Fans First: How the Savannah Bananas Stopped Chasing Customers and Started Creating Raving Fans Featuring Jesse Cole

From an overdrawn bank account and $1 million in debt to a touring phenomenon with a ticket waitlist in the millions, Jesse Cole completely rewrote the rules of business.

In this classic talk from the Genius Network archives, the Founder of the Savannah Bananas breaks down his legendary "Fans First" framework. Tune in to learn the four E's you can use to stop chasing transactions and start building a fanbase that never leaves.

Here's what you're about to discover in this conversation:

The Friday at 4:45 p.m. phone call that forced Jesse and Emily to sell their dream house, empty their savings, and sleep on a twin air bed. The three words that are the most powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing you can get (and how to engineer them into every touch point). How a 22-year-old intern turned a tragic phone call into a moment a father called "the last gift the mother ever gave the kids." What Pete Rose and Reggie Jackson reveal about failure, and the simple advice from Jesse's dad that drives every big swing the Bananas take. If you'd like to join world-renowned Entrepreneurs at the next Genius Network® Event, apply today for your invitation to attend at geniusnetworkevent.com.

Show Notes

From Zero Debt to Over a Million in Debt

Jesse and Emily take on more than a million dollars in debt to bring a team to Savannah after the previous minor league club leaves a 4,000-seat stadium drawing 200 fans.

On day one, the former team has cut the phones and internet, so the crew of five works from a picnic table in an abandoned storage building.

They sell just two tickets in three months, overdraft the account, sell their house, and start over on a twin air bed.

Naming the Team After a Fruit

Out of desperation, they decide to get different and name the team the Savannah Bananas, complete with the Banana Nanas, the Mananas, and banana babies.

The local reaction is brutal ("Whoever came up with this name should be fired."), but it gets attention.