2013 was a hell of a year. From covering Firefly Festival and Tough Mudder to being flown to California to be on TV, it all culminated in the personal success that enhanced my marketing acumen.  Oh, and I also broke all five metatarsals in my foot at years’ end. It was a hell of a year.

Moreover, the popularity of the DangerMan brand in paintball on YouTube gained the attention of TV show producers in Hollywood. They took notice that my instructional videos dealt with meta-issues such as off the field antics.

However, I dealt with them respectfully with safety in mind. I had shown I could even catch a paintball coming at me from hundreds of feet away. This spawned the question, “Could I catch more than the current world record holder in under one minute?”

After I had proven my ability with an unpublished video for the producers, the executives at the network decided to fly me out to L.A.. All expenses paid.

Despite my video showing I broke the world record, (I doubled it) I didn’t break the record at the recording of the show. I arrived at the studio, I made two critical changes that cost me a place in the record books. I thought nothing of it at the time but as they say, live and learn.

The fact is I wanted to respect the sport I represented and my brand would suffer had I not made the two changes I mentioned. I was fine with this too. I had video proof from prior recordings I had set the record and having an official record of my accomplishment was not a life goal. My integrity held, and my brand continued to flourish.