FEATURE STORY
13 Life-Changing Ways To Create Your Own Luck
FROM ZICO COCONUT WATER CO-FOUNDER AND MILLIONAIRE ENTREPRENEUR , JESSE ITZLER
“ We are all only one idea away from changing the whole complexion of our life .”— Jesse Itzler
Jesse Itzler ’ s life is about being bold and never shying away from taking risks .
A former rapper turned entrepreneur , motivational speaker , and best-selling author , Itzler believes action trumps experience and that you create your own luck by putting yourself in a position for luck to find you . He says , “ Luck doesn ’ t happen sitting at home watching the Kardashians .”
At 21 years old , he landed a record deal as a rapper ( under the pseudonym Jesse James ) by cold-calling a record label and hustling his way into the room .
After getting dropped from his record label , he wrote a theme song for the New York Knicks that went viral and started a record label called Alphabet City Sports
Records . He and his partner wrote and produced sports teams ’ theme songs , including the NBA ’ s Emmy-Awardwinning anthem , I Love This Game , and collaborated on campaigns with big-name brands such as Coca-Cola and Foot Locker . They later sold the company for $ 16 million .
At 27 years old , with only an idea , no experience , and not enough money to get his company Marquis Jets off the ground , Jesse convinced the largest private jet company in the world to go into business with him . He grew that company to the world ’ s largest prepaid private jet card company that did $ 5 billion in sales , which he and his partner then sold to Berkshire Hathaway / Warren Buffett .
Jesse tells a fascinating true story about how he sold his company , Zico Coconut Water , to Coca-Cola . He convinced
10