Feb 18, 2024
Vail, Colorado
“Well the founders just had no imagination. So these streets simply indicate the distance from the border.”
(Can’t read the full email – click here for the online version.)
We’ve made it to Vail, Co. for our annual sojourn in the mecca for alpine skiing in Colorado. At least, it is for us. With it’s 5000 acres of terrain, 7 back bowls, long, groomed cruisers and iconic on-mountain lodges – hard not to love it. Plus it always seems to snow during our stay – and that makes
for some nice powder days.
Last week, we visited and skied Telluride.
Telluride started out as a mining town in the late 1800s, when gold and silver were discovered in the area. It quickly boomed into a bustling hub of mining activity, with all sorts of rough-and-tumble characters looking to strike it rich.
But as with many mining towns, the good times didn't last forever. When the mines dried up, Telluride faced a bit of an identity crisis.
Back in the late 19th century, skiing was more like a survival skill than a recreational activity. Miners and trappers used skis to get around in the snowy backcountry and to haul supplies. But there were also a few folks who just loved the thrill of sliding down the
mountainsides, and they were the early pioneers of what would become Telluride's world-class skiing scene.
The first ski lifts in Telluride were installed by a quirky and adventurous character named Joe Zoline. He was a bit of a maverick, and in the 1970s, he decided to take a chance and install the first chairlifts in the area. Some folks thought he was a little nuts, but it turned out to be a stroke of genius! Those chairlifts gave
Telluride the kickstart it needed to become a top-notch ski destination, and the rest is history!
These days, Telluride seems to act like a magnet for celebrities looking to escape the limelight! Some big names, like Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey, and Ralph Lauren, have dropped serious coin on homes and chalets in this slice of mountain paradise.
As for the values, well, let's just say these properties are so fancy they'd make your bank account do a double take. McMansions in Telluride can easily fetch 8 or 9 figures!
The name Telluride supposedly comes from the mineral tellurium, which was found in the area – an indication of gold and silver deposits. It’s first name was “Columbia”, but since there already was a town in California with that name, they
decided to rename it.
Personally, I like the story that the name came about when men would shout out to those leaving the area; “to hell you ride!”
Interestingly, Telluride was the first place Butch Cassidy robbed.
This happened in 1889 when Butch, who was still going
by his real name Robert LeRoy Parker at the time, and his buddy, Matt Warner, decided to spice up their lives with a little bit of old-fashioned thievery. They hatched a plan to knock over the San Miguel Valley Bank in Telluride, Colorado.
They managed to pull off the heist without firing a single shot and made off with about $20,000 (which was a pretty big haul back then).
But here's the kicker--even though they were successful, Butch and Matt reportedly felt bad about the whole thing because the folks in Telluride were generally pretty nice. So, they actually sent a chunk of the loot back to the bank to make amends.
Naming conventions are important. One, they can make it easier to remember and two, they can increase the lure to a place (or business).
Telluride somehow conjures up an image of the old west. Columbia doesn’t. And the town has strict regulations on new building and restoration so that the character of the town is maintained.
Robert LeRoy Parker, changed his name to avoid being recognized when he turned to a life of crime. Parker had a partner, Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, who went by the catchy nickname "the Sundance
Kid." He earned this moniker because he was once thrown in jail in Sundance, Wyoming, for stealing a horse.
Back in Grand Junction, there are a series of streets, running north to south. They have ‘catchy’ names like 29th, 30th, 32nd – etc.
Then the founders got some real inspiration and came up with these names:
28 ¾ road; 29 ½ and my personal favourite, 29 ⅜!
The numbers representing simply, the distance from the Utah state border.
Names that mean something and are memorable are important. In one quick moment, they can conjure a series of images, stories, and promises.
Headlines do the same thing.
They're the sizzle to the news article steak, the drumroll before the big show!
Headlines are important because they're the gateway to the story. They're like the amuse-bouche before the main course— they need to grab your attention, pique your interest, and make you go, "Hmm, tell me more!"
If the headline is a dud, it's like showing up to a party in sweatpants when the dress code is black tie.
This is why, “A”-star copywriters will tell you that a headline is worth at least 80% of the effectiveness of an ad or promotion.
Writing good headlines and effective sales copy is a skill every business owner
should hone. I have an entire section on this inside my Real Business Mastery membership. You can become a member right now, at 90% off. Click here now and use code: RBM90.
Until next week,
Stay healthy and focus on profit!
- Hugh
The “Profit Accelerator” Expert
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