Dr Mumbo suspected April Fool’s Day had come early yesterday when he received an email pitching an interview with a Melbourne-based “business guru” called Neville Christie.
Christie has, the email excitedly read, “hit on a new business philosophy that has NEVER been more relevant – especially to advertising!”
His manta is called Business with Soul.
Sadly, the “serial entrepreneur” and author, who “was born under a restless star”, launched his first business at the age of six, and who is related to the once-famous Wirth’s travelling circus, is not James Brown in a pin-striped suit.
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But he does want you to board his Night Train. And for a fee of $30,000 – $50,000 a year + GST.
His “revolutionary business paradigm” is to ensure that everyone from the CEO to the tea lady is clear about his or her “personal purposes.”
“A Business with Soul business then integrates these personal purposes with the noble purposes of the business itself – which are far more significant than mere profit,” he opines.
This is an idea he admits he has borrowed from The Body shop, Whole Food Markets, Flight Centre and others.
Which supposedly gives credability to the press release, which barks: “Business with Soul isn’t some wimpy faux religion or new age quackery.”
Ironically, what Christie is giving away for free, is priceless. Launched yesterday, Christie’s website contains a number of “Neville-isms” or “Ah-Ha!s”. Here, James Brown meets Plato.
A few of Dr Mumbo’s favourites are:
- Mobiles at the table poison the tastiest meal
- Decide to achieve, and we almost have
- The successful person is the average person focused
- Hey, quick! Follow that idea wherever it takes you
A book of Neville-isms, called ‘The Ten Second Mentor’, is available to buy through his site.
The promotion blurb reads: “Your mind will spin with wonder from Neville’s 55 years in business, and over three decades as a professional business mentor.”
Although on another page, Christie notes about Neville-isms: “It’s feasible I’ve ‘stolen’ some of these one-liners. However, I believe they’re original. Anyway, feel free to use them, copy them, and send them on – with attribution.”
Happy to oblige, Neville.