Les Brown - Finding the Greatness Within

Hey, everyone. Welcome to the what Now? Audio Experience. These episodes are my way of giving you that real, raw, authentic look into business and what it actually sounds like. Some of these conversations are recorded in the studio, some are on the red carpet, and some are with my friends over at dinner. So the audio may be a little rough, but what really stands out to me are some of the behind the scenes conversations that take place when the camera is turned off because they provide so much value from people who are living and breathing business every single day. That's what I wanted to do. Bring you something that represents what business actually is, not just what you see on social media. No fake gurus. And by the way, if you need more help with your business, please visit the what Now Academy at www.wharnow.academy. there you'll learn what to do now and what's coming next to build a great business. Be sure to connect with me on social media, Scott Duffy Media across all channels, or visit my website@www.scottduffy.com. let's do this.

On today's episode of the what Now Audio Experience, my special guest is Les Brown. Now, I'm a guy that's been around the training and the motivational, like, speaker industry for most of my life. You know, when I was a young guy, I was in college. I was on a fraternity trip down in Mexico. We were in a car, we got in a bad accident. I ended up with two brain hemorrhages. I had to drop out of school at the time. And while I was recovering, I couldn't really do much of anything. I couldn't read, I couldn't watch tv. Everything because of my head injuries made me sick. But I was lucky. My roommate came in one day with a tape, a motivational book on tape, and he said, my dad thinks you should listen to this. And it was from a guy named Dennis Waitley. And so I turned it on. And even though I couldn't do much of anything, I used to play this tape and these tapes all day, every day. I don't know how much I actually heard, but I seemed to absorb a whole heck of a lot of it. And before you knew it, I was building a library. And the library consisted of people like Dennis and Brian, Tracy and Tony Robbins and this guy, Les Brown. And to this day, to this day, my favorite motivational speaker, the person that gets me to take action, the person that really inspires me more than anyone is Les. And when Les talks. And so I was so excited to actually get the chance to sit down with Les and have him share his experience, some of the battles that he's had to fight through, some of the counsel that he has for all of us as entrepreneurs. Again, for those of you who are new to Les, he is a motivational speaker, he is a multiple time bestselling author, he's a former radio dj. I think he's going to share that story with us. And a former television host. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives at one point in his career. And his catchphrase is this. It's possible. Before we get into the interview, there's one thing though that, that I want to share that I really love about Les that makes him so much different than most people in this training industry. And it's that he gives credit. He gives credit. So I remember when I was 20 and I started working for Tony Robbins Co. How there was this funny expression that people used to use. If you hear a quote three times, then it's yours or that it's anyone. What you find in this business, if you go onto Instagram, you'll see all these quote boards with all these quot everyone thinks they invented it and all that kind of stuff. I think it's kind of funny. Les is different. When you listen to Les speak, he's always giving the credit to others. If he says a quote, here's who it's from. If he got a great piece of information that he shares and it moves the audience, here's who said it first. And that's a really interesting approach because I think where most people feel like they need to build a wall, wall and kind of what he does is he shines by helping others shine. Right? And he's not, he's not concerned about that. So it's something that again, I just, I love about less. And by the way, if you're creating a social media strategy and you need more content, this is a great idea. Go find other people and what they said in their quotes and things like that, their book excerpts, their video experts excerpts, and put them out there and give that person credit. And a couple things happen. Number one, it makes it look like you're really on top of your stuff. It makes it look like you're reading, you're serving your audience, you're serving your customer, you're finding the right videos and things like that. Number two, I just think there's a whole different energy around abundance. And so again, if you're looking for content for social media, go find other stuff. Don't try and make it your own. Don't try and pretend it's your own. Give credit where credit's due and watch what comes back to you. Again, I hope you guys enjoyed this episode with Les Brown. And until next time, you guys have a great day and enjoy this interview with Les.

There we go.

So remember at the beginning of this show, I said we only had two rules, and the first was this. The first was to be cool. We are trying to do something new. We're trying to come to you guys and gals live on the Internet and do some different things. But putting this all together, it's a heck of an effort.

And it doesn't matter what you do.

And how hard you try, sometimes things happen. The Internet may go down, but you know what? Here's the thing. We're just going to bounce right up. Just be cool.

I want to welcome our next guest. I have to share a little story for those of you who know me. You know that when I was in college, I went to University of San Diego. In my junior year of school, my third year of school, I was on a fraternity trip down in Mexico with a bunch of friends, and I got in this terrible car accident, had two brain hemorrhages, and it ended up I had to drop out of college and spend a bunch of time just laying around recovering. I couldn't really do much of anything. I couldn't watch tv, I couldn't read because everything just the moving pictures made me sick. Till one day, one of my roommates came in and he handed me a motivational book on tape. And he said, my dad thinks you should listen to this. And before he knew it, I had a library. And I felt like there were a couple of people that really helped me to get out of that period, really helped me to shift my mindset. And our next guest is the person that when it comes up to, when it comes to speaking and inspiration and motivation and really helping us to see through to the other side, it is Les Brown. Les Brown, I want to thank you so much for joining us today and being here.

Well, thank you so much for having me here. And I'm so glad that you're on the other side, but not the other other side. I want you to face me. This is a setup to bring me on after Amelia. Oh, my God, I love her. She's awesome. I really enjoyed listening to her. And I love the work that you're doing because people need hope now more than ever and they need methods of what they can do to help them to get to the other side. And I Thought that Amelia did an incredible job. And this is something that is the calling on your life. So let's get it on. As Marvin Gaye would say.

Well, I think, Les, you have such an inspiring story. I think it would be awesome for those of you who don't know you, if you could share a little bit about how you grew up and your journey through life as an entrepreneur, a TV host, and all those different things.

Oh, my goodness. Well, first of all, I really appreciate you for the work that you're doing now because it's needed now more than ever. Since 1999, before corona, the suicide rate has increased 32%. As I said before that.

Since 1999 to now, before the coronavirus suicide rate increased 32%.

Today, we're traumatized. Did you see the numbers for people filing for unemployment? What was that number? I told you, John? Leslie?

No, we're well over 30 million people now.

Yeah, over 30 million people that have applied for. For unemployment compensation. That's striking trauma and fear and just really dislodging a lot of people from the reality that they once knew. And so when I think about my life, being born in an abandoned building on a floor in a poor section of Miami, Florida, called Liberty City with a twin brother. When we were six weeks of age, we were adopted. We were taken in first as foster kids, we were one of seven. And then mama later adopted us. I'm on this program because two women always say that that one gave me life, the other one gave me love. That God took me out of my biological mother's womb and placed me in the heart of my adopted mother. And Mama, she never had any children. She had a third grade education. She worked for wealthy families on Miami Beach. She kept their children. And we wore the hand me down clothes of the children that she kept. And she cooked for them, and we ate the food left over. They would always say, mamie, whatever food is left over, you can take it home to those kids that you've taken in to raise. And my mother could bake, Scott, she could bake a sweet potato pie so good you couldn't eat it with your shoes on. You had to take your shoes so you could wiggle your toes.

So. And when I think about mama and seeing her getting ready to go to work, and she took me with her because none of the neighbors wanted to keep me. They said, mamie, we'll keep the other six. But you got to take Leslie with you because he's a little touched in the head.

When I was in fifth grade, I was labeled educable, mentally retarded. And I was put back from the fifth grade to the fourth, fourth grade. And I failed again when I was in the eighth grade. But I had a high school teacher just like you. I was watching you prior to my coming on. Very, very similar personality, Mr. Leroy Washington. And he told me when I came in his class looking for another student, he said, young man, go and work this problem out for us. And I said, I can't do that, sir. And he said, why not? I said, I'm not one of your students. He said, look at me. I said, yes, sir. And the other students started laughing, saying, he's Leslie. He's got a twin brother, Wesley. Wesley Smart. He's dt. And he asked, what's dt? And they said, he's the dumb twin.

I am, sir. And he came from behind his desk and he looked at me. He said, don't you ever say that again. Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.

And when he spoke, you know, as you are aware, how people live their lives is a result of the story they believe about themselves. When he spoke, he interrupted the story that I believe about myself at that time. Psychologists call it your self explanatory style. Mama said, sticks and stones can break your bones, but words will never hurt you. But we know that words do hurt. Inherit deeply. And so when I think about my life and think about the work that you're doing and what we're doing and what Amelia's doing is that when we get the opportunity, the sacred opportunity, to speak into people's lives or to provide training or coaching or involved in sales or doing some movement that represent who we are. We distract, dispute and inspire. We distract them from their current story and through our presentation that we begin to dismantle their current belief system and inspire them, as Mother Teresa would say, to become a pencil in the hand of God and start writing a new chapter in their lives. So that's Aretha's Digest of Mrs. Mamie Brown's Baby boy. That's who I am. I'm a mama's boy.

Well, I'll tell you also, you have an incredible story about how you. Because I think today we all have to hustle. We have to pivot, we have to adapt. And when there's opportunity, we can't wait, we can't hesitate. We have to jump on that. And I'd love you to share your story about getting into the radio business, because I think it really demonstrates that point around Hustle.

Well, I Think that what.

Amelia said, which is major, she said that brilliance is birthed through.

Tragedies, through crises. Crises in the Chinese language means danger, but it also means opportunity. And when I was looking for a way in which I would take care of my mother, this man, Mr. Washington, said, Mr. Brown, what do you want to do with your life? I said, I'd like to buy my mother a home. I feel like Abraham Lincoln, who said, all that I am and all that ever hope to be, I owe to my mother. I'm determined to, when I turn 18, sir, that she will never pay another bill. I don't believe women should pay bills. That's what a man does, not a grown boy. And if a woman wants to work whatever money she earns, she should use it to pamper herself. And so he said, how do you plan to do that? I said, I'd like to become a disc jockey. So he said, okay. He said, but you got to be hungry. I said, what do you mean by that? He said, people that are hungry are unstoppable. People that are hungry are relentless. People that are hungry realize you will fail your way to success. So he told me to go talk to Milton Butterball Smith, a young man that he had trained and recommended, that I talk to him at WMBM radio station on Miami Beach. And I went to the station. Hello, Mr. Butterball. How are you, sir? My name is Les Brown, sir. I like to be a disc jockey. He said, do you have any journalism in your background? I said, no, sir, I don't. You have any experience in radio? I said, no, sir, I don't. But let me audition for you, sir. I'll show you I'm good. And he said, no. And people who have ever been rejected, you know, that's devastating. And I went back And I said, Mr. Washington? He said, no. And he said, don't take it personally. Most people have to say no seven times before they say yes. He said, you got to be hungry. Go back again. So I went back again. Hello, Mr. Butterball. How are you, sir? My name is Les Brown, sir. I like to be a disc jockey. He said, weren't you here yesterday? I said, yes, sir, I was. Didn't I tell you no yesterday? Yes, sir, you did. Then why are you back today? I said, well, sir, I didn't know whether or not somebody was laid off or somebody was fired. No one was laid off, and no one was fired. Now don't you come back here again. I came back the next day talking loud, looking happy, like I was seeing him for the first time. Hello, Mr. Vaudevall. How are you? My name is Les Brown, sir. I like to be a disc jockey. He said, I know what your name is. Weren't you here the last two days? I said, yes, sir. Didn't I tell you? No, the last two days? I said, yes, sir. Then why are you back today? I said, sir, I didn't know whether or not someone got sick or someone.

No one got sick or died. No one was laid off a fire. Now don't you come back here again. I came back the next day looking happy, like I was seeing him for the first time. I said, hello, Mr. Vaudeville, how are you? He looked at me with rage. He said, go get me some coffee. I said, yes, sir.

Says, the greatest among you will be your servant. So I became the errand boy for the disc jockeys. I just wanted to get my foot in the door. And I'd go get their lunch and their dinner. And I had a mindset that I expected to become successful in broadcasting. And I was willing to establish a relationship with them. People do business with people they know like and trust. And I wanted them to see me as a resourceful. And I would watch them working the control board, knowing my time would come. And then on the weekends when they would come to their cars. The cars be waxed and clean inside out. He said, hey, who did this? I said, I did, sir. How much do you charge, young boy? Nothing, sir. I just want to serve you. Listen, Diana Ross and the Supremes are coming to town. The Four Tops and the Temptations. Pick them up and take them to the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach. I said, it'd be my pleasure, sir. I would drive these entertainers all over Miami beach in the disc jockey's big long Cadillacs. I didn't have any driver's license, but I'd drive it like I had some.

And then one day, a guy named Rockin Roger was drinking while he was on the air. And it was obvious he could not complete his show. He began to slur his words. And there it was, a Saturday afternoon. And I was the only one there. Looking at him through the control room window. Walking back and forth, talking to myself, saying, drake, Rock. Drake. Getting some more if he had asked me to. And then pretty soon, the phone rang. It was a general manager. And I answered the phone. I said, hello? He said, young boy, this is Mr. Klein. I said, I know. He said, Rock can't finish his program. I said, I know. Called one of the other DJs in I said, yes, sir. I hung the phone up and I said, you must rethink. I'm crazy Scott. I called my mama and my girlfriend Cassandra. I said, y' all come out on the front porch and turn on the radio. I'm about to come on the air.

I waited for about 20 minutes and I called him back. I said, Mr. Klein, I can't find nobody. He said, young boy, you know how to work the controls? I said, yes, sir. He said, you go in there, don't you say nothing here. I said, yes, sir.

Couldn't wait to get Old Rock out of the way. Stevie Wonder had a song out. He was 12 years old at the time. And the song was called Fingertips. I put that on. I said, look out, this is me. Lb Triple P, Les Brown, your platter playing Papa, there were none before me and there will be none after me. Therefore that makes me the one and only. Young and single and love to bingo. Certified bonafide durably qualified to bring you satisfaction and a whole lot of action. Look out, baby, I'm your love. Man, I was hungry.

It's such an inspiring story. And Les, I have one more question for you.

The question is there's so many people.

Out there that are. Are going through difficult times right now. They've lost their job or they're fighting to keep their business. Maybe they've had to shut it down. They've been let go, they've been furloughed. Maybe they had consulting agreements that were all canceled. They're having a difficult time seeing through to the other side. Maybe that's the hardest part of this whole thing for them. How do you have the vision in a tough time to see yourself through.

To the other people who don't have vision to focus on the opportunities as opposed to the danger and what has happened. Have skinny children.

When I got back from Dubai right before the lockdown.

My assistant said, all of your speaking engagements have been canceled. I said, okay. So I started looking at what are the opportunities here? Aaron White said, in life, when you don't have enough courage or insight to know that you have outgrown a situation and it's time to move on, life will move on you. And I see this as a blessing for me and for others. Why? Because now I can speak in three different cities in the comfort of my home and share my story, knowledge, my passion for making a difference in people's lives. Spend more time with my children, my grandchildren, and my four great grandsons. Now, as a fourth stage cancer conqueror, I can spend more time working on my healing program and helping and training speakers who desire to who want to take their story and go national and global. Now I'm focusing on the opportunities. You know, somebody said that opportunity knocks on every door. No opportunity stands by silently waiting for us to recognize it. And so now I'm recognizing and looking for the opportunities to maximize my downtime, as my son, John Leslie would say. He's a speaker and a trainer. And he said the reason people call it downtime is because that's when people usually engage in behavior that keep them from going up. So this is a time, as Amelia alluded to, to see this as a cocoon. No matter how fast a caterpillar runs with all of his legs, it can never fly. And so when it goes in the cocoon, it's doing some work. It's not in there with its legs crossed and looking at cnn. No, it's working out. It's doing setups to get slim so it can fly. It's doing side bids. You know what I'm talking about.

It's fasting. It's doing keto diet, eating a lot of rabbit food while it's in that cocoon. So when it comes out, it will come out singing I believe I can fly like R. Kelly used to do. Do.

So good. So good. Well, Les, I want to thank you so much for joining us today. How can people find you?

People can find me. The first of all, I like them. They order my new book called you've got to be hungry, the greatness within to win. And they can go to I am hungryless brown.com hungryless brown.com and they will find that it will transform their lives and my and if people who are listening interested in developing a global voice to speak to the world, they can email me personally. Les Brown 77mail.com 7 is my lucky number. February 17th I turned 75.

Wow.

Yes, 75. Man. Who does that? But I'm grateful to still be here. Les Brown77mail.com thank you for who you are and for what you do and. And encouraging people to live a life that will outlive them. God bless.

Les, thanks so much for joining. Take care, brother.

Yes, sir. Thank you, brother.

Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed this episode of the what Now Audio Experience. If you need more help with your business, please be sure to visit the what NOW Academy at www.whatnow. academy. We have an incredible community of entrepreneurs and experts that are absolutely committed to seeing you win. There you'll learn what to do now and what's coming next to build a great business. Also, be sure to connect with me on social media at Scott Duffy Media across all channels or visit my website@www.scottduffy.com. again, thank you so much for joining. Have an amazing day.