#SOTD 28: What’s Mount Everest got to do with money-washing?

Say you want to write a detailed post on ‘money-washing’ – a variant of money-laundering where one sees the conversion of money gotten by corrupt (if not illegal) means, into legitimate assets and experiences. It’s a practice indulged by some of the elite of the world, who make their money in (usually) autocratic regimes.​

How would you start that post?​

Perhaps by giving a definition of the topic? (I mean let’s face it, most folks would do this)​

Or maybe by pointing to a recent news article which refers to it?​

Or perhaps sharing a surprising stat on the topic?​

How about: Starting with a fact that seems completely unrelated?​

That’s what Prof. Scott Galloway does in his latest post on the practice of money-washing.​

Here’s how he starts:

In the first two sentences of the post, he shares a surprising stat – but one that seems completely unrelated to the topic at hand. It makes you wonder- what is this post about really?

And yet in just the third line he makes the connection with criminals – how earning money from crime is the easy part… figuring out how to spend it is the equivalent of the ‘Everest descent’ (or occupation post invasion).

I love beginnings which pique your curiosity with an interesting analogy and then make that connect with the topic at hand. This post is a great example of that.

Read the rest of the piece too – some eye-opening stats and facts on the massive prevalence of this troubling practice.

​

#SOTD 28