his job because of the opportunities his audience has brought him.

When you build an audience who enjoys you as a person and the stuff you put out there, you can find a way to monetize that and actually make a living CONTINUING to do the very thing you enjoy doing.

BURG

Oh me, oh mouth-watering my.

Started as a garage pop-up in 2020, Heavy Handed has won the city over with it’s short-rib burgers and beef tallow fries.

They now have multiple locations, and the line is out to the street in Santa Monica at all open hours of the day.

Not only is the burger melt in your mouth yummy and fresh, the vibe is awesome. Great outdoor seating right there on Main st. in SM.

June Shine bar right next door too - fun !

It’s the best burger in LA, best I’ve ever had (sorry dad).

Go getcha one.

Clever Camp Skits

First I must tell you the legend of the bumblebee - BEAR WITH ME.

Back in the day, evil Dr. Henry Von Schnon Schninkle Schnortz was in his lab, running the numbers, analyzing the charts (as doctor scientists do).

He was studying none other than the bumblebee.

He came to a devastating realization… the bumblebee, scientifically and mathematically, should NOT be able to fly.

Body too big, wings to small. AND YET… the bumblebee, in all his (it was a male bumblebee) tiny glory, rips off the straps holding him down.

He FLIES over, then kicks Dr. Henry Von Schnon Schninkle Schnortz square in the chest, yelling emphatically, “GET OFF ME VON SCHNON.”

The bumblebee, against all odds and despite all physical shortcomings, prevails; and he FLIES.

SO - we honor the kids who did something miraculous in their sports clinics they had that day. In front of the whole guys side of camp, we as staff were to come up with a pun / skit to honor the skill they exhibited.

Here were my favorites (from the minds of Trevor Batten and Luke Mangan):

The Vader Way

Two nerd students at Darth Vader Academy (school of the force), have been avid practitioners of the vader way. They’re #1 and #2 in the class, brilliant young students.

With a little bit of an NE coast accent and a nasally sound, the Vader Way slowly morphs into Vadah Way and then by the end of the skit, it’s evident we’re saying we are the best in the word at the FADEAWAY.

Crowd goes nuts - electric pun and skit.

BUT WE SAW ONE MAN TODAY WHO WAS BETTER AT THE VADAWAY THAN US (crowd screams impossible! you’re 1 and 2 in the class at the vader academy!).

LITTLE TIMMY FROM CABIN 8 WAS HITTING FADEAWAYS LIKE NOBODY’S BUSINESS. So little Timmy got the bumblebee.

The Knock Out Guys

A play on ghost busters, 2 local Branson “Knock Removal Specialists” (Bob and Richard) from Branson’s Knock-be-Gone will come into your house if you’re hearing any paranormal “knocking” sounds in their home.

They get the knocks out.

Slogan: “KNOCK KNOCK… Nobody’s Home”

We got the whole crowd chanting this - again, electric.

Obviously the knock knock guys come after the boys play Knock Out in basketball clinic.

And of course the story goes as such:

We are the best at getting the knocks out… Obviously. BUT THERE WAS ONE MAN… WHO WAS BETTER AT GETTING THE KNOCKS OUT THAN WE WERE.

Okay so it’s not a perfect play on words, but the characters were fun. Gosh there’s way more where this came from, but it’s a lot to write about.

Happy to tell you more of my favorites. DMs are open.

The Daily Sparq

Super simple: a Wildsparq newsletter that gives you actionable leadership principles every day.

Think, a 5 minute read with a real world example / situation of how said principle will help you become a better communicator, giver of feedback, accountability partner, etc.

Add a little wit and humor, make it an enjoyable read, and put the effort in to growing it.

Boom you’ve got yourself a new channel for marketing, and an income stream on its own.

Cheers!

Baby Playlist

Wife and I will go see Hamilton in LA here in a week or so.

Got me reminiscing on my time as Donkey in Shrek the Musical.

Here are a few of my favorite show tunes.

Alas

I’m going to ask you to do something! pls don’t be angry.

I want you to respond to this email - just hit the reply guy up there, and let me know how you liked this email.

What you liked, what you’d like to see more of, less of.

Is there anything you THINK you could learn from me? If so, I’ll be happy to answer questions and put my teaching hat on.

Again, I do this for fun, but I want it to eventually be of some value at some point outside of entertainment.

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeers!