This is a different kind of blog post. I won’t be talking about business. This is personal. It’s about a friend of mine who died recently.
I live in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. It’s long been home to a community of western entrepreneurs. The community is only loosely connected. It would be wrong to say that everybody knows everybody. But you could say that everybody knows somebody who knows everybody in the community. Most people either knew or knew of Rob Fortney.
I got to know Rob about a year ago through Amazon FBA meet ups he ran in town. Amazon FBA is a business model that involves sourcing products in China and selling them on Amazon.
A crazy idea
Rob hit on a crazy idea of identifying, sourcing, and selling a product on Amazon during the meetups and giving away the proceeds to a local hill tribe community. A few of us donated a small amount of money and I was roped in to do the artwork for the product – a flag football game set.
So that was the end of that idea. Or so I thought.
Life
Rob and I started to meet for lunch and coffee to talk about business.
This is definitely one of the best things about living in Chiang Mai. When I was in London, I was starved of the opportunity to talk business. I would go to as many entrepreneurial meetups as I could find on MeetUp.com. Some of my best ideas come from interactions with other entrepreneurs. It was always an effort to meet business people in England. But, here, all my friends are entrepreneurs!
I seemed incapable of choosing products that could sell on Amazon so my interest in FBA waned. So Rob and I would talk about … life.
Rob had been in the nightclub business in Tennessee. While he may have enjoyed the business side, he definitely didn’t enjoy the late nights, stress, and having to deal with drunks, addicts, and dealers.
After a few years of trying and failing with online business, he eventually found some success with Amazon FBA and was finally able to leave the nightclub business.
Being able to support yourself and your family in America with an online business is, in itself, a huge win.
However, Rob then jumped on the next level of freedom when, in his forties and despite hardly ever having set foot outside the US, he boarded a plane to Bangkok and settled in Chiang Mai.
So that’s how I got to know Rob Fortney, a well-liked member of the Chiang Mai farang business community. Here he is on his birthday last year. He knew how to throw a party.
Same Same But Different
We were a similar age. We’d spent a similar amount of time in the “real world” – in my case, nearly 20 years doing shitty jobs in London. And, we’d spent a similar amount of time in Chiang Mai.
And we had another thing in common: our unending gratitude for the situation we’d found ourselves in. We both loved Chiang Mai. We both loved our lives. And neither of us would ever get bored of saying so.
Maybe because we’d both spent so long in “realsville” we knew to appreciate what we had.
Riding through paradise
Chiang Mai, the 900-year old capital of the ancient Lanna kingdom, sits in a flood plane of the Ping river, surrounded by a mountainous area which borders Laos and Myanmar.
Around the turn of the year is the best time to be here. The weather is warm and sunny but not too hot and the last rains of the wet season keeps the lush vegetation a beautiful green.
The winding roads through the hills and mountains are famous as some of the best drives in the world. Tourists and travellers flock to Chiang Mai to use it as a base to discover the whole region.
Rob hosted another party at his house on Christmas Eve night. We’d arranged to “do lunch” in the new year. A few days later, he set off on his bike into the hills. That was the last I saw of him.
Above is one of the many twists and turns of the c. 100 km road between Chiang Mai and Pai. The roads are wide, well maintained, and go through beautiful areas of northern Thailand.
Death
The last entry on Rob’s Facebook and Instagram is a smiling selfie in front of a Doi Inthanon National Park sign. The park includes the Doi Inthanon mountain, the highest peak in Thailand. Rob is wearing a coat and looks quite cold.
He says in the caption that, if the rest of the year is anything like the first 16 hours, then it’s going to be an amazing year.
That was on January 1st 2018. Rob died in a motorbike accident on January 6th 2018.
The news filtered back to Chiang Mai a couple of days later. It took me hours to comprehend that I would never see this big guy that was so full of life ever again.
I retreated into a bit of a shell. I didn’t want to see any of our mutual friends. I wanted to process this information away from other people. I left Chiang Mai briefly and missed his funeral.
I found it hard to understand (and still do) why I can continue this “grand fantastic life” – as Rob would call it – but Rob himself now can’t. And, as always when someone dies before their time, you feel so bad for his loved ones, his family and his girlfriend.
Good deeds
It turned out that one of the reasons he was on that trip was to deliver money to a poor hill tribe community. His penultimate Facebook and Instagram post is another smiling selfie with some Karen kids.
It turns out the crazy idea actually worked. Our donations that bought the inventory made money on Amazon. And one of the last things that Rob did was to deliver the profits to an underprivileged community in the hills.
Good luck and making merit
Some people don’t believe in luck but I can’t help but feel extremely lucky.
I was born into a financially secure family in England, as my dad worked in the ????? ?? for a few decades before my parents had me; I was lucky to discover meditation, affirmations, and positive thinking in my early thirties; by my late thirties, I was lucky enough to be able to support myself with my online business; and then I ended up in Chiang Mai. If that isn’t life’s winning ticket, I would like to know what is.
Rob seemingly assimilated the Buddhist concept of making merit which is practiced all over Thailand and other Buddhist lands. If you do good things it brings good results, determines the quality of your next life and contributes to your growth towards enlightenment.
He created a tradition called “Lucky Lucky Day”.
In Rob’s words: “I know this may sound a little superstitious but every time I’m about to launch a product, I dedicate a whole day of going around town and doing everything that is supposed to give me luck. I know, call me stupid. So what I do here in Chiang Mai is… I visit every temple, rub every Buddha’s belly and try to get a blessing from every monk I see. I throw a penny in a fountain, set some birds free on a mountaintop and offer some red Fanta at a Buddhist shrine, just hoping to get the best luck I can just for that one specific day.”
Saying goodbye
A couple of weeks after his Thai cremation service there was a gathering to celebrate his life held at Jed Yod temple in Chiang Mai (one of Rob’s favorite temples which he’d visited on his Lucky Lucky Day).
Scores of people turned up. Many of the younger Chiang Mai digital nomads were keen to point out how much Rob had helped them with their fledgling businesses. Time and again, they said they were waiting for the “hard sell” after the help, but it never came. The photos above and below are courtesy of Petter Miller.
Rob never wanted anything back. He was happy to help people discover the great life and freedom he had found.
Legacy, this life, and the next life
I don’t want to pretend that Rob was some sort of saint. He was no angel and had the same amount of faults as we all do. But I’m determined to remember my friend in the best possible way. I don’t want just to be sad about his untimely passing.
Instead, I want to use the experience to further my determination to help people.
After all, you could make loads of money, have a grand fantastic life, and party like it’s 1999 – but it won’t mean anything unless you’ve helped a few people on the way. I’ve got to try to leave the world a better place as a result of me being here.
In memoriam
Robert Howard Fortney was born in June 14 1970 in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA and died on January 6th 2018, in Mae Hong Son province, Thailand.
He ran Amazon Gorillaz website and YouTube channel with his business partner Paul Adams. He had also started a podcast with Nick Nimman called the Digital Journey podcast for Empire Flippers.
Here is a video tribute Nick put together of some of the things he said in the podcast. I hope it inspires you all in some way.
I really enjoyed reading this, Rob.
thanks for reading, Zach
Beautiful Rob. Just lovely. Your words are written with a gentle compassionate tone that showed your deep appreciation of this good man we all liked. From a speakers point of view, on stage Rob was a real natural. Completely uninhibited- only because his entire focus was delivering high value for his attendees; as youve also aluded to. Thanks for the photo credit.
Thank you, Petter, yes Rob was very comfortable public speaking.
Hey Rob,
What a moving tribute to your friend, sounded like a really nice guy.
I enjoyed listening to the youtube thing at the end of the article, very inspiring.
Thank you, Louie, yeah that video was really well put together.
Such a thoughtful and fitting tribute… many of us here in Chiang Mai are inspired to give back the way Rob did
Indeed, Steve, I’m determined for this to have a positive effect on me.
Wow, thanks for sharing, Rob. What a wonderful tribute. The world doesn’t need fewer Rob Fortneys, they need more of them. I hope his actions of giving and love can inspire those of us fortunate enough to be here.
Thanks Bradley. I’m sure he will inspire many.
Just beautiful, Rob…
thanks, Bert
Beautiful words. It shows that he was a special friend. He has inspired so many. Thank you very much for sharing this.
Thank you, Rene
Thank you Rob.
My aunt will die soon because of cancer and my father is awaiting diagnosis, too.
It sucks.
Reading this helped cope a little and maybe prepare for the coming weeks.
Thank you so much for your comment, Kim.
I really don’t know how you must be feeling. I’ve never had to cope with something like that. But I really appreciate you reading my article and saying what you said.
I wish you all the best and my thoughts are with you and your family.
Lots of love.
I felt like I had lost a friend too. 🙁 Life is too short. Be well buddy. I miss our Hangout chats and Blabs. We’ll have to do one soon and catch up.
Indeed, Dennis, speak soon.
Rob, thank you so much for sharing such a personal and meaningful post. To get the most out of life and put things into perspective, we need to think and talk much more about death, particularly in the western world. Thank you for the inspiration – please keep doing what you’re doing. You and Rob are blazing a trail and making our lives in ‘realsville’ that much more bearable.
Hello Sheryl,
Thank you for your message. Yes, death in the east is definitely more of a continuation of a journey than a horrible ending that you never come back from, which it may be thought of in the west.
There’s a lot to celebrate and feel good about even at a life’s passing and I tried to convey that in the article.
Thank you so much for your kind words.
You did your friend proud, his spirit will be smiling for you where ever he is. Well done, well written and thanks for the unforced reminders of what life is all about.
Thank you, Jim
a nice tribute to your friend, Rob, sorry for your loss, you just never know what is going to happen
Thank you, Bruce
What a lovely tribute. My condolences to you and those in the Chiang Mai community. It sounds like he was a caring, generous soul, and touched all those he met. Thank you for sharing your very personal thoughts with us.
Thank you, Annie
Very nicely written, Rob! And a wake-up call to all our followers to make the most of our lives, one day at a time without taking our life for granted. Thank you for the important reminder 🙂
Indeed, Paula, let’s make the most of our lives … one day at a time.
Rob, I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend. A lovely man… I very much enjoyed the article you wrote. So inspiring.
Glad it inspired you, Christine 🙂
Hi Rob!
I am so sad that you have lost what seems to have been a really special friend from your life. My heart goes out to you at this painful time. This is a beautiful tribute that I am sure he would greatly appreciate. I am quite sure that many people care about you Rob, you are also someone that gives far more than you take. We are here for you in your time of grief.
With warmest wishes and love,
Jane.
Thank you for saying that I give more than I take, Jane. I certainly hope that’s true. (Not sure though). Thank you for your message.
Sorry for your loss Rob. Thanks for inspiring us by sharing him with us.
Thanks, Annette, I hope it inspired people.
Heck of a story. I felt like I lost a very close friend too. This is how you can turn a lose into a new mission of good will.
Tank Zeek
Indeed, Tank, trying to turn a negative into a positive.
Rob,
Your friend found something we all can envy – enlightenment and the truth, expressed in one word: LOVE.
Seems like his discovery has rubbed off on many people, including yourself, and you are blessed to have known this guy. He is unique. I say IS, not WAS, as he will live on in the community which he has helped so much.
Thank you for sharing this story with us and I hope it helps you to come to terms with losing such a good friend and at such an early age. Very inspiring.
Dave
Totally agree with your use of the present tense, Dave. And, I agree with everything else you say. I’m so blessed to have met so many people who have shown me how to be a better person.
Beautifully written. I am sorry for you loss, and I know you are the kind of person he was.
Thank you, Robert
Awe I’m so sorry for the loss of your dear friend Rob. That was a beautifully written post for him. Thank you for sharing this. <3
Thank you, Iva.
Hi Rob great words and as always you put things across beautifully. I’m sure Rob would have appreciated your words and tribute. It kind of puts in perspective everything, we aren’t here long and life isn’t a rehearsal so we just have make the most of each day… I hope this inspires me as I’m sure it will many others.
Hey Kevin, beautiful words from you. You’re right, we aren’t here long and life isn’t a rehearsal so we just have make the most of each day…
Hi Rob,
I’m sorry to hear about Rob passing. I had a high school friend passed away last September. It was sad. But I’m sure he was a great friend and did much to help others,
Since I am a Christian, I would like to give you 3 verses to think about. if you want.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” NIV (New International Version)
Hebrews 9:27-28 “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
By the way, I bought one of your Complete Web Developers course on Udemy. It was a very good course.
If you ever want to have an email discussion about Christianity, please respond.
Sincerely sorry for your loss,
Mike
Hello Mike, thank you so much for your input. I’m not a Christian, personally. But I do find wisdom in all the world’s spiritual works. Thank you for those verses.
Beautiful tribute! Thank you for sharing! If it maybe of any value to you, Neal Donald Walsh has a great series of books called “conversations with God” that may be of assistance in your healing process.
Thank you for that recommendation, Danika.
A wonderful lesson in impermanence, Rob. It’s all around us but we don’t see – or want to see.
So so sad, of course, but Rob hasn’t really gone anywhere – where would he go? – carry him in your heart, as you undoubtedly will.
Hopefully, one day someone will do the same for us.
With metta,
Thank you for your message, Tom. Wise words there.
It must have hit you hard, the passing of Rob. Truly sorry for your loss. By all accounts, he was an amazing friend who believed in sharing what he had in ways few of us do.
Thank you, Justin, I was upset, no doubt. But getting over it now thanks.
Beautiful tribute, Rob! I’m glad you were lucky enough to have known him and I’m so sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Barb.
Rob I am so so sorry to hear of your friend’s passing! How wonderful that his memory is kept alive by people like yourself, who love him and still carry him in their hearts. I hope your life in Chiang Mai continues to be enriched by your friend’s lovely legacy.
Thank you, Gayle
Hi Rob,
What a terrible tragedy and loss to the world of a great guy. Your tribute is very moving and a reminder to us all of how fragile life can be – we all need to leave good things and deeds behind us and he did.
Thank you, Doug
Such a sad ending of his life, it’s so unfair and meaningless to die that young, that inspiring and doing so many great things.
It seems that way, Dragan, but we don’t know if it was “sad” for him, however definitely sad for his family.
So sorry Rob for your loss, and the loss of others that knew Rob Fortney. I did not know him, but wish I could have. May he find enlightenment and blessing in his next life, and bring happiness and enrichment to everyone he meets.
Indeed, Andy, thank you for your kind words.
So sorry for your loss Rob. I’m leaving this article and video with a big smile and highly inspired though because it sounds as Rob did actually change a lot of lives for the better.
Pretty sure he was a fantastic friend to have, hope his family and friends can find prompt resignation.
Hey Sergio, great to see you back here. It was my hope that this article and the video would leave people with a smile and inspired. I didn’t want it to be a sad story. Inspire, inspire, inspire! 🙂 Like you do, Sergio! You inspire me.
Rob, I truly enjoyed reading your tribute to your friend and watching the video…inspiring! It is always difficult when we lose friends and loved ones. The older I get it seems the more people I’ve known move on from this life. I always wonder why they leave and I’m still here and I don’t have a good answer. Maybe, I am not finished with my own contributions, who knows?
I’ve followed you for quite some time now and enjoy all of your articles, your books and courses. In that, you have been a blessing in my life. Great tribute, well said Rob. Wishing you all the best and Thank You.
Hello Glenn, I’m not sure I deserve all of the wonderful things that people are saying to me. It’s coming at a good time for me. But, thank you for your kind words and for your insight about your own life, which I can understand.
Rob, a fitting tribute to a dear friend and comrade in life’s adventures. Remember, at some point mortality will cross your path, and whether you greet it on your own terms or on others, your best memories will keep that person alive in your heart. Sharing your life and emotions as you do, makes us share in your journey, and while we may not make the same decisions in life, we are along for the ride, until we too wander away from this life’s journey and start on the next. You are a leader in your own right, and passing on what you can, makes people join you in your journey, and not just as followers. All the best in your journey, and may your memories of Rob forever live in your heart.
“A comrade in life’s adventures” – I like that so much! And thank you so much for your kind words about my content. You really inspire me, Joe, to continue to share more.
YOU! are an amazing person, Cubbon. I am 92 years old and in good health, one of those fortunate people who have long life. In all of my long life, I have never met someone like you. You treat your clients like friends and give away things to them. At first I thought that you did that because it was good business. But now I believe it has a higher motive. It makes your life more worthwhile. Good luck to you and a long life on your useful continuing trip through it.
WOW, Hal, I have a 92-year-old reader of my blog. I’m honored! Thank you so much for your wishes and thoughts on my progression. I really appreciate it.
Rob, thankyou for sharing the inspirational sad message of your friend, Rob. Some shocks hit us like an explosion, flattening us, other like a sudden vacuum that sucks the air out of our lives for a time.
It’s said we are known by the company we keep. It’s clear you and Rob enhanced each others’ lives as friends and co-conspirators in charity, as we are fortunate to know you. It’s a blessing if one can live life authentically, contributing, and make a difference – your friend clearly did.
Not a very Buddhist poem, as our actions ripple onward forever, however:
“The clock of life is wound just once,
And no man has the power,
To say just when the hands will stop,
At late or early hour.
So give, love, toil with a will,
Place no faith in tomorrow,
For the clock may then be still.”
Peace to you in your loss.
Thank you, David, it’s a very beautiful poem and a reminder to us all that it can all be over tomorrow. We just don’t know. Thank you for your kind words as well. I’m certainly well off to be in your company.
That tribute was sweet of you. I’m so sorry for your loss! I recently lost my grandparents.
I found you through a StackSkills course and I’m happy that I visited your site..
Thank you so much, Arsha, sorry to hear about your grandparents. I’m happy you visited my site as well 🙂
Really sorry for your loss. I’m from Brisbane, Australia and used to listen to the podcast from here. Loved his enthusiasm and positive outlook, couldn’t believe it when I heard he passed. All the best.
Thank you, Vince. He did a lot of good podcasts and webinars. Appreciate the comment.
Such a wonderful tribute to your friend. I can feel it comes from the bottom of your heart. So sorry for your loss, Rob.
Thank you so much, Kevin.
wow what a nice guy. Such a great soul
His platforms will continue to make a difference
My friend and I just visited his businesses
Amazon Gorillaz website
YouTube channel with his business partner Paul Adams.
Podcast with Nick Nimman called the Digital Journey podcast for Empire Flippers.
I believe you said he also ran Amazon FBA. Do you have a link to this?
Life is too short. RIP Rob
Hello Susan, I’m still meeting loads of people here in Chiang Mai that are continuing to create FBA businesses and encouraging others to do so because of Rob 🙂
A very nicely written piece Rob.
I used to go to Robs meetups when I was in Chiang Mai in 2016/17 and als0 like many others took him out for lunch where he was willing to discuss my business ideas.
I was part of the group that invested and was involved in the Amazon project, I loved learning from Rob and was inspired by the way he taught things and his patience with people.
I was very saddened and shocked like everyone else who knew him to hear of his passing, you could tell how well liked he was as noboby had a bad word to say about him.
He certainly inspired me and many other who I keep in contact with who also knew him, he will always live on in everyones memory as we are all better for having known Rob.
Thank you, Mark. You only need to look at the comments on this blog post to see what he meant to people who met him.
Wow! Your quote for improving the world while you are here is so powerful loved the part about doing good for a better life in the next inspiring!
Thank you, Shah.
I had the pleasure of talking with Rob about a year before his death
He and I chatted on the phone / skype for over an hour
He was a larger than life character and a real hustler in business
A fun Guy
I was shocked when I saw he had died and how
A real Gorilla
R.I.P. Rob
Thanks for sharing your memories Rob Cubbon
Hello Paul, I never knew you’d spoken to Rob. Yes, he was a great help to people wanting to start out or grow an Amazon FBA business. We still miss him. Thank you for your comment, Paul.
sir great post thanks for sharing this articles