The Rockford Files was a hit television show in the 1970s and lived on in syndication and now again in "streaming." James Garner portrayed the title character, Jim Rockford—a former convict, wrongfully imprisoned and later pardoned—who now works as a private eye operating out of a modest mobile home parked on Malibu’s Paradise Cove beach parking lot.

Rockford was a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers and Rams, though his detective work often interfered with his plans to attend games. He enjoyed fishing and the beach lifestyle, living in a beat-up trailer next to the Pacific Ocean, reflecting his casual, no-frills approach to life. His beachside abode was not just his residence but also his office.

True to his working-class roots, Jim often indulged in Mexican food and was frequently seen eating tacos—even for breakfast. Breakfast burritos didn't become a thing until decades later.

Rockford's tastes in music leaned toward jazz and country, adding to his everyman charm. Garner himself was pals with Waylon Jennings and other country music stars, even occasionally performing as a country artist.

Rockford's wardrobe was simple, favoring off-the-rack sport coats and suits. His possessions were modest, save his answering machine and a gold Pontiac Firebird Esprit.

One of the defining Rockford’s characteristics was his flat rate for investigative work: "$200 a day plus expenses." It turned out that his fee—which never changed throughout the run of the series—became a running gag over the years because Rockford rarely ended up collecting the full amount.

But, adjusted for inflation, $200 in 1974 is equivalent to over $1,200 now. When this is taken into consideration, Rockford's fees reflect both his value to customers, not to mention the quite real financial realities he consistently faced in his chosen field of endeavor.

Despite his struggles to get paid, Rockford never budged on his rate, which appears to be a testament to his integrity and self-worth amid a "challenging" line of work.

Jim Rockford’s blend of street smarts, a love for the simple pleasures in life like sports and handheld Mexican food, along with his love of the "beach life" made him a uniquely relatable and enduring TV character. I enjoy watching on "reruns" or DVDs whenever the mood strikes—and that is often.

Rockford's ethical "code" —including a steadfast dedication to the needs of his clients and in earning his fee—added to the realistic nature of the gritty, yet often humorous, side of Los Angeles he navigated as a private investigator.

Yet, Rockford was really an entrepreneur. However, he never considered himself that way, and could have served himself better by realizing that he was in business, not just doing a series of jobs.

If the Internet was around in Rockford's time, I'd have recruited him to be a part of my Inner Sphere program, where we help develop such skills.

Our next group coaching cohort is starting up again in June and availability, this time, is limited.

For more:

We've seen a lot of good people throughout our group coaching calls and the individual coaching/consulting that's taken place.

If you think you might be a fit or simply want to know more about the program, book a FREE 15-minute call and we can talk about it.

As always,

Brian