Kenny Chapman visits Monte Cristi, Ecuador, where women hand-weave Panama hats over a month. He connects the town's craftsmanship to business lessons: control your brand, shape how clients perceive you, and practice gratitude for what you have.
Monte Cristi, Ecuador
Teddy Roosevelt bought a hat in Monte Cristi and was seen wearing it in Panama, which led to the association.
Up to a month
$40
Titanium members
Hey, my friends, Kenny Chapman here, the blue collar coach, coming to you with a little version of Freedom Friday focus from a little different part of the world. I'm in South America this week, and we're actually in Monte Christi, Ecuador, today. Now, this is actually the home of what we now know as the Panama hat. Why is it known as the Panama hat? It's because Teddy Roosevelt bought one of those hats here in Monte Christi, but then was seen wearing it in Panama. So therefore, they embraced that story as they went. Now, what does this mean to you and I. I want you to think about your business. I want you to think about your brand. Because what happens? Guess what? If you don't control your brand, somebody else will. What else does this mean? Perception becomes reality when it comes to clients, right? So what people think about becomes their reality based on their perception. So when we think about a town like this. Now, we've been walking around, Christy and I bought some. Some different baskets and different things. The hats just don't look quite right on me. So I'm gonna. I'll resist the temptation to bore you with me shooting this in a hat, but point or seeing how they're handmade and different things. And I want you to challenge your perspective a little bit. I shot for you from Machu Picchu a few days ago. But I want you to think about, you know, we were just up at one of the little factories, and these ladies, like, hunch over like this, and they just go all day, all day, eight hours a day. So I want you to check your perspective. Think about your gratitude when you're complaining about your job, when you're going, oh, I don't have enough variety. I can't do this. I don't get to do this, that and the other. Whatever. Stop it. You're not sitting there eight hours a day making hats by hand that take up to a month, and you can buy them for $40. What do you have to complain about, huh? So think about what's really making you tick. I want you to find some gratitude. My challenge is to pass gratitude to you through this trip. Now, if you're a Titanium member, stand by because I'm going to shoot some special stuff for you. But I really want everybody to just embrace where you're at right now and be grateful, because you have no idea how spoiled you are. Maybe you' do. But I'm here to remind you until we talk, my friends, have a better than a fantastic Friday, and we'll see you soon.
