Page 108 - Midas Touch

people, join the Marine Corps.” He stepped down, not showing any
pictures.

Three years later, I was flying my Marine Corps helicopter gunship off an
aircraft carrier, my first combat mission into Vietnam. The Marine Corps
had kept their brand promise, just as they have been doing since 1775.

Rolex and the Marine Corps
So what does a fake Rolex and the Marine Corps have to do with the power
of a brand?

The answer is—everything. Once rich dad crushed my fake Rolex and I
began studying brands rather than pirating a brand, I realized how much of

my life has been affected by brands. I knew why I drove Harley-Davidson
motorcycles, Ferraris, Porsches, and Bentleys, and why I preferred Prada
over Brooks Brothers. I knew why I chose the Marine Corps over the Coast
Guard or Air Force, and why I would never again wear a fake Rolex or a
fake Ralph Lauren polo shirt.

A brand speaks to that unique, different, and authentic person inside us all.
If I stole a brand, then the pirate in me was my brand.

Today, Rich Dad is an international brand. My company does not own
manufacturing factories or classrooms. Rich Dad is a brand, a brand that
speaks to a specific group of individuals, individuals who want the same
things I want.

Keep Your Promise

Donald Trump is true to himself and his brand. That is why the Trump
brand is worth so much. The Trump name on a building increases the
value of the building by at least 40 percent to 50 percent.

The Trump brand and the Rich Dad brand can stand side by side because
both companies value financial education for a better quality of life, not
just for the super rich, but for anyone willing to learn.

Yet a brand is more than a name. A true brand cannot be copied because a

true brand is more than a product. It is a promise, a reflection of the
entrepreneur’s body, mind, and spirit.