GoDaddy

I know many people were disturbed by  Bob Parsons’ appearance in a video in which he killed an elephant in Zimbabwe, but here’s a new video with some good business tips from the Go Daddy CEO. The video is entitled, “Alligators nipping at your ass? How to hang in there & enjoy the ride.”

Parsons has become known for his videos which often provide business advice and are found on his blog, BobParsons.me. Regardless of what you think of Parsons’ hunting, he has a proven track record for building successful businesses, and his videos should be watched if you have your own business or are thinking about starting one.

Someone sent me a link to a video of GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons hunting “problem” elephant in Zimbabwe. The video was posted on the Video.me website (which appears to be owned/endorsed by Go Daddy) and documented the hunt, which targeted three elephants that were causing problems for a sorghum  farmer. Update: the video link is no longer working, but here’s a link to a video of the news story.

After the successful hunt in which one elephant is killed, local villagers are shown cutting up the elephant for food. Although it appears to be a bit on the brutal side, I am glad the elephant meat fed people who were hungry.

Incidentally, some of the people shown cutting the elephant in the video are wearing bright orange Go Daddy hats, and from my viewing of the video, it does appear to be Parsons in the video.

I would imagine this video is going to cause some PR flack for the company, but as any good marketer knows, if people are talking about your company, it’s better than them not talking about it.

Based on some news reports I’ve read, it appears that PETA has gotten involved and contacted Parsons.

It’s been well documented that Bob Parsons is a generous person and that his company, Go Daddy, is equally philanthropic. I just received a press release from the company announcing some of its recent donations through its charitable arm, Go Daddy Cares. Recently, Parsons was honored with the Muhammad Ali Entrepreneur Award.

Just a few of the organizations that have benefitted (or will benefit) from Go Daddy’s generosity this year include Make A Wish Foundation, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Child Crisis Center of Arizona, and many others.

It’s great to see a company like Go Daddy giving back to the community and non-profit organizations like this. When a company shows how much it supports organizations like these, it makes other think about making their own contributions.

Press release below:

Business is booming for the world’s largest Web hosting provider and domain name registrar and the Ariz.-based Internet company is generously “sharing the wealth.” Already this year, Go Daddy Cares, the company’s charity division, and its CEO have donated more than $2.8 million to a variety of causes in order to make a difference in the world.

Over the weekend, Go Daddy donated nearly $2.5 million to help fund the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons also received the Muhammad Ali Entrepreneur Award during Saturday’s Celebrity Fight Night charity event in Scottsdale. “The Champ,” who has courageously battled Parkinson’s disease for years, recognized Parsons as a philanthropic inspiration, a sentiment echoed by Oscar-winning actress and fellow honoree Halle Berry.

In a surprise move after accepting his award in front of the star-studded crowd, Parsons volunteered to match a series of Fight Night donations up to $1 million. The generous maneuver triggered contributions beyond those for the evening’s planned auction items – several from his Go Daddy colleagues. The Internet mogul believes the money will make a significant difference in Parkinson’s disease research.

Parsons was roasted with a special GoDaddy-esque video tribute that entertained a ballroom packed with A-list celebrities, such as Billy Crystal, Brett Michaels, Kevin Costner and host Reba McEntire. A friend of Muhammad and Lonnie Ali for years, Parsons has earned a reputation for going all out at Fight Night, in part because, as he explained on stage, “I don’t want to be the richest man in the graveyard.”

Go Daddy’s sole owner is at the heart of his company’s philanthropic tradition. 2011 marks the strongest start in Go Daddy’s 14-year history. This year, in addition to funding important medical research, Go Daddy Cares is focused on helping women and children.

“We feel a sense of obligation to give back, it’s just the right thing to do,” said Parsons. “Go Daddy has grown more successful year after year, but as the economy struggled, so have most charities – organizations that support people who need help now more than ever.”

Already this year, Go Daddy has also pledged:

• $100,000 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona, which grants wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Parsons, and his wife Renee, are set to be the honorary chairpersons of the Wish Ball, May 14 in Scottsdale.
• $50,000, for a second consecutive year, to help the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA, which serves low income families in the Phoenix area.
• $50,000 to the Starlight Children’s Foundation for the Go Daddy Starlight Care Room. The money will help create a fun place kids and families can gather while visiting or waiting for appointments at a Valley hospital.
• $40,000 to sponsor the annual “Chrysalis Honors” event for a third consecutive year. Chrysalis helps victims of domestic violence rebuild their lives.
• $40,000 to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in Iowa, where Go Daddy employs more than 300 people.
• $25,000 to help the Child Crisis Center of Arizona both prevent and treat child abuse and neglect.

Last year, Go Daddy donated more than $3 million to a variety of charities. A half-million dollars went to the Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS and is being used to create the Go Daddy Women’s Health Center, which will be the nation’s first prevention center that connects domestic violence with women and HIV/AIDS.

Go Daddy serves more than nine million customers worldwide by helping them create and maintain their online presence. The Scottsdale-based company employs more than three thousand people and has Ariz. offices in Phoenix, Tempe, Gilbert, as well as in Denver, Colo., Hiawatha, Iowa, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Canada, The Netherlands and Singapore.

To find out more about Go Daddy’s charity work, visit www.GoDaddyCares.com.