On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall found gold in Sutter’s Creek next to John Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California. By 1849, the gold rush was reaching full steam. Some 300,000 gold seekers (called 49ers because of the year in which they travelled) made the journey across the continent or around South America by boat to seek their fortunes in the hills of northern California.

Few made much of anything at all. Most returned home with about the same they came with. When it comes to business and marketing, there are important principles to be found here.

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