Why I Chose to Bring P. T. Barnum ‘Back to Life’
One of my plans this year was to make more videos and publish them on my Life Led Business channel. The first thing I did was curate all my existing videos, including my ‘On the Road’ series and, of course, the ‘Life Led Business’ clips from last year. This totalled over 150 videos and more than 15 hours of footage. These are all available free to watch on the Life Led Business channel.
I then decided what the next series would be - The Art of Money Getting by P. T. Barnum.
Who Was P.T. Barnum?
Most people know the name P.T. Barnum from the movie and musical, The Greatest Showman. His real life story is far less glamorous. Due to poor investments and business setbacks, P.T. Barnum came close to financial ruin and lost his early fortune before rebuilding his wealth and becoming one of the most successful showmen of his era. During periods when his income was uncertain, he gave public lectures across the United States, sharing his experiences and the principles later published in The Art of Money Getting. In that sense, he was an early pioneer of business speaking and educational lectures, long before modern seminar culture existed.
Barnum's original book is controversial due to its language and the attitudes of its time, but the lessons it contains for business leaders are among the most valuable I have encountered. I therefore edited the text, creating an abridged version which retains Barnum’s original meaning while making minor edits to remove outdated or inappropriate language. I then considered how best to present this in video format and bring the ideas to life.
The Decision to Use A.I.
Potentially controversial to some, I took the decision to create these videos alongside Barnum, or at least a representation of him. This was a challenge, as there is no known video footage of Barnum, and only limited audio recordings and photographs exist. I selected what I felt was the most suitable still photograph and used AI software, HeyGen, to ‘bring him to life’ once again, this time presenting a version of the book adapted for a modern business audience.
This is how I present alongside P. T. Barnum, interpreting his words for the modern viewer and passing on the lessons from what I consider to be one of the greatest business books ever written.
And why was this book so powerful? Because it was short, less than 30 pages in most editions, yet it contains that uncommon common sense which many of us forget as entrepreneurs.
Why You Should Watch These Videos?
It offers valuable reminders of how we should think, act and conduct ourselves in order to achieve our goals, which Barnum recognised would be different and unique to each individual.
Being an entrepreneur is not a gift you must be born with. It can be learned. But the key lies not only in process or method, but in purpose and mindset. Barnum captured the essence of this and made it accessible to the people of his time.
I have tried to do the same for the 21st century. Click here to view the series on YouTube
