Lucky Vanous (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADRA_enUS348US348&q=lucky+vanous) did not set out to be the global superstar model for Diet Coke that is his legacy. In fact, he wanted to be a lawyer. In this interview Lucky shares with us a little of his background, along with some valuable life lessons he's learned along the way.

When Lucky landed the Diet Coke gig, he was married and attending Fordham law school. His ambition was to move to Colorado with his wife and get involved in the real estate development world with some good friends. The modeling gigs he pursued during the day were just meant to pay the bills. Apparently the world had other plans for him. When the Diet Coke commercial hit the airwaves Lucky was put in the midst of celebrity. Camera crews were outside the front door of his 71st street apartment and photographers were following him around. His reaction? "I just wanted to get back on track; continue my law studies and pursue professional goals." Lucky told me he could be a bit hard headed and this reaction surely demonstrated it.

It wasn't until a professor took Lucky aside and drilled into him that the "little" Diet Coke commercial was quickly turning into a nationwide opportunity that would be a huge mistake to pass up.

Lucky's life lesson #1: Being focused is great but also pay attention to different opportunities - sometimes it makes sense to veer off course!

From there, Lucky's fame really catapulted. Not only was the commercial a success stateside, but it was also a huge hit overseas and Lucky found himself on a global tour!

Even Aaron Spelling wanted in on the act. Lucky was given walk-on parts to Spelling's Pacific Palisades show! Because being kind of goofy and dramatic is not Lucky's style, it was a difficult adjustment. Looking back, Lucky wishes he had let loose a bit more and let himself be the character the show wanted him to be. Being a very black and white thinker, Lucky didn't take many of the offers we was given seriously. He reflects on those years of fame and tells me he passed on 98% of what he was offered. He wore the blinders of a focused and extremely serious individual.

Life lesson #2: Learn to dry on a different personality when appropriate.

So let's jump ahead a few years. To say, 2005. Lucky opened a fabulous restaurant in Hollywood, California. By this time, Lucky was able to transition some of his black & white style thinking into more gray. He knew that making things work right took experimentation, creativity, and openness to ideas. Now his "faster food" restaurant serves clean proteins and vegis - mostly organic and sourced locally. And, since good food goes down so much better with beer, he has done extensive research and testing of each beer in his establishment. The result? He runs Lucky Devil's restaurant with determination - but also care and experimentation. He analyzes the menu frequently and makes changes freely. There is a freedom in knowing nothing has to be final - something he learned from his early career pursuits.

Life lesson #3: Know when to ditch something!

All in all, Lucky is a pretty happy guy that has a good deal of life experiences that have made him who he is today. If you ever eat at his restaurant, be sure to stop to say "HI," as he is known for being behind the grill now and again.