I got a package in the mail today. It was a book.

I didn’t think it would come. But it did. It was a book I had bought and received a few weeks ago.

I already had it, but I gave it away. I gave my book away to someone who needed it more than I did. It came back again.

I didn’t get my book back, I got his book. This is a cool story……

Last week I was in Atlanta with my partner for work. We arrived on Wednesday and had a workshop scheduled for Thursday. I was free on Friday. As luck would have it, Seth Godin (a favorite author / blogger of mine) was also in town and was holding a one-day seminar on Friday. I bought my ticket weeks in advance. I wasn’t going to miss him.

The trip to Atlanta was kind of a big deal…especially for my partner. I mean, the whole reason we went was because he got asked to speak at a national convention. Not just anybody gets to speak at national conventions. So that was pretty cool. But the thing I was most excited about was getting to see Seth Godin live.

Friday morning I got up early and took a shuttle from the hotel to the convention center. From the convention center I walked 6-7 blocks to the theater where Seth would be. I got there at 7:50. Seth didn’t start til 9:00.

There was a group of people waiting outside for the theater doors to open. Various folks were chit-chatting with each other. I found myself near the front of the line next to a fellow talking to the guy guarding the door. His name was Michael and he was talking with the door guy.

I heard Michael lamenting to the door guy that he’d forgotten his copy of Purple Cow (Amazon affiliate link). He said the company he had founded was mentioned in the second edition of Purple Cow and he wanted to get Seth to sign the page that talked about his company.

I had a copy of Purple Cow.

I reached into my computer bag and pulled out the book. I handed it to this stranger named Michael and said, “Take my book. You can have it. Get it signed and keep it. When you get back home, send me your copy…I haven’t finished it yet.”

We swapped business cards.

Michael got the book signed.

Today I got a package in the mail. It was from Michael. It was his copy of Purple Cow.

Michael Gibbons lives in North Carolina and runs a business called Buttons of Hope. He sent me his Purple Cow book along with some literature about his company and a “hope” button.

Michael runs a business. His business is selling buttons. But after chatting with Michael and spending some time on his site reading about his company; I get the feeling that his “buttons” are more than just a business to Michael. They’re more that just a way to make money. Check out his site…you’ll know what I mean.

Michael’s is a business built on passion, charity and hope. It’s a business model worth replicating. It’s a business model worth talking about.

I don’t owe anything to this guy. I won’t benefit from any new business he gets; but if you have an event, charity or fundraiser you’re thinking about sponsoring, think about Michael and his Buttons of Hope.