Thursday, February 1, 2018

Profits Baby, Profits: "Tesla's Musk sells $10 million in flamethrowers in four days"

We've made the case that Lord Duveen of Millbank, the most famous art dealer in history, was the world's greatest salesman. And pointed out Ron Popiel was pretty good in his own right. But Mr. Musk is gaining ground in the far turn and making a race of it.

From Reuters:
A handful of tweets and four days later, Silicon Valley billionaire Elon Musk has closed orders for his latest novelty product, after selling 20,000 flamethrowers at $500 a piece.

"Guaranteed to liven up any party!" was Musk's tagline for a sale which raised $10 million for his high-speed tunnel venture The Boring Company. bit.ly/2tBqMWb
 
The man behind electric carmaker Tesla (TSLA.O) and rocket company SpaceX had earlier sold 50,000 Boring Company hats in similar fashion.

The latest impromptu fundraising scheme comes at a time when financial analysts and investors in Tesla are wondering if Musk will have to seek billions more in funding for the electric carmaker as it struggles to meet promises on production....MORE 
Previously:
Jan. 26 
"Here’s Elon Musk’s $600 Boring Company flamethrower"
Jan. 30
"Elon Musk’s flamethrower faces possible sales ban in California"

Here's a bit on Popiel with one of his taglines:
More Than a Trade: Career Tips from John Paulson (But Wait! There's More!)

And the posts linking to Duveen's biographer S.N. Behrman's serial at the New Yorker back in 1951:

Duveen: The Greatest Salesman Ever
Duveen, The Greatest Salesman in the World: Early Days
Duveen the Art Dealer: The Greatest Salesman in the World Pt. III
Duveen, The Greatest Salesman in the World: Isabella Stewart Gardner, Bernard Berenson and the Boston Connection Pt. IV 
The Greatest Salesman in the World: Duveen Buys and Sells Gainsborough's "Blue Boy"