From a Rubber Bracelet to a Worldwide Movement

I remember when I was in high school and I went to the mall to get a LiveStrong bracelet. I heard the same thing from Footlocker, Champs and Footaction, "We're sold out."

Lance Armstrong's agent, Bill Stapleton, laughed when Nike approached him with a proposal to sell 5 million bracelets before the 2004 Tour de France. No one knew, no one could predict the future. No one thought that tying perhaps one of the greatest athletes of all time, Lance Armstrong, to a name on a $1 bracelet would create a philanthropic brand, an inspirational message and most of all a worldwide movement for a cure for cancer.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation was created in 1997, and in its early years raised about $7 million a year. This year, it expects to raise $40 million with $17 million expected to come from the licensing of the Livestrong name according to an article in Sports Business Journal.

Chief Marketing Officer at Dick's Sporting Goods, Jeff Hennion, said, "It's not an apparel and footwear brand. It's a movement and a cause around which people have great passion."

Nothing sums it up better than what Hennion said. It is something everyone can relate to whether you have cancer, know someone that has it or you're just an athlete looking for some motivation. Everyone needs to find something that inspires them and pushes them further. That simple concept has helped the Lance Armstrong Foundation create its own endowment and raise more than $300 million.

Perhaps no one needs motivation more than cyclists. Their minds wander and lose their edge as they ride for days at a time. So Lance Armstrong surrounded his brand with things that motivate him. On his apparel you can see a symbol for his mom or 10//2 (October 2nd, the day he was diagnosed with cancer). Now his brand can be seen in Nike apparel, Oakley sunglasses and even HP computers - all with proceeds going towards his foundation.

So live strong and find your inspiration.