Beyond his role as the over-the-top showman and host of Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, George Shea is a seasoned marketing professional with three decades of experience. Together with his brother, Richard, he has elevated the Nathan's Famous hot dog-eating contest into a major brand promotion recognized around the world. Beyond Nathan’s, George and company run Major League Eating and also Shea communications doing work in the commercial real estate industry. In today’s episode, you’ll learn: What it takes to create and promote a niche sport like competitive eating Why having multiple irons in the fire helps fuel productivity and creativity Why controversy is so effective for generating earned media Brought to you by Mekanism.