Like any other large-scale project, Breaking the Guinness World Record for the Longest Barrel of Monkeys chain was not easy. At various points every element broke down: the venue backed out, we didn't raise enough money, no press wanted to cover us, Guinness didn't approve our claim, and we even lost half of the monkeys. I'll present my story as a case study in negotiation and community organizing. Take-away lessons include:
* In an email, "no" often means "let's talk about it on the phone or in person"
* Don't ask for permission, ask for help
* Fake it until you make it