Episode 681 - Vaseline

In this episode, Phil shares a childhood memory of using Vaseline. He explains how Robert Augustus Chesebrough created Vaseline from "rod wax" and how he passionately promoted it. Chesebrough's story teaches lessons about seeking new opportunities, finding niche markets, and the importance of passion and persistence. Phil encourages listeners to be passionate and articulate about their work in this next year.

Resources:

Please send Comments, Questions, and Feedback to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Please send First Friday Feedback submissions to: mojo@cannonfinancial.com

Transcript

Top performers in every field surround themselves with those who inspire them, who seek to build them up, and who push them to reach beyond their current limits. I'm Phil Buchanan, Executive Chairman of Cannon Financial Institute. I designed Monday Morning Mojo to provide you with a weekly spark, a push, and motivational insight to live your best life.

Thanks for joining. Greetings, Cannon nation. It is Phil here with episode 681 of Monday Morning Mojo. Vaseline. I first heard the word Vaseline when I was very young. I was three years old. There is a reason I remember the age. I heard the word being discussed between my mother and Miss Leola Blue, a kind lady who helped my mother, my grandmother, and my aunt maintain their homes.

Miss Leola had asked my mother if she had rubbed Vaseline into my skin when I was a baby. My mother told her no, she hadn't. Miss Leola went on to tell my mother that she had rubbed Vaseline into the skin of all of her children and grandchildren once a week during the first year of their lives to help loosen their skin so that they could grow.

Now, I suppose at age three, I thought that I was going to be at some disadvantage. So, I immediately went into my parents bathroom, stripped down, Took a jar of Vaseline and rubbed it into my scalp, into my hair, and all over my body from head to toe. I proudly then walked into the den to show off my handiwork to my parents.

As I recall, the next hour and a half was the worst scrubbing I have ever experienced as my mother shampooed my hair time and time again and used washcloth with soap to try to remove all of the Vaseline from my body. Vaseline became off limits to me for the next several years. Vaseline was discovered, perfected, created, by a young chemist, Robert Augustus Chesebrough.

Chesebrough had a career clarifying kerosene from whale oil. But that industry went away with the discovery of petroleum in Titusville, Pennsylvania, near Chesebrough's home. Chesebrough, ever the student, went to Titusville to observe the first modern oil rig. While watching the men work the rig, he noticed several of them salvaging a thick black substance from the pump rods that was left over from the pumping of the petroleum.

They referred to this black substance as rod wax. They used this rod wax to treat scrapes and burns on their body. Chesebrough, the chemist, then spent the next 11 years perfecting the process of purifying the rod wax into clear petroleum jelly. In 1870, Vaseline petroleum jelly was introduced to the market.

Chesebrough then began traveling across the countryside to tout the virtues and uses of Vaseline. We are told that he would actually take a candle and burn himself in order to demonstrate the benefits of applying Vaseline to wounds. Now you want to talk about passion and dedication. For You know, there are several great lessons to take away from Mr.

Chesebrough. First, when one door closes, you often have to go find other open doors. With his role of clarifying kerosene went away, Chesebrough went out to investigate the petroleum business. And he found an opportunity. Another great lesson is to look beyond what the primary product or opportunity that everyone sees and find those smaller niche plays.

Well, oil was obviously the primary play at Titusville, but Chesebrough saw the opportunity for petroleum jelly and it became But for me, the biggest lesson of all was his passion and his persistence. Chesebrough stuck with this idea of petroleum jelly. He spent 11 years perfecting the concept. And then he was incredibly passionate about his promotion of his product.

And he went to extremes. And, I mean, I call intentionally burning yourself going to an extreme to sell his concept. Chesebrough.

I want you to think about something as you go into 2025 with your business. How passionate and persistent are you and your colleagues in telling your great story of your great organization? I'm not suggesting that you need to take a candle and burn yourself, but what is your story? How do you create that narrative?

Vaseline today is a rather ubiquitous product. And until you've just heard the story of one Mr. Robert Augustus Cheeseburger, you probably didn't think too much about it. But now you'll remember that story. For prospects and clients of your organization, You may think it's your investment management process, or your wealth management process that's really the differentiating factor, but at the end of the day, your prospects and your clients don't really remember the process as much as they remember the story.

Be passionate and articulate about what you do, how you do it, but most importantly, why you do it. That's what attracts people. That's what gets them excited. Be passionate, be persistent, perfect your story. Monday Morning Mojo is a production of Cannon Financial Institute. Executive producer of Monday Morning Mojo is Sarah Jones.

Managing producer of Monday Morning Mojo is McCall Chamberlain. Editing and mixing is done by Danny Brunner. Until next time, I'm Phil Buchanan reminding you to be a force for good. Have a great week and thanks for being part of the Mojo community.