He, like many successful people in business, started with very little. Many believed he couldn't do it.
But he took what little he could to build one of the most recognizable brands in the world. That brand was Playboy.
Over the years, he was revered and resented by many. Not just by what the Playboy brand inspired over the years...but how he lived.
As the Playboy brand began to grow, it changed our culture. It started conversations. But not without fueling the fires of controversy. The same can be said about those who dared to challenge Hef at his own game.
People asked. Was it obscene? Was it appropriate for our culture? Is it even legal?
Through it all, Hef and the Playboy brand thrived and for the moment, still lives on.
Though he may be gone, he built a legacy that will live on. Possibly longer than any of us.
And that's the same thing we as people are trying to do. You don't have to live like Hef to build something that people will remember you by.
But while you still live, build something that people will talk about for years and generations to come. Something that might outlive you...and those who descend from you.
Rest well, Hef.