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A wealthy businessman in the clothing industry recently told me that he once got a phone call from Disney saying they had to take away his license because they had given it out to too many companies. He could no longer put Disney characters on his children’s clothing.
This was devastating. It was his best seller, his main seller. And he had a meeting scheduled that week with Walmart. Now he had nothing to offer them.
He considered canceling the meeting. But he had emunah, so he called his rabbi for chizuk and bitachon.
The rabbi told him, “Your parnassah does not come from Disney. It comes from Hashem. Strengthen your reliance on Hashem and everything will be fine.”
The businessman said he received tremendous chizuk and went to Walmart totally relying on Hashem.
On the way there he unexpectedly saw his brother-in-law, who was also trying to sell to Walmart. They started talking, and the businessman told him he had lost the Disney license and was going into the meeting with nothing to sell.
His brother-in-law told him that he had just received a license for Dr. Seuss and The Cat in the Hat and was hoping Walmart would want it. He said, “If you’d like, you can try to sell them that.”
The businessman said, “I don’t even have the license yet, but it’s worth a try. Do you have anything I can show them?”
The brother-in-law said, “All my samples are on children’s shoes and sneakers. But I have a scrap paper with a picture of The Cat in the Hat on it.”
“I’ll take it,” the businessman said.
He went into the meeting. The buyer asked about Disney.
He replied, “We don’t have Disney anymore. But we have something much better. We have The Cat in the Hat.”
He explained that American children are very into reading and that Walmart is America’s store. He said clothing featuring The Cat in the Hat would be a perfect fit.
The buyer was impressed. He called in other executives. Soon the room was full of Walmart decision-makers, all staring at one scrap paper with a picture of The Cat in the Hat.
They loved the idea.
They placed the biggest order this businessman had ever received.
Immediately after the meeting he secured the license.
At that time Walmart had about 2,500 stores, and each store had a greeter at the entrance. Walmart loved the idea so much that every greeter had to wear The Cat in the Hat hat.
The yad Hashem was so clear.
Parnassah does not come from Disney. It comes from Hashem.
Have a great day.