Arnold Schwarzenegger made millions of dollars in the US on the strength of what some may consider to be a dubious agreement, but was nonetheless a solid business strategy, so it’s surprising that he even bothered to pursue acting. Having come from a low-income family in Austria, he arrived in Los Angeles with little to begin his profession as a bodybuilder and bouncer. Prior to performing on stage, he owned a bricklaying company. Yes, a company that lays bricks. Although it may seem absurd at first, Arnold and a few of his bodybuilding friends would really go out and construct homes for individuals.

Or initially, he tried to, anyway. People don’t appear to trust you as much if you attempt to complete the task for less money than the rival, for whatever reason. However, you would assume that many women in the Los Angeles region would be swooning over Arnold and his toned buddies just by picturing them strutting around with their bodies rippling and their biceps bulging as they lifted, fitted, and constructed their homes from the ground up. But at first, nobody would hire Arnold, so business was bad. He then looked around carefully, and something he saw inspired him greatly.

For whatever reason, many Americans believe that anything European is “great,” “better,” or even “masterful.” Stated differently, a European product is inherently superior to a domestically produced one. We won’t get into the debate over that because it is debatable on some points.  Nevertheless, Arnold noticed this and devised a brilliant scheme that, in terms of his business, ultimately made him famous. He proudly claimed that Specialty European Bricklayers comprised his company. That’s correct, he exploited the European label to attract new customers, and since those in the Los Angeles area who could afford new homes were eager to get anything related to a European product, business took off.

Arnold’s business soared as a result of his ability to pay his employees and pay for his own business school, even after he increased his prices and people continued to pay. After a period, he even made an investment in real estate and began flipping properties for a profit, finally becoming a millionaire. He clearly didn’t need the money at that point, so pursuing acting must have been purely recreational.

The funny thing about this, though, is that he accomplished all of this by merely identifying himself as the European bricklayer that he was. The only dubious aspect was that he doubled his pricing only for claiming a label, but it wasn’t against the law. He simply chose to take advantage of a gap in the market by capitalizing on people’s irrational and desperate desire for anything remotely European.

I’m shaking my head at the ignorance of my fellow Americans right now and smiling that Arnold was thus cunning.