This Guy Was a Nobody Until he Bet on Himself . . . and Won!

Now here’s a guy whose outrageous vision - and belief in himself - won the day. And then some!

He had gotten to Hollywood a few years before and had middling success - just two films under his belt. No, he was no Hollywood bigwig, no household name — just a guy.

But what this guy did have was an almost crazy belief in himself and his abilities, even if he didn’t have a lot to show for it.

Moreover, his vision for his next movie was so outrageous that it teetered between brilliance and madness.

Opening Scene

It was the early 1970s, and the industry was, needless to say, skeptical of him, of this so-called “vision.”

The guy says that he wanted to make a sc-fi flick. The industry says, “Science fiction is a dying genre. Nobody wants to see another sci-fi flop.”

But this young director, stubborn as he was, had more than just a vision. He had a script. A wild story filled with battles, strange creatures, and hope against the odds. And he was certain it would work.

The studio executives, not so much.

The Guys Proves to be One Shrewd Negotiator

Nevertheless, one studio wanted to take a chance on him, even if his idea seemed far-fetched.

Even so, they also knew they had him over a barrel.

So when it came time to negotiate, they handed him a choice and made it difficult. They offered him the standard fee of $500,000 fee to direct his little space fantasy. Half a million dollars was life-changing money.

But he hesitated. He wanted more. Not money, though.

What he really wanted was two things: First, he wanted to direct any sequels, and second, he wanted something else—something the executives found laughable.

He asked for the rights to… the merchandise?

Who Cares?

Yes, he wanted to retain the rights to his creation, his Intellectual Property (IP).

Nobody made real money off toys and lunch boxes from a science fiction movie. And sequels? Who cared about sequels that would never happen?

So they shook his hand. The contract was signed and he walked away with a measly $150,000 fee, barely a third of what he could have taken. But he also walked away with the rights to every toy, every T-shirt, every sequel that might come from his odd little space adventure.

The suits were convinced they had duped the young guy.

And then, the film opened.

Last Laugh

Theaters exploded with crowds.

Lines snaked around blocks. People saw it once, twice, three times. And more than that—they wanted to own a piece of it. Kids begged for toy starships, parents bought plastic action figures faster than they could hit shelves.

That "worthless" merchandising deal? It turned into billions.

That young director? He became a legend.

And that movie? Well, you know it by now.

It was called Star Wars.

And the director? Just a guy by the name of George Lucas.

P.S. Ironically, Lucas would not direct the next movie - The Empire Strikes Back - nor any other Star Wars for many, many years. And those rights he fought for? Almost priceless. In 2012, he sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion.

The Takeaway

Yes, George Lucas bet on himself and his vision and that of course is not insignificant.

But more than that, he didn’t just make a movie—he made a move to protect his IP and that was the decision that actually made him a billionaire.

Especially these days, with all entrepreneurs of every size making content, protecting your IP is more important than ever. Never underestimate the power of retaining the rights to what you create. In business, your intellectual property can be your most valuable asset.

See how below.

Steal This Strategy!

🛠️ Tool – USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office)
Protect your ideas, inventions, and creations by filing patents, trademarks, and copyrights through the USPTO. It’s the first step to securing your intellectual property.

📖 Book – Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It
Written by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, this book reveals powerful tactics and mastering the psychology of negotiation. Ideal for closing deals, landing clients, or getting that next big “yes.”

🎥 Video – Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs
An easy-to-follow guide on the different types of intellectual properties and how to protect them.

🌐 Website – Lucasfilm Merchandising Legacy
The story of how Lucasfilm mastered the art of merchandising.

🎥 Bonus Video – How George Lucas Got The Rights to the STAR WARS Sequels
A detailed breakdown of Lucas's game-changing negotiation.