Meet Mike Merrill, The Man Who Sold His Fate for $1 a Share.

The old age adage “Survival for the fittest” is one that has been quoted endlessly and must now be crying for retirement. I was about to make it the basis of this article until I did some further reading. I hope you will understand why as you read further on.

I found out about Mike Merrill from one of those news summary emails LinkedIn sends me every week because I am so cool they put me on the VVIP list were they have a dedicated staff member called Mercy Malons whose job is to gather news items specifically tailored for me(I am sure there was supposed to be a comma somewhere in there but I am saving my commas for a rainy day. What? That’s my excuse and I am sticking with it!). Now, I am sure one of those hater types is going to come out and say every member of LinkedIn gets a news summary but today I am steady. Go and hate from somewhere else. I will even be nice and give you this article to be hating on.I digress though, let us proceed with the story.

Mike Merril is a developer at some company, who 5 years ago decided to sell his own fate at $1 per share (just incase you missed this important bit of detail in the title). What this means for those who are not so economics savvy is that when you buy shares in Mikes website, you get the right to vote on the important decisions in Mikes life. To enable you vote, Mikes website has a voting section where you get to make all the decisions for Mikey boy, whether small or big. Investors as of the time I found out about Mike are 160 and include  his parents, co-workers, ex-girlfriends, friends, collaborators and a bunch of strangers.

[follow id=”kmikeym” size=”large” ]

Some of the decisions that his shareholders have decided for him include becoming pescetarian; involuntarily registering as a Republican; tattooing the words “Panic Inc” (the Apple software company where he works) on his left shoulder; dodging  vasectomy, by just one vote; and not moving in with his ex, who also happens to be a shareholder!

He even takes some time to make funny videos about his odd life!

Now, I happen to be one of those economics un-savvy guys so I will not give advise on whether to buy shares in Mike’s fate; but if you happen to have some money lying idly around your bank account or in your mattress and you want to kill some time, then go right ahead and invest in Mike. While you are it, I suggest you hire me as your Special Administrative and Advising Consultant in charge of Mikey’s life to ensure your capital investments there are being put to good use. Then the fun stuff can really begin. My first piece of advise would be to get Mikey to volunteer for the lead role in the next Jackass Movie 😀

Source/Image: Wired