Past 10X Growth Conference speaker Mike Rowe shares his story of becoming ‘The Dirtiest Man on TV’ by hosting his iconic Discovery Channel show, ‘Dirty Jobs’, in a San Francisco sewer.
Mike Rowe — the man who pitched a three-hour special on the Discovery Channel that turned into one of America’s favorite series.
The first episode of ‘Dirty Jobs’ premiered in 2003, and it was an instant hit. The show followed Rowe as he traveled around the country to meet workers with the dirtiest and most dangerous occupations.
And it all started with a trip to the sewer.
Mike Rowe’s ‘Dirty Jobs’: how it all began
Back in 2003, Mike Rowe was working as a pitchman for the Discovery Channel. After working many odd jobs on the station, he came up with an idea.
His grandfather was close to passing away, and he’d always wanted to see Mike “doing something that looked like work.” So, he ventured into the sewers of San Francisco with his crew to shoot an evening segment.
But once they arrived, Rowe realized there was no way they could do what they had to do.
“we were in a river of crap with giant roaches and rats. We were baptized in filth, and I couldn’t do my job.”
— Mike Rowe telling the story of how ‘Dirty Jobs’ began at 10X Growth Conference
After 90 minutes down there, he took a look at the Sewer Inspector that doubled as their guide. Then, it hit him — the inspector was the one who was really working.
They all started helping the guide, and they got footage of Rowe as he replaced bricks down in the sewers. It was a game-changer for 2003 television.
No celebs, no glitz and glam — just an “honest interview” with a “completely anonymous expert.”
Mike’s boss loved it and gave him the green light to go ahead with it. The day after, hundreds of people started contacting them and pitching their stories.
That’s when Mike Rowe realized the most important thing of all:
“I could be a guest — I didn’t have to be the expert on camera. I just had to be curious, submissive, honest, and let the regular people we met on that show be the stars of that segment.”
After visiting 50 states and completing 300 different jobs, Mike Rowe became known as ‘The Dirtiest Man on TV’ and a living legend the whole country loves.
Giving back to the trades community
Since his show, Mike Rowe wanted to give back to the community and started ‘mikeroweWORKS’. This was a PR campaign that aimed to support the world of skilled trades.
Today, it is a foundation that awards scholarships to students who wish to pursue a career in the trades.
Now that’s a 10X move!
Want to hear more mind-blowing stories like ‘Dirty Jobs’ legend Mike Rowe’s? Join us for the ultimate 10X Growth Conference experience in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Featured image source: Mike Rowe / Facebook
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