Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve A Klein.
Hi Steve A, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in an upper-middle-class neighborhood…and we weren’t.
I was so shy in high school that I had to look down at the floor between classes because I couldn’t look anyone in the eye.
I was uncoordinated, so I joined the gymnastics team and ran track; the only thing I was naturally good at.
Each evening, I studied until ten every night and struggled to get a B minus average. I realized later that I had, and still have, a learning disability because I have a difficult time retaining new information. My solution is to spend time going over and over it using spaced repetition.
I paid my way through college by working part-time jobs, from pizza delivery to bus driver. I also worked as a disc jockey and TV cameraman, sometimes working two jobs simultaneously.
After graduating from college and three additional months of job searching, I was hired by a radio station 600 miles from home in a town of 25,000. I worked 18 hours a day as a one-man news director for $500 a month…and six weeks later, I was fired.
…but I was rehired as a salesman, knowing nothing about selling.
I taught myself how to sell by reading everything I could on sales and success. It apparently worked, because I was hired by another radio station in a town twice as large. I became the number two salesperson out of five.
I wanted to get back to a larger market and found another job selling radio advertising in Dallas. Starting from scratch in a new city, I became the top salesperson.
I began the “Professional Development Center when I purchased a franchise selling self-improvement programs. I studied and practiced their training and became the top franchisee in the United States out of 500, seven years in a row, and number one twice out of 5,000 internationally.
I wrote the book, “Sell When You See the Whites of Their Eyes,” and began marketing leadership and sales training programs to companies. Along the way, I started “PlayMakers Talk Show,” and have interviewed over 600 CEOs in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (PlayMakersTalkShow.com)..
This led to speaking to companies on sales and leadership, which developed my keynote talk: “Never Give Up, Secrets of Relentless Champions.” (SteveAKlein.com)
I’m not relating this story because I’m better than anyone else; far from it. I couldn’t compete with kids my age who had money and status to help them succeed, but I competed on sheer willpower and Relentless determination; because that can’t be bought, it can’t be handed down, and its supply is endless, once I decided to never give up.
“People don’t fail because they lack knowledge, education or talent. People fail because of what they do not do…they don’t get off their donkey.” We must do what we can, with what we have, where we are!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Slow Learner – turned that into a strength
Failed martial arts – became a 3rd degree black belt in taekwondo
Broke six bones in taekwondo
Fired from my first job out of college – became the number one salesperson
Crashed a plane
Had a house fire
Negative net worth of $250,000 – 9 years to pay it off
Survived over 30,000 sales presentations
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The Professional Development Center specializes in Leadership Development and Sales Development by helping clients change the way they think through a step-by-step plan toward success.
In addition to our keynote talk, “Never Give Up: Secrets of Relentless Champions,” our sessions include:
Increasing Potential
Time Management & Organization
Mastering Intentional Communication
Outrageous Customer Loyalty
Increasing Productivity Through Others
Management by Strengths
All of our personal and professional development coaching is for companies and individuals who want to make the right change over time. People and companies change because of the correct process used repeatedly, day in and day out, not through a one-time session. Once internalized and permanent, corporate clients and individuals begin to focus on their Passion and Purpose to achieve Relentless Success!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Once you’ve decided on your Passion and Purpose, stay with it and DON’T GIVE UP! Success comes from failing, falling, and getting back up until we’ve learned the price we need to pay to succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://steveaklein.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveaklein/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RelentlessSteve/videos
