Secrets of Success Origin Story Part 2

Justin Benton entered the ClickFunnels world during the chaos of the COVID pandemic, and his story is a testament to what happens when grit meets opportunity. After reading Russell Brunson’s “Traffic Secrets,” his business turned around, and soon, he joined inner circles, attended live events, and engaged with the ClickFunnels community. That’s just who Justin is—always asking the right questions, always willing to help, and always eager to find new ways to serve.

​Then, one day, Justin made a post that piqued everyone’s interest—he was going to a mastermind at a billionaire’s house, where there’d be an auction of rare Napoleon Hill memorabilia. Russell, the self-proclaimed Napoleon Hill bibliophile, didn’t waste a second. Within eight seconds of seeing Justin’s post, he got his number and got on the phone with him.

If you’ve followed along since the beginning of this story, you’ll recognize this name: Don Green, head of the Napoleon Hill Foundation, was set to be at the auction. Justin invited Russell to join, but timing wasn’t on his side—he was on his first boat trip with his kids.

Still, that didn’t stop him.

With his phone in hand, Russell kept bidding through Justin, winning several pieces while simultaneously helping his kids wake surf. His phone lit up with bids, wins, and texts from Justin as rare, coveted Napoleon Hill items were being snapped up left and right.

​Russell’s wife, of course, wanted him to be present. And who could blame her? But there’s something about a live auction with one-of-a-kind pieces of history up for grabs that makes it hard to step away. So, doing what any multi-tasking entrepreneur would do, he kept bidding between family time on the boat.

One week later, Justin arrived at ClickFunnels HQ with over $30,000 worth of auction wins—literally handcuffed to his wrist. He flew out to personally deliver signed Napoleon Hill books, a signed check from Hill, and other rare items that Russell had won. Russell had also been hunting for missing issues of Napoleon Hill Magazines, an incredibly rare collection. Justin brought him two, but he wasn’t done yet.

In addition to delivering Russell’s prized pieces, Justin had another surprise. Don Green invited Justin and Russell to an exclusive board meeting at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where the Napoleon Hill Foundation is based.

​But Russell was skeptical. He had tried to build a relationship with Don before, and things hadn’t gone as planned. It felt like they were from two different worlds. Russell’s modern, tech-savvy approach—using text messaging, Facebook Messenger, and Voxer—clashed with Don’s old-school, banker-like style, grounded in face-to-face meetings, firm handshakes, and a boots-on-the-ground philosophy. Their past interactions hadn’t ended well, and Russell felt he had missed his shot.

Despite Russell’s hesitations, Justin saw an opportunity. He explained that Don had a charity dedicated to teaching Napoleon Hill’s principles to children at the College at Wise. Don had already raised $1.5 million, and the university agreed to match every dollar raised up to $2 million. Justin said, “This is our ticket. All we have to do is come up with half a million dollars.”

Russell was floored. Half a million dollars? That’s not small change. Still, he wrote up a list of things he wanted in exchange for the donation—rights to use certain Hill materials. When Russell sent the terms over, he didn’t expect the response he got. Don was upset.

Justin called Russell with the bad news: “Don’s furious. I’ve never seen him this mad. It’s not looking good.”

Russell was stunned. What could he do? Justin gave him one wild piece of advice: “Wire him half a million dollars. Right now.”

No contract. No assurances. Just faith.

Of course, Russell hesitated, sitting there for 20 minutes, weighing his options. The money could disappear. The opportunity could evaporate, and there’d be nothing to show for it. But entrepreneurs take risks, don’t they?

So, Russell wired the money.

​Did the money evaporate, or did it win Russell favor? Read Part 3 for what happens next.