Secrets of Success Origin Story Part 3

After Part 1 and Part 2, our story continues after Russell Brunson sent half a million dollars to Don Green in good faith.

Justin Benton told Russell, “Don wants you to come to Virginia next week for the celebration, where he’ll donate the money to the university and receive an award. You have to come.”

Russell hesitated—he had Inner Circle commitments, and his family was about to leave on vacation. But Justin was adamant: “You just sent the man half a million dollars. You can come to Wise, Virginia, for a day and shake his hand.”

​And so, a handshake was on the horizon, marking a new chapter in Russell’s relationship with Don Green and the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Sometimes, it’s not about the books, the auctions, or even the money—it’s about the relationships you build along the way, and the risks you’re willing to take to get there.

At the next Inner Circle meeting, Justin approached members with a question that would change everything: “Do you want to go on a top-secret mission?”

It was a no-brainer.

Most normal people would stop after a grueling few days, take a break, go home, maybe even catch up on sleep. But not this crew. As soon as Inner Circle wrapped, they jumped into a car and headed straight to a private plane, generously lent by one of the group members, ready to take off for Wise, Virginia.

With no time to shop for formalwear, Russell realized he didn’t even have a black tie for the event they were heading to the next day—a black-tie gala. It wasn’t the first time this journey felt a little wild. But then again, this mission was different. The goal? To secure the rights to Napoleon Hill’s “Outwitting the Devil” and uncover even more of his unpublished works.

​Unbeknownst to Russell, Justin had orchestrated this trip for months, assembling a team with highly specific skill sets, each member playing a unique role in what felt like a real-life version of “Ocean’s Eleven”:

This ragtag team of entrepreneurs, marketers, and experts quickly became known as Benton’s Seven. Their mission? To secure all the rights to every unpublished piece of Napoleon Hill’s work.

They landed in the middle of nowhere at 2 AM. Wise, Virginia, home to the Napoleon Hill Foundation, was quiet, deserted, and nothing like the bustling cities they were used to. Their tiny hotel had barely enough rooms, so they bunked up for the night.

The next morning, nervousness crept in. Russell began to have doubts. “What if I blow this? What if Don hates me? What if everyone here hates me?” After all, his previous interactions with Don hadn’t gone well.

​But as soon as he walked downstairs and met Don Green, those fears melted away. Don greeted him with a warm smile and immediately took him by the hand, introducing him to every single person in the room. What Russell had feared would be awkward turned into something special. Don made him feel like the guest of honor, and from that moment, the trip took on a new energy.

Later that day, Don invited the team to tour the Napoleon Hill Foundation on the nearby college campus, where they could see the archives—Napoleon Hill’s books, personal manuscripts, unpublished works, and historical documents. For Russell and the team, this was like stepping into a time machine, walking through the life’s work of one of the greatest thinkers in history.

There it was: Napoleon Hill’s hand-carved desk, original manuscripts the public had never seen, and personal letters. It was a collection that few people in the world had ever laid eyes on.

Seeing these treasures was awe-inspiring. The weight of Hill’s legacy became palpable, and Russell felt a deep connection to the work. More importantly, he began to realize that this wasn’t just about collecting items—it was about preserving a legacy, a treasure trove of wisdom that had the power to transform lives.

​For Don, this was likely the turning point. He saw that Russell and his team weren’t just collectors; they were committed to sharing Hill’s principles with the world in a way that had never been done before.

As the day wore on, Russell’s team met with key members of the Foundation, including its legal team, who had worked on thousands of licensing deals. That’s when they hit a snag. A man named Marcello owned some of the rights they needed, and he wasn’t keen on parting with them. After a frustrating hour of negotiations, they left the meeting empty-handed, exhausted, and ready for a break.

It was a hard pill to swallow—especially after wiring half a million dollars to make this trip possible.

​But, as Napoleon Hill himself wrote, “Every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” Russell decided to let go of the frustration and trust that this journey would bring good things.

That night, dressed in their best (even if Russell was still without a black tie), the Benton’s Seven crew headed to the black-tie gala. It was a high-profile event filled with the who’s who of Virginia: university heads, donors, and elite guests. Don Green and the Napoleon Hill Foundation were being honored for their contributions to the university, largely due to Russell’s donation.

The team got to work, mingling, networking, and building relationships with the Foundation’s most important players. It was about more than just closing deals—it was about creating connections that would last long after they left Wise, Virginia.

​And then, it was time for their secret weapon: The Singer. In one of the evening’s lighter moments, she took to the piano and started playing a rendition of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and fun.

The next week, Russell received an unexpected package from Don Green. Inside was one of the rarest items they had seen on the trip: the original manuscript of Napoleon Hill’s “Outwitting the Beast.” This one piece alone was worth more than the half a million dollars Russell had initially wired.

But that wasn’t all. The following week, another package arrived—an unpublished manuscript of Napoleon Hill’s “The Secrets of Master Salesmanship.” Week after week, rare items appeared at Russell’s doorstep: old movie reels, recordings, even Napoleon Hill’s typewriter.

​The risks he had taken weren’t just paying off—they were creating a treasure trove of materials that would become the foundation of a new venture: Secrets of Success. Russell and Justin worked closely with Don Green to bring this new business to life, ensuring that Napoleon Hill’s teachings would reach a new generation of entrepreneurs.

At the next Funnel Hacking Live, Russell was giving Don Green an honorary Two Comma Club Award for Napoleon Hill. However, Don Green had a surprise for Russell. On stage, he turned around and awarded Russell with the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal “for marketing and entrepreneurial excellence and keeping the Napoleon Hill legacy alive,” cementing their partnership and solidifying Russell's role in carrying Hill’s legacy forward.

​But the hunt for treasure wasn’t over—it had only just begun. Check out more timeless literary treasures Secrets of Success holds.