We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful George Schmid. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with George below.

George, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

When I was 22 I became the assistant manager of the 3rd largest night club in the USA. By 23 I was the manager. This propelled me into the music and entertainment industry and I started Progressive Artist Management. I then promoted/booked top bands and put on concerts. I also became a manager of artists.

I left the club and invented the Tube-N-It sport tube. The 1st commercial tube with handles that was towed behind speedboats. I also invented the River Tube, used for floating down rivers.

Due to family problems, I took a job with a small New York Stock Exchange Insurance Company and started working my way and still put on concerts for charities. By the time I was 36 I was named a VP and reported to the founder and chairman of the board. I was also named to the boards of the two largest subsidiaries.

A few years later I then invented the Card Tree which held 72 greeting cards in the shape of a Christmas Tree and contracted with American Greetings to sell the product throughout the USA.

At the same time I took a position with the 2nd largest insurance broker in the world, AON as a top VP and ran large programs (McDonalds, Applebees, American Psychology Association and many more). I finally created and ran the 3rd largest program in the world for AON for Ford Motor Credit in all of Mexico and Chile.

Also, during this time period, I started managing the pop/rock group Vesica Pisces. Was able to help them win the Adult Contemporary class at the LA Music Awards, secure them a center stage at MIDEM in Cannes France and eventually a record contract.

I now own three of my own companies and provide consulting services internationally for finance and insurance and manage and promote musical artists, models, actors, comedians and novelty acts worldwide. We are also Cat Thompson’s personal managers. She is based in Byron Bay Australia and moving up fast.

In addition, I have invested in the new Nozzleman’s Pizza franchises, which is celebrity driven, but also honors our firefighters by contributing a % of proceeds to these 1st responders. Other investors and supporters in the entertainment world include Snookie (Jersey Shores) and academy award winner Jeremy Renner.

I guess to sum things up, if something looked possible and rewarding to me and I thought I could get a good team to help, we made it happen.

George, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have three brands: 1. Financial services, 2. Inventions, 3 Entertainment management and promotion.

I live in Laguna Niguel, CA and also Lake Tahoe, NV.

We mostly do International consulting for financial services and spend most of our time in the entertainment business working with musical artists, actors, models novelty acts and even a top yoga master from Argentina.

We also are advisors to Sidewalks TV, which features celebrity interviews to their viewer base of 5 million and growing.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When my Tube-N-It invention was becoming a world-famous hit, I had wealthy family member ask to come in financially to support the effort and he ended up stealing everything. We were in court 7 years and none of us made any money except the manufacturer. It was devasting for me as a young man (I invented it at 25 years old), but never gave up going after the impossible and accomplishing the impossible over and over again.

I couldn’t just go after a dream, I had to accomplish it. Each time I encountered huge roadblocks, but by working hard, staying focused and bringing in amazing teams, we crossed the goal lines.

By inventing several other hit products, bringing some top musical artists to the world stage and becoming a serious corporate world officer, I was able to let the Tube-N-It heartbreak be a catalyst. A screenplay is now underway for Tube-N-It to share the story.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting from the entertainment business, to, inventions, to financial services, back to entertainment, then back to inventing and so on and so on. Always stayed focused. Still do.

With Tube-N-It being tied up in the legal system, I was literally living off of credit cards. I had to take a corporate job in the corporate world with an insurance company, when I had no knowledge at all in that industry.

I was lost, but worked hard and kept getting promotion after promotion and eventually became an officer and named to the boards of their two largest subsidiaries and reported to the founder and Chairman of the Board of the parent company.

I actually surprised myself.

During this time I also put on some concerts for charities and developed the Limousine Scavenger Hunt with scores of RV’s screaming across of a small Midwest city, solving clues and filming the fun.

We made the AP/Press in the USA and had many calls come in asking for help on duplicating our contest for charities.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.progressiveartistmanagement.com
• Facebook: On here under George Schmid
• Linkedin: I’m on here under George Schmid
• Twitter: On here under George Schmid