What do Entrepreneurs and Grasshoppers have in common?

My new entrepreneurial hero is David Hauser, founder of Grasshopper (formerly GotVMail). I just completed an executive education class with him at MIT as part of an EO-Entrepreneurs Organization program.

He gave a presentation on how he just re-branded his company and yes, it involved Grasshoppers. Chocolate covered ones...

So they changed the name of their company and needed a big splash. Their company services entrepreneurs on the go who need phone service, voicemail and call forwarding, etc... on the go.

David also has a goal of having people associate the word "entrepreneur" with "grasshopper." What better way to do that than to send 25,000 chocolate covered grasshoppers to influential business and media people around the country?

Yes, that's what he did. 5000 bags of five grasshoppers a piece smothered in chocolate. YUM!

It worked. He was on CNN, FOX, tons of newspapers, blogs and much more.... I am sure it added up to hundreds of thousands of dollars of advertising for his company.

Could it get any cooler than that?

But what, there's more!

The campaign was also a push to David's new video that supports the cause of entrepreneurs. This video is so amazing that it actually moves me to tears (almost). Whether you're an entrepreneur or not, please take a moment to watch his two minute video. It will give you hope for our country! And also make you wonder why the bailout money is going to paralyzed goliath elephant companies rather than innovative, nimble entrepreneurs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0

Way to go David. You are my new entrepreneurial hero!