Thread by @waronweakness

How a nobody from the Bronx became one of the biggest players in the Entertainment industry.

His resume includes promoting for Elvis and Sinatra and producing movies for Clooney, Pitt and Damon.

And he did it with just 1 skill.... SALES.

Time for a //Thread// 👇👇👇

1) Jerry Weintraub was just a regular kid from the Bronx but he had two things going for him: Ambition and learning the power of sales at an early age.

Little did he know that he would go on to work with and become close friends with people like George Bush and Frank Sinatra.

2) One of Jerry's biggest advantages was learning about the power of sales from his father, who had been a salesman since he was 14.

"When I was eight years old, my father returned from a trip with the largest star sapphire in the world...."

It was a piece of junk, picked up from a secondhand dealer. He polished it, then did something that made an impression on me. He named it. He called it "The Star of Ardaban."

Why give a name to this old piece of nothing?

Because it's not the gem a person buys. It's the story behind the gem. It's the romance."

That "piece of junk" still remains today and you can find it at the Smithsonian museum in Washington D.C.

3) Jerry knew that talent without sales was worthless.

"Though he was selling rubies and sapphires and I am selling Clooney, Pitt, and Damon, the trick is the same: packaging. You might have the greatest talent in the world, but it doesn't matter if you can't sell it."

4) Leverage what you're good at. Much of success is doubling down on what you can do that other's can't.

"I can't write a novel. I can't write a play. I can't write a song. But I can help the artist get that book or song or play noticed by the public. And that's packaging."

5) Jerry's first business was delivering dry cleaning in the Bronx. He didn't get rich but it taught him the power of money.

"It was no longer just streets and stores: It was needs and opportunities, money to be made. Once you see the world this way, things are never the same."

6) Never be afraid to try things. You never know the life lessons it will teach you.

"I learned lessons from this business that I still follow today: People will pay you to make their lives easier; always take the time to make the pitch"

Never be afraid to Sell.

7) Jerry became a millionaire by putting Elvis Presley in large stadiums.

At the time, it was unheard of for a musician to do shows in huge venues like stadiums.

Nobody was doing it.

The crazy part?

When Jerry got the idea, he didn't even know Elvis.

"I'm going to promote Elvis Presley," I tell her. "I'm going to take him to Madison Square Garden." "That's crazy," she says. "You don't even know Elvis Presley." "Not yet," I say, close the book, roll over, and am asleep before she can answer."

How did he make it happen?

👇👇

8) Jerry called Elvis's manager several times and was rejected several times until one final offer.

If Jerry could show up to a meeting in 24 hours with a check for $1 million dollars, he could promote Elvis.

The problem? Jerry didn't have it.

After a sleepless night, hundreds of phone calls and a plea for a 6 hour extension of this meeting,

Jerry delivered the $1 million in a cashiers check from a local bank.

Context: $1 million was a TON of money at the time.

That deal with Elvis turned Jerry into a millionaire

9) After signing and successfully promoting Elvis, all the stars started to reach out to Jerry.

That's how he ended up working for Frank Sinatra.

"Once you've established yourself, you can, to some extent, let business find you. You become a beacon, a door into a better life."

10) Jerry Weintraub's life is a great example of what's possible when you think big, make big moves, and don't give up.

Most people have never heard of him but he was the man behind the scenes that made things happen.

If you have big ideas, don't be afraid to make big moves.

11) If you liked this thread, you should:

1. Follow me. I write interesting threads like this daily.

2. RT that first tweet ☝ to share this story and inspire others to make big moves.

3. Read Jerry's book "When I stop talking, you'll know I'm dead"