Midas2024 – Bill Lewis

"Midas and 1000 Cows"

Dive into the Extraordinary Journey of “Midas and 1000 Cows”

Are you ready to embark on a thrilling adventure that will change the way you view entrepreneurship forever? “Midas and 1000 Cows: An Entrepreneur’s Crazy Journey to Making Millions” by Bill Lewis is not just a book; it’s a roadmap to mastering the art of entrepreneurship through a captivating narrative filled with passion, intrigue, and invaluable lessons.

Why This Book? Imagine being stuck in a job you despise, only to be offered a chance to escape and pursue your dreams. This is the story of Midas, a thirty-something tech entrepreneur who finds himself on a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows of business ventures. From the bustling streets of Chicago and New York to the exotic locales of Dubai and the Mexican Gulf, Midas’s journey is a thrilling blend of ambition, risk, and relentless pursuit of success.

What You Will Learn. Bill Lewis, a seasoned entrepreneur, infuses the narrative with decades of business wisdom and practical advice, making complex entrepreneurial concepts accessible and engaging. In this book, you’ll discover:

Real-World Insights: Learn how to turbocharge your success by understanding the personal dynamics of mental preparedness and acquired business skills.
Invaluable Lessons: Identify hidden opportunities, navigate from startup to IPO, and understand the transformative power of mentors and networks.
Engaging Format: Presented as a novel, this book makes the learning process enjoyable and relatable, ensuring you stay hooked from the first page to the last.

The Power of Storytelling. “Storytelling has been the method of teaching for two thousand years,” writes Bill Lewis. In “Midas and 1000 Cows,” storytelling is used to its full potential to teach the realities of business startups and why some succeed while others fail. Through the evolving narrative, you will connect with the characters, see the world from their perspectives, and learn valuable lessons that resonate with your desire to learn and explore.

Meet Midas and His Mentor, Nestor. Midas’s journey is guided by Nestor, a mentor who appears just when he is needed most. Nestor’s wisdom and guidance provide Midas with the tools he needs to navigate the challenging world of entrepreneurship. Through their interactions, you’ll gain insights into the importance of mindset, the value of mentors, and the necessity of aligning your thoughts with your goals.

Selected Passages. (SUMMARY)

To give you a taste of the journey you’re about to embark on, here the Summary of some selected passages which appear below:

Introduction to Midas’s Journey: “Like many 30-year-olds, Midas obsessed about his health and fitness as he fought the conflicting demands of a heavy workload, travel schedule, and a less than healthy diet. He sought to compensate by a daily routine of exercise; he knew that it took a strong will to build and maintain exercise as a habit. He worked hard at it.”

Meeting Nestor: “Nestor looked across the table and smiled, ‘Hey, thanks for asking. I have spent an age traveling, kinda helping, advising, and, well, I guess I am a mentor. But I took some time off; I used to get a bad rap. I’m back in the groove again now.’ He laughed.”

Overcoming Failure and Learning from Experience: “Midas was feeling sorry for himself. There was no way he could go back to Gravel, or to his previous company, or to his previous circle of friends and acquaintances. They were history. The bar door creaked open; its hinges were already well worn and loose. Every time someone pushed against the door, the hinges all but promised to give way. Midas inwardly groaned.”

Aligning Mindset with Goals: “Good,” answered Midas. “However, the one thing that I am still trying to think through is how do I ensure the success of my next venture. Any ideas?”

Nestor responded, “As you know by now, Midas, asking that question is opening a Pandora’s Box. But let’s think about a few things that we have not discussed before…”

Business Presentation: “The Viking continued, ‘As you know, I have been involved, with young Midas here,’ the Viking nodded in Midas’s direction, ‘in a company that is, and I will not exaggerate when I say this, that is going to be a company that will change the way you, me, our children, and our businesses and institutions communicate with each other in the future. That is a bold statement. But I believe it to be true; if I did not believe it I wouldn’t have invested a cent, as many of you know.’”

Join Midas on his extraordinary journey and transform your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. Whether you’re an experienced businessperson or just starting out, “Midas and 1000 Cows” offers the insights and inspiration you need to succeed. Available in PDF and EPUB formats.

Don’t miss out on this extraordinary guide to entrepreneurial success!

Selected Passages

Passage 1: Introduction to Midas’s Journey

This passage introduces the core concepts and the unique narrative style of the book. It highlights the educational value and the personal journey of the protagonist, Midas, making it clear that readers will gain both practical insights and inspiration.

Excerpt

“Like many 30-year-olds, Midas obsessed about his health and fitness as he fought the conflicting demands of a heavy workload, travel schedule, and a less than healthy diet. He sought to compensate by a daily routine of exercise; he knew that it took a strong will to build and maintain exercise as a habit. He worked hard at it.

He stepped from the front door of his apartment block, a redbrick two-story building on Du Page Street. He had left his live-in girlfriend in bed. It was 6.00am. He gulped in the crisp, dry, early morning air as he turned left to start his seven-mile morning run. This was his routine when he was at home: exercise before the rigors of the day took over.

After a few yards, he broke into a half-sprint to wake his limbs and increase his breathing. He headed along the street towards the City Church. This was downtown Elgin, IL, an outer suburb of Chicago, USA. Nothing much happened in Elgin, and even less at 6.00am. The street was deserted.”.

Passage 2: Meeting Nestor and a first lesson

This passage introduces Nestor, a key mentor figure, and encapsulates the book’s blend of practical business advice with inspirational guidance. The dialogue here reveals the profound insights and mindset shifts that Midas undergoes, which are central themes of the book.

Excerpt

“Hey, buddy, mind if I sit down here? The place is crowded.”
Midas nodded.
“My name is… Well, they call me Nestor, what’s yours?”
“Midas.”
“Let’s drink to Midas,” said Nestor.

Nestor looked different from the usual people one would normally run into in this joint. First of all, he was a little bit older than the regular crowd. He was of an indeterminate age, wore a relaxed style, was tanned, balding, and weighed around one eighty pounds. His tweed jacket was brown, worn, weathered, and probably expensive. Nestor wore the jacket over a black polo neck, atop black jeans and black brogues. He had a maroon silk handkerchief in the top pocket of his jacket. He’s a cross between an aged hippy and an English country gent, Midas smiled inwardly. But hey, what the hell, he appeared to be friendly enough.

“So what do you do Nestor, and what kind of name is that?”

Nestor looked across the table and smiled, “Hey, thanks for asking. I have spent an age travelling, kinda helping, advising, and, well, I guess I am a mentor. But I took some time off; I used to get a bad rap. I’m back in the groove again now.” He laughed.

“Go on,” said Midas, “bad rap for what?”

“I used to be very boastful. Sure, I am wise and clever and astute, people tell me that, but I was boastful, and although people asked me for my thoughts, ideas, and wisdom, they used to chide me about the way I talked about myself. Well, I soon learned. Humility is valuable. If you can have wisdom and humility people will listen to you, and ask you for sagely advice. If you are boastful, they think everything you say is BS, even when it is not.”

Nestor looked into his glass, and then looked up. “Well, that’s what I learned as I went through university.”

“Which university is that?” asked Midas.
“Life, of course,” laughed Nestor.
“What do you mean, life?”

“The University of Life,” answered Nestor. “Do you know it is the greatest university that is available to you? I tell everyone there is a vast storehouse: information, knowledge, experience, and ideas from great thinkers, great achievers, philosophers, writers, painters, artists – it’s all there, all you need to do is to look.

“What I learned has changed me, my mind, my life, and that of many other people too.”

“That so? So, what have you learned?” asked Midas.

“I know it sounds crazy and unbelievable at first, but you, and I mean anyone, can achieve pretty much whatever they desire if they believe they can do it.” Nestor continued, “Desire and belief are an unstoppable combination. You see, you have the talent Midas, to do anything you want, if only you believe. Just like me, just like other people.

Passage 3: Facing Challenges and Rebuilding

This passage showcases Midas’s determination and resilience as he faces significant challenges. It highlights the practical business hurdles and the protagonist’s journey to overcome them, making it relatable and inspiring for readers.

Excerpt

“Not only was he sick of his job, but he was also now sick of this relationship.

As he set off for his twenty-minute walk to his office, he was unaware that today was going to be anything but usual. The great universe had a surprise in store.

Some forty-five minutes later, Midas slumped into his chair in his cube, in his concrete and glass office on South Riverside Drive. His office was in a bland commercial development, in a nondescript part of town. His cubicle was grey, his desk was light grey, and his Mac laptop blended with this color scheme. The wall behind him was midgray, with the carpets black and grey. Only the white ceiling added some contrast to this rain-colored scene.

Today Gravel was on holiday, and Midas might just get some peace and quiet, and be able to concentrate on what he liked to do best – plan out his next major program and run a number of virtual program reviews.

But coffee first.

He walked down to the coffee machine. Pressing the button, black liquid poured into his grey plastic cup. Corporate identity grey was insidious. The coffee was passable at least, Midas thought, as he made his way back to his desk.

He sat and flicked open his laptop; he didn’t immediately start work. He just sipped his coffee, his mind wandering. He was thinking about how he came to be in Elgin, how he came to be where he is. His mind drifted back to his parents, Dick and Winifred.

Dick and Winifred were born in North Wales, UK. They had grown up in a small town. Both came from staunch, working-class families, who knew their place in society, troubled no one, went to church, and proceeded through their life as though it was an immutable, ordained journey. In 1956, Dick was working as a laborer for a military contractor in the UK. He had been sent on a long-term contract to the USA and had eventually become an accidental immigrant. At the outset, he had no intention of staying in North America, but when the contract ended, he was offered a job in the military-civilian complex outside Chicago where he had been working for two years. Winifred travelled to join him.

They settled in Will County and led a generally contented and uneventful life. They had enough income to get by, but nothing was left over for luxuries or extravagance. They travelled regularly to the city to attend the First United Methodist Church at 77 West Washington Street, an institution located on ‘Methodist Corner’ since the mid-nineteenth century. This provided continuity to their Christian Methodist upbringing in North Wales. Outside Dick and Winifred’s home, as time marched forward into the mid-60’s, the world was in the grips of a revolution of love, freedom and expression. Old norms were being overturned and established barriers torn down. However, for this quiet Methodist couple, the world did not change; it continued in its own peaceful way; the bible was read, church was the center of their life, and they kept to themselves.

Passage 4: Meeting Mentors – The Turning Point

This passage captures a critical turning point in Midas’s life, showcasing his perseverance and the support he receives. It emphasizes the value of mentorship and the importance of seizing opportunities, making it motivational and impactful for readers.

Excerpt

“After his session with Peter, Midas’s meetings continued through the morning. Midas met Tom, Mary, Amos and Ole.

Tom was into shipping and logistics, with a global empire that stretched from New York to Norway and down to New Zealand – and all points between; Tom was confident and quiet, astute and open, clearly highly experienced. His takeaway was always being open to ideas; you never know where they come from. And trust your intuition. Business plans are for accountants, “But regrettably they get it wrong; they don’t use their gut!”

Mary was a publisher, and by the time she was thirty had built a large online and hardcopy publishing house with over one hundred titles. Her takeaway was never give up on your vision. Stay away from your family, and your friends, they are inevitably ‘dream stealers’. Surround yourself with like-minded people. In particular, look at the five people you most frequently interact with – that is how YOU are. They are the barometer of your mindset and attitude. And if you don’t like what you see, move on; get yourself a different set of acquaintances, and associates, and friends.

Amos proved to be an amazing and unusual individual eschewing corporate business, and even a ‘normal’ route to entrepreneurship. He, along with his two brothers, had built themselves a trading empire that supplied thousands of different product lines, from egg timers, to Bluetooth earpieces, to air-conditioners, to clothing, to cutlery, to car parts – all branded (multiple brands) and sold on Amazon. Amazon was his sales channel for his multi-million-dollar empire, with sales last year ‘in nine figures’. He was reputed to be one of the most knowledgeable and experienced ‘Amazon sellers’ – and those words was not even descriptive enough; there were few people who knew more about e-commerce, buying, product selection, logistics, copywriting, or marketing, than Amos and his team…..”

Passage 5: Aligning Mindset with Goals

This passage delves into how one’s mindset aligns with their goals and the importance of overcoming limiting beliefs. It provides practical advice on how to achieve success by aligning thoughts with actions.

Excerpt

“Good,” answered Midas. “However, the one thing that I am still trying to think through is how do I ensure success of my next venture. Any ideas?”

Nestor responded, “As you know by now, Midas, asking that question is opening a Pandora’s Box. But let’s think about a few things that we have not discussed before. There are all kinds of answers to the question – a lot, of course, business-related: what market, what sector, what services, location, and so on and so on. But do you remember when we met in Wisconsin, that I told you mindset precedes skill set? So in answer to your question, what do you think you need to give attention to?”

Midas responded thoughtfully, “Mindset?”

“Yes, of course, Midas – right on.”

Midas continued, “Ok, but we have discussed all kinds of things before – how our thoughts manifest themselves, how like people attract like people, the universal law, abundance, programming… You gave me a lot of reading – I am working my way through it.” Then he added, “Slowly.”

“That’s ok Midas,” answered Nestor. “All in good time.

“Now, let’s get back to your question. How can you ensure success?

“Well, I don’t think there are any guarantees as in ‘ensure’, but we can work on a lot of things that may inhibit your success … and get them out of the way. How about that?”

Midas nodded.

Nestor continued, “Let me give you some headlines and you can follow some of this up by yourself.

“First, I want to remind you about ‘limiting beliefs’. These are beliefs that will inhibit success. They are what Joe Vitale calls ‘Thieves in the night’. As a sidebar note, Midas, you should read Joe’s books. He is a prolific writer; some of his books are ideal for you to understand how to be a success. Have a look at ‘Attractor Factor’.”

“What are the Limiting Beliefs – the ‘thieves’?” quizzed Midas.

Nestor replied. “Ok, I will explain. First, you need to align your mind with where you want to go and what you want to be. And, of course, I will assume you want to be wealthy in all aspects of the word – health, money, friends, experiences, and relationships. Right?”

“Of course,” acknowledged Midas.

“Then you must align your mind with where you want to go and what you want to be, long before you get there.”

“OK,” nodded Midas.

“I think we can both say that if we do not have the mindset of a champion we will never be one. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”

“And if you want to be wealthy, you have to have a wealth mindset, before you achieve wealth.” Midas looked puzzled. “What do you mean ‘wealth mindset’?”

“A wealth mindset is a mindset which says it is ok. No, let me correct myself. Not ok, it is GOOD to be wealthy – and GOOD that your success is evident in every dimension: money, relationships, health, experiences, and relationships.

“Do you realize how often people are taught that wealth is bad, wealth is not for them …. I could talk about that myth all afternoon,” sighed Nestor.

Passage 6: Overcoming Failure and Learning from Experience

Rationale: This passage focuses on the importance of learning from failures and how setbacks can provide valuable lessons. Nestor’s advice is practical and motivational, encouraging Midas to rebuild and move forward.

Excerpt

Midas was feeling sorry for himself. There was no way he could go back to Gravel, or to his previous company, or to his previous circle of friends and acquaintances. They were history.

The bar door creaked open; its hinges were already well worn and loose. Every time someone pushed against the door, the hinges all but promised to give way. Midas inwardly groaned. Walking across the wooden floor came Nestor. Midas had given up trying to figure out how he knew where he was. Midas shrugged his shoulders as Nestor sat down opposite him. Nestor ordered coffee. Such an order was blasphemy in this establishment, thought Midas. The waitress gave them a very strange look, turned on her heel and walked back to the bar.

Some minutes later she would appear with a cup of black liquid that looked as though it should be used for lubricating the bearings on the locomotives that clanked past the rear of the bar.

Nestor looked at Midas.

“Why don’t you leave?” said Midas. “You come with your great ideas, your great theories, and it’s all garbage.” Midas felt that the words came out of his mouth with a charge of acid. Midas was bitter. He was angry.

His voice rose, “So, do you know what happened? Do you know I was screwed? Screwed over by the bankers, and shafted by a CIO who got himself fired at the wrong time, right? From being a millionaire to a pauper in the blink of an eye. That’s what happened.”

Midas paused.

He then started to laugh, an executioner’s laugh, “It’s laughable isn’t it, well it’s laughable if it wasn’t true. It’s a disaster.”

Midas stopped. They looked at each other. No one spoke.

Nestor broke the silence.

“You are right. And it appears to be a disaster. But when disasters happen you have a choice; you can rebuild or walk away. If you walk away, the debris of your life remains; it gets overgrown with weeds. Its once vibrant life is choked, and it remains that way until it eventually turns to dust. Is that what you want, Midas? To be a decaying, overgrown derelict; one that had so much potential but is now just waiting to turn to dust. Or do you want to rebuild?”

Midas looked at him.”

Passage 7: Business Presentation

This passage captures a pivotal business moment, highlighting Midas’s leadership and vision. It demonstrates the practical business insights and the high stakes involved in entrepreneurship, making it highly compelling for potential buyers.

Excerpt

The Viking continued, “As you know, I have been involved, with young Midas here,” the Viking nodded in Midas’s direction, “in a company that is, and I will not exaggerate when I say this, that is going to be a company that will change the way you, me, our children, and our businesses and institutions communicate with each other in the future. That is a bold statement. But I believe it to be true; if I did not believe it I wouldn’t have invested a cent, as many of you know.”

More laughter.

“I have invested several hundreds of thousands of dollars in this venture, and so has Midas, because we believe in the vision that we have, and in the capability of our team,” he looked in the direction of Chad, “led by Chad, one of the best software architects in America.

“It is a vision and an opportunity that frankly I want you, my friends, to share. I am not begging for charity; I am offering you the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something that may, who knows, become as big as Facebook, Amazon, or one of the Telcos, AT&T, Verizon, who knows? The opportunity is there.”

The Viking had them in his hand, they were listening, they were engaged, they were thinking about the future.

“I will now ask Midas to explain what we’re doing.”

Midas swallowed hard; he could feel the palms of his hands and he hoped that the sweat that was there was not running down and dripping from his fingertips. He had already put down his glass, fearful that it would slip through his wet fingers. The back of his shirt stuck to his spine. Thankfully, the guests could not see.

Midas stepped forward; he nodded to the Viking, and faced what must have been a group that represented billions of dollars in net worth. He took a deep breath, wiped his hand unconsciously on the seat of his pants, put his hand in his pocket, and took out a smartphone.

He started, “Ladies and gentlemen, you all have one of these, you use it many, many, times each day. But it is, along with your laptop or computer, one of the most frustrating and inconvenient communication tools ever invented by man. And we are going to change that.

“Let me explain, I want you to imagine that you wish to contact your bank, or it could be your dentist, or your doctor, or your stockbroker, but for this example I’m going to use a bank.”

Midas opened his phone and said, “I go to an application, one of these little buttons that seem to increase in number overnight, the next time you look there are more and more,” a few people nodded and others chuckled.

Midas held out his phone and those at the front could see a Blue City Bank icon.

“This is your bank, it could be any bank; you tap on it, it opens. You authenticate it. It asks you what you want to do. You choose ‘speak to…”

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Bill Lewis

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"Midas and 1000 Cows"