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  #1  
Old May 21, 2015, 05:06 AM
spyglass
 
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Default HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

I believed I had read everything there is to read on the Internet on the legendary and mysterious Harvey Brody. Someplace in my storage archives, I have his original series of manuals I brought on how to run a very lucrative business by finding certain under performing or abandoned "assets" and re-energize them in the marketplace per his secret sauce method.

I said I "believed" I had read everything there was to read on the internet about Harvey Brody. That is until a few days ago when I discovered I was wrong. A very interesting story on Harvey managed to escape all of my searches for years until recently. I will get back to this later.

I did what 97% of the buyers of Harvey's system didn't, wouldn't or couldn't do...I actually pulled out the Yellow Pages like Harvey said to do and cold called manufacturers looking for abandoned injection molds per Harvey's criteria. The trick was to inquire casually without giving hint that what they consider "junk" may hold lots and lots of value so you can buy at "junk" prices.

I was scared to death making the calls. but I made them, taking long pauses between calls to recover from my nervousness. There were no emails I could hide behind and send. I either made phone calls or put together a direct mail letter and send it to a list of likely suspect local manufacturers in Philadelphia and neighboring counties. Calling was faster and lots cheaper, so I called. I finally booked an appointment to see the manager of a company in Philadelphia.

Once there, all decked out in my caramel brown height of fashion 100% genuine polyester suit, I met the lady manager. She took me to a row in their warehouse where they stored their no longer used injection molds. She directed my attention to injection molds for some of the ugliest lamps made of sandstone my eyes had ever been forced to witness. No wonder she was willing to let me "take them off of her hands" for whatever money she thought I was sucker enough to buy them for. No Thank You! So I thanked her for showing me what she had and made my exit back home in my not air conditioned 1960 Ford Galaxy (given to me by my Uncle and Aunt in 1973) and prayed the radiator would not overheat on the 28 mile trip back home in a neighboring county.

I allowed this non starter experience to influence and generalize my overall feelings about this approach and never made another attempt to find a winning asset that I could work with per Harvey's road map to financial success. I was in my real early twenties with less than great confidence and self esteem. So it didn't take a hell of a lot to discourage me back then.

Although things worked out eventually career wise, I sometimes wonder "what could have been" if I had continued undaunted to capture an asset and implement Harvey's unique, VIRTUAL CORPORATION model. If I dug up his manuals that were published before faxing, email, personal computers, scanning, Skype phone/video and the internet were born, I wonder how useful they would be now because while his model may still be useful in terms of the leverage it offers in concept and sparking out of the box thinking, the process outlined in the manuals are now hopelessly obsolete technologically.

If there is a competently updated version of his model in part or whole for 21st Century implementation, no telling how much I and others will be willing to pay for it if we were convinced it was the real deal and not a bogus shiny object pretending to be a true and workable update of Harvey's virtual corporation model. I imagine it is now much easier and less costly locating appropriate "assets" and getting them under licence or to buy outright. As well as easier to identify appropriate distribution channels or joint venture with someone who has inroads in a distribution set up domestically and perhaps global. Getting a deal signed I imagine a matter of negotiation, not being greedy, ensuring everyone concerned are happy with their piece of the deal and performance responsibilities.

A while back, there was buzz about Harvey updating his model. By my estimation, he is in his early eighties. Having much more sand at the bottom than the top of his hour glass and maybe burdened with some of the health challenges that comes with being in one's early eighties, I do not hold much hope he will finally offer an update of his model. Regrettable because I am sure since its publication many decades ago, he has expanded his model to more lucrative possibilities.

Back to my earlier comment that I discovered I had not in fact read all there was to read about Harvey Brody online. As if coming out of hiding from my many searches for all things Harvey Brody over the years, I came across a feature article on him and his virtual corporation model that appeared in a prestigious newspaper almost a generation ago.

In the article, a professor from a top 25 US university business school says:

"He's the kind of person we should have been studying 30 years ago."

Almost a generation later, his quote could have been made yesterday and be as valid. Read how much income Harvey hints he grosses with only three employees...keeping in mind how long ago he was banking his amount of pre tax income. Then imagine how much his gross would be in 2015 dollars. One hell of a powerful business model sadly lost to us. And for me a great opportunity in hand and lost because I gave up before really getting started.

Here is a link to the 827 word article: http://tinyurl.com/mrcwfao

Enjoy.

Spyglass
P.S. Gordon, thanks so much for your help with my blind spot getting this thread set up.
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  #2  
Old May 21, 2015, 12:59 PM
Dien Rice Dien Rice is online now
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,357
Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Wow, Spyglass, what a fantastic post!

I will write a more substantial reply very soon...

Best wishes,

Dien
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  #3  
Old May 21, 2015, 11:03 PM
spyglass
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dien Rice View Post
Wow, Spyglass, what a fantastic post!

I will write a more substantial reply very soon...

Best wishes,

Dien

Thank you so much Dien.

High praise coming from you per your personal connection with Harvey.

Glad you found my post worthwhile.

Very much looking forward to your expanded comments.
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  #4  
Old May 21, 2015, 01:25 PM
Don Alm
 
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Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Yup.....I remember reading Brody's stuff. He talked about "Getting TOLL Positions" where people had to pay you a "FEE" to get the product/s they wanted.

And....I remember the piece about checking "Injection Mold" makers to see if there were any "abandoned" molds available that one could pick up and run with.

Well.....this motivated ME to go see a couple of "Mold" biznesses and.....at one I found a Baby BIB that was one piece and.....had a large cup-like thingee at the bottom to catch "spill"......making it easier for mom to clean up after meals.

They had 2 actual completed pieces. I asked for and got permission to take one to use as a sample to do some "research" to see if I wanted to start producing them again.

Well.....I went to some "Infant" stores to get their opinions and.....they all told me they liked the item and thought it would sell and to come up with a price.

I also went to my contact at Walgreen Drugs and they too....liked the item, in fact, when I told them IF I made a Commercial.....would they be interested in having a "TAG" to send consumers to a "TEST" store.

This would mean they'd have to purchase an initial supply for the Test store.

So.....I knew a guy who worked for Ron Popeil who told me he'd help me put the Commercial together.

But.....I was building my Burglar Alarm biz at that time and my wifee told me to CONCENTRATE ON MY EXISTING BIZ and not go off in another direction even though I tried to explain I'd have "others" doing the "work".

However.....Harvey DID inspire me to take my "Portable Alarm" and hire an attorney to get the Patent Process started.

This was a nice-looking wood box type of thing that mounted on a wall or sat on a table and when activated it let off a loud Police-Siren noise and flashing light when it heard 2 high-pitched sounds of breaking glass.

I had a mfg firm make me 5 Samples and I then proceeded to sell dealerships for $7,500 ea. by promoting meetings (similar to today's Webinars) where I'd demo the unit and provide sales & marketing methods to sell to consumers.

So.....thanks for bringing this up.....brought back some good memories.

Don Alm.....loong time entroopeneer
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  #5  
Old May 21, 2015, 11:08 PM
spyglass
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Don,

Good stuff indeed. Your wife is a great asset to you keeping you in the groove to get one project completed, rather than scatter your focus and energy. Looks like it worked out for you.

Staying on track and focused has been more than a little challenge foe me over the years. So having someone to ride herd over you to stay on task is enviable from where I stand.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Don Alm View Post
Yup.....I remember reading Brody's stuff. He talked about "Getting TOLL Positions" where people had to pay you a "FEE" to get the product/s they wanted.

And....I remember the piece about checking "Injection Mold" makers to see if there were any "abandoned" molds available that one could pick up and run with.

Well.....this motivated ME to go see a couple of "Mold" biznesses and.....at one I found a Baby BIB that was one piece and.....had a large cup-like thingee at the bottom to catch "spill"......making it easier for mom to clean up after meals.

They had 2 actual completed pieces. I asked for and got permission to take one to use as a sample to do some "research" to see if I wanted to start producing them again.

Well.....I went to some "Infant" stores to get their opinions and.....they all told me they liked the item and thought it would sell and to come up with a price.

I also went to my contact at Walgreen Drugs and they too....liked the item, in fact, when I told them IF I made a Commercial.....would they be interested in having a "TAG" to send consumers to a "TEST" store.

This would mean they'd have to purchase an initial supply for the Test store.

So.....I knew a guy who worked for Ron Popeil who told me he'd help me put the Commercial together.

But.....I was building my Burglar Alarm biz at that time and my wifee told me to CONCENTRATE ON MY EXISTING BIZ and not go off in another direction even though I tried to explain I'd have "others" doing the "work".

However.....Harvey DID inspire me to take my "Portable Alarm" and hire an attorney to get the Patent Process started.

This was a nice-looking wood box type of thing that mounted on a wall or sat on a table and when activated it let off a loud Police-Siren noise and flashing light when it heard 2 high-pitched sounds of breaking glass.

I had a mfg firm make me 5 Samples and I then proceeded to sell dealerships for $7,500 ea. by promoting meetings (similar to today's Webinars) where I'd demo the unit and provide sales & marketing methods to sell to consumers.

So.....thanks for bringing this up.....brought back some good memories.

Don Alm.....loong time entroopeneer
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  #6  
Old May 21, 2015, 03:09 PM
GordonJ's Avatar
GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 3,471
Default The toll position is only one of Harvey's money making strategies.

Interesting fact for today...

His original courses have been selling for hundreds of dollars on ebay this past year.

Although the technologies have evolved, the core of his courses are timeless, the THINKING behind the concepts is his secret, which is too hard for most people to wrap their heads around...

most seek the HOW to of doing without taking the time to learn the mental aspects, the mindset first, NOT the do this, then do that, etc.

Molds were only one thing in the course, he was big on paper and ink, and his bonus materials contained those Copyright, Trademark, Patent types of toll positions too.

Just my opinion, but it is Harvey's THINKING, and not the procedures and processes, those are all worked out before any worldly action is taken...

and today, his concepts have so evolved, that few can execute the way he can because they want to DO it their way rather than THINK his.

His success is guaranteed BEFORE he takes action in the world, because he has penciled it out in an A to Z, soup to nuts, one, two, three fashion. That is what makes him unique.

The HB Virtual Corporation has many forms, sort of like a Wankel Engine, while ordinary engines have to fire on all pistons, the Wankel has an unusual much more efficient motion to it.

He gets more done in a few hours than most of us do in a week.

Thanks for the post, Harvey is always a welcome subject to discuss here.

Gordon

PS. I was just listening to a few of the audios we made a few years ago, I have about 30 hours of pure solid gold.








Quote:
Originally Posted by spyglass View Post


I believed I had read everything there is to read on the Internet on the legendary and mysterious Harvey Brody. Someplace in my storage archives, I have his original series of manuals I brought on how to run a very lucrative business by finding certain under performing or abandoned "assets" and re-energize them in the marketplace per his secret sauce method.

I said I "believed" I had read everything there was to read on the internet about Harvey Brody. That is until a few days ago when I discovered I was wrong. A very interesting story on Harvey managed to escape all of my searches for years until recently. I will get back to this later.

I did what 97% of the buyers of Harvey's system didn't, wouldn't or couldn't do...I actually pulled out the Yellow Pages like Harvey said to do and cold called manufacturers looking for abandoned injection molds per Harvey's criteria. The trick was to inquire casually without giving hint that what they consider "junk" may hold lots and lots of value so you can buy at "junk" prices.

I was scared to death making the calls. but I made them, taking long pauses between calls to recover from my nervousness. There were no emails I could hide behind and send. I either made phone calls or put together a direct mail letter and send it to a list of likely suspect local manufacturers in Philadelphia and neighboring counties. Calling was faster and lots cheaper, so I called. I finally booked an appointment to see the manager of a company in Philadelphia.

Once there, all decked out in my caramel brown height of fashion 100% genuine polyester suit, I met the lady manager. She took me to a row in their warehouse where they stored their no longer used injection molds. She directed my attention to injection molds for some of the ugliest lamps made of sandstone my eyes had ever been forced to witness. No wonder she was willing to let me "take them off of her hands" for whatever money she thought I was sucker enough to buy them for. No Thank You! So I thanked her for showing me what she had and made my exit back home in my not air conditioned 1960 Ford Galaxy (given to me by my Uncle and Aunt in 1973) and prayed the radiator would not overheat on the 28 mile trip back home in a neighboring county.

I allowed this non starter experience to influence and generalize my overall feelings about this approach and never made another attempt to find a winning asset that I could work with per Harvey's road map to financial success. I was in my real early twenties with less than great confidence and self esteem. So it didn't take a hell of a lot to discourage me back then.

Although things worked out eventually career wise, I sometimes wonder "what could have been" if I had continued undaunted to capture an asset and implement Harvey's unique, VIRTUAL CORPORATION model. If I dug up his manuals that were published before faxing, email, personal computers, scanning, Skype phone/video and the internet were born, I wonder how useful they would be now because while his model may still be useful in terms of the leverage it offers in concept and sparking out of the box thinking, the process outlined in the manuals are now hopelessly obsolete technologically.

If there is a competently updated version of his model in part or whole for 21st Century implementation, no telling how much I and others will be willing to pay for it if we were convinced it was the real deal and not a bogus shiny object pretending to be a true and workable update of Harvey's virtual corporation model. I imagine it is now much easier and less costly locating appropriate "assets" and getting them under licence or to buy outright. As well as easier to identify appropriate distribution channels or joint venture with someone who has inroads in a distribution set up domestically and perhaps global. Getting a deal signed I imagine a matter of negotiation, not being greedy, ensuring everyone concerned are happy with their piece of the deal and performance responsibilities.

A while back, there was buzz about Harvey updating his model. By my estimation, he is in his early eighties. Having much more sand at the bottom than the top of his hour glass and maybe burdened with some of the health challenges that comes with being in one's early eighties, I do not hold much hope he will finally offer an update of his model. Regrettable because I am sure since its publication many decades ago, he has expanded his model to more lucrative possibilities.

Back to my earlier comment that I discovered I had not in fact read all there was to read about Harvey Brody online. As if coming out of hiding from my many searches for all things Harvey Brody over the years, I came across a feature article on him and his virtual corporation model that appeared in a prestigious newspaper almost a generation ago.

In the article, a professor from a top 25 US university business school says:

"He's the kind of person we should have been studying 30 years ago."

Almost a generation later, his quote could have been made yesterday and be as valid. Read how much income Harvey hints he grosses with only three employees...keeping in mind how long ago he was banking his amount of pre tax income. Then imagine how much his gross would be in 2015 dollars. One hell of a powerful business model sadly lost to us. And for me a great opportunity in hand and lost because I gave up before really getting started.

Here is a link to the 827 word article: http://tinyurl.com/mrcwfao

Enjoy.

Spyglass
P.S. Gordon, thanks so much for your help with my blind spot getting this thread set up.

Last edited by GordonJ : May 21, 2015 at 04:28 PM.
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  #7  
Old May 21, 2015, 11:22 PM
spyglass
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: The toll position is only one of Harvey's money making strategies.

Yeah Gordon, I have seen Harvey's courses go off on eBay at hundreds of bucks...fueled by Harvey's online almost cult legend no doubt.

Someone who was in serious conversation with Harvey about five years ago has made a standing offer to barter the many hours of the conversations for my archived course. I am considering it since I now view the course as obsolete.

It was cutting edge when introduced for years, perhaps decades later. I imagine Harvey over the decades has improved and expended his model to the point that it is barely recognizable to his original work which the core was his Toll Position concept. Except for the foundation philosophy of his model that is timeless.

Thanks for chiming in.






Quote:
Originally Posted by GordonJ View Post
Interesting fact for today...

His original courses have been selling for hundreds of dollars on ebay this past year.

Although the technologies have evolved, the core of his courses are timeless, the THINKING behind the concepts is his secret, which is too hard for most people to wrap their heads around...

most seek the HOW to of doing without taking the time to learn the mental aspects, the mindset first, NOT the do this, then do that, etc.

Molds were only one thing in the course, he was big on paper and ink, and his bonus materials contained those Copyright, Trademark, Patent types of toll positions too.

Just my opinion, but it is Harvey's THINKING, and not the procedures and processes, those are all worked out before any worldly action is taken...

and today, his concepts have so evolved, that few can execute the way he can because they want to DO it their way rather than THINK his.

His success is guaranteed BEFORE he takes action in the world, because he has penciled it out in an A to Z, soup to nuts, one, two, three fashion. That is what makes him unique.

The HB Virtual Corporation has many forms, sort of like a Wankel Engine, while ordinary engines have to fire on all pistons, the Wankel has an unusual much more efficient motion to it.

He gets more done in a few hours than most of us do in a week.

Thanks for the post, Harvey is always a welcome subject to discuss here.

Gordon

PS. I was just listening to a few of the audios we made a few years ago, I have about 30 hours of pure solid gold.
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  #8  
Old May 21, 2015, 04:11 PM
jsansi jsansi is offline
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Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 19
Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Good article... was never real familiar with Harvy's work.

Sounds a lot like what Joseph Cossman does... and the late Jim Straw. His finders system works (I've pocketed money using it), even though it's dated the principle of it is as relevant as ever.

The thing is, in the world of business... equipment, machines, materials, raw goods and stuff are bought and sold everyday. And _every_ business on the planet has "stuff" sitting in a closet or warehouse that is valuable to someone else.
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  #9  
Old May 21, 2015, 04:53 PM
GordonJ's Avatar
GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 3,471
Default Thank you.

Everyday

EVERYDAY on craigslist

One can find "stored value" in the Business/For Sale section there are tons of business chattel which can be converted to cash.

EVERYDAY, someone is going out of business (for many reasons) and EVERYDAY people are going into business.

A couple of examples:

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/bfs/5035942927.html

Here is a booklet making printer for less than 5k. In the writing forum we talk about booklets, Jimmy Krug made over $100,000.00 from one such booklet.

With this equipment, a person could offer an on demand or short run booklet printing which could recoup his investment and go to profit in a very short period of time. So look at potential as a stored value too ( a toll position secret).

Here is an item with potential instant profits, could buy there and sell here for a quick 100 bux cash.

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/bfs/5036338392.html

Now, of course, there are items such as

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/grd/5036386755.html

which could have as much as 2500 dollars of instant cash in it, of course, those with networks of buyers can make the fastest cash...

and so on and so on up to jets and yachts.

But EVERYDAY Parade of Life chattel (business) can add a lot of extra cash for those who partake.

gjabiz

PS. Expand your concept of stored value, hidden assets and arbitrage middleman definitions and you'll see all kinds of opportunity.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jsansi View Post
Good article... was never real familiar with Harvy's work.

Sounds a lot like what Joseph Cossman does... and the late Jim Straw. His finders system works (I've pocketed money using it), even though it's dated the principle of it is as relevant as ever.

The thing is, in the world of business... equipment, machines, materials, raw goods and stuff are bought and sold everyday. And _every_ business on the planet has "stuff" sitting in a closet or warehouse that is valuable to someone else.
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  #10  
Old May 21, 2015, 06:31 PM
Don Alm
 
Posts: n/a
Default Re: HARVEY BRODY - Long Lost Article On The King Of The VIRTUAL CORPORATION

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsansi View Post
Good article... was never real familiar with Harvy's work.

Sounds a lot like what Joseph Cossman does... and the late Jim Straw. His finders system works (I've pocketed money using it), even though it's dated the principle of it is as relevant as ever.

The thing is, in the world of business... equipment, machines, materials, raw goods and stuff are bought and sold everyday. And _every_ business on the planet has "stuff" sitting in a closet or warehouse that is valuable to someone else.

As a young entroopeneer in Chgo I had the opportunity to attend one of Joe Cossman's Seminars. WOW...what an experience.

It was held in a HUGE venue called "McCormick Place".....in their BIG Auditorium. Mr Cossman was VERY personable and Informational. I paid to be in his After Seminar Private Meeting where about 30 of us were allowed to show Joe our "Product" whereupon he would look at your product, ask questions AND....give HIS rendition of it's potential and suggest ways to market it!

This was an AWESOME experience for me. I showed him my "Baby Bib" and "Teeny Bopper" and "Home Alarm" products.

I was a member of his "Insider Squad" for awhile where he'd send items he was considering promoting. One of these items was called The SPUD GUN.... where he went on to sell jillions.....along with the "ANT FARM".

He was a MASTER Marketer. Example; One day his wife noticed a Duck and 4 or 5 of her babies in their swimming pool. She called Joe out and he brought his camera to take pictures to send to the local newspaper (The LA Times)

However.....Joe also brought out a carbboard box used for shipping one of his products (I forgot which one) so that when he took photos of momma duck and babies he made sure his BOX ....with Great Graphics was IN THE PHOTO!

He knew the paper would love to run a story about a wild duck and her kids in and around his swimming pool.....AND.....he made sure that all the photos he sent had HIS BOX in.

Anyways.....I even went to some of the "New Product" or "Inventor" Shows he had a booth in. And when Joe had a chance, he'd go visit other vendors and check whether they'd be interested in having HIM promote their products.

Wonderful experience.

Thanks for mentioning Joseph Cossman (How I Made a Million in Mail Order)

Don Alm
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