Podcast appearances and mentions of Bernie Swain

Lady Gaga, Marion Anderson, Beyoncé, Frank Sinatra, Pete Seeger, Maya Angelou — musicians and poets have been powerful headliners at inauguration ceremonies across the years signaling change, new beginnings and reflecting the mood of the country and a new administration.In January 1973, following the Christmas bombing of Vietnam, conductor Leonard Bernstein gathered an impromptu orchestra to perform an "anti-inaugural concert" protesting Richard Nixon's official inaugural concert and his escalation of the war in Vietnam. One of the main performances of the official inaugural was the 1812 Overture with its booming drums replicating the sound of war cannons.In 1973, the United States was reaching the concluding stages of our involvement in Vietnam.  And while the war would soon come to an end, the weeks leading up to the second inauguration of Richard Nixon were met with some of the most intense and deadly bombing campaigns of the war.The anti-war movement was unhinged. They had marched, they protested — to seemingly no avail when it came to changing Nixon's foreign policies. So what to do next...Leonard Bernstein performed an “anti-inaugural concert” — a concert for peace — following his belief that by creating beauty, and by sharing it with as many people as possible, artists have the power to tip the earthly balance in favor of brotherhood and peace.This story was produced by Brandi Howell with special thanks to Michael Chikinda, Alicia Kopfstein, Matt Holsen, and Bernie Swain. 

Music and poetry were powerful headliners at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris signaling change and new beginnings. This was not the first time the arts have reflected the mood of the country and a new administration. In January 1973, following the Christmas bombing of Vietnam, conductor Leonard Bernstein gathered an impromptu orchestra to perform an "anti-inaugural concert" protesting Richard Nixon's official inaugural concert and his escalation of the war in Vietnam. One of the main performances of the official inaugural was the 1812 Overture with its booming drums replicating the sound of war cannons. In 1973, the United States was reaching the concluding stages of our involvement in Vietnam.  And while the war would soon come to an end, the weeks leading up to the second inauguration of Richard Nixon were met with some of the most intense and deadly bombing campaigns of the war. The anti-war movement was unhinged. They had marched, they protested — to seemingly no avail when it came to changing Nixon’s foreign policies. So what to do next... Leonard Bernstein gathered an impromptu orchestra for an “anti-inaugural concert”— a concert for peace—following his belief that by creating beauty, and by sharing it with as many people as possible, artists had the power to tip the earthly balance in favor of brotherhood and peace. This story was produced by Brandi Howell with special thanks to Michael Chikinda, Alicia Kopfstein, Matt Holsen, and Bernie Swain. Find more of her stories at: theechochamberpodcast.com

As we gather this week to witness the inauguration of our new president, we find our nation in a state of great political unrest.  While certain recent events of violence at the Capitol are no doubt unprecedented, it is certainly not the first time an inauguration in our country has been met with divide.   In 1973, the United States was reaching the concluding stages of our involvement in the Vietnam.  And while the war would soon come to an end, the proceeding weeks leading up to the inauguration were met with some of the most intense and deadly bombing campaigns  the war had witnessed.  The anti-war movement was unhinged.  They had marched, they had protest - all to seemingly no avail when it came to changing the foreign policies of Richard Nixon.   So what to do next....  American conductor, Leonard Bernstein, gathered an impromptu orchestra and choir to perform a "Concert for Peace", following his belief that by creating beauty, and by sharing it with as many people as possible, artists had the power to tip the earthly balance in favor of brotherhood and peace. Special thanks to Michael Chikinda, Alicia Kopfstein, Matt Holsen, and Bernie Swain for sharing their insight and memories of the musical events surrounding Nixon and his second inauguration in 1973. A Plea for Peace: Leonard Bernstein, Richard Nixon, and the Music of the 1973 Inauguration ARCHIVAL:  Not everybody is here this weekend to celebrate. Thousands of demonstrators are expected. They've spent weeks organizing and are here to protest the war.  "This is one anti-war demonstration that Mr. Nixon is not going to avoid.  Past demonstrations he has fled town, nobody sees him now. He's never explained to the nation why he ordered these saturation bombing rates on Hanoi and Haiphong, but this is one time he's going to have to be present.  We know he's not going to be out of town and we want to be there at the same time." Alicia Kopfstein (AK):  The number of people who were in DC, it was thousands upon thousands. 18,000 were at the cathedral alone.   To have the cathedral so full like that... full to the gills. There was no room. It was just overwhelming, to try to find a place to park, of course, but to be with so many like-minded people.  Contrasting with so many protests now where there's violence, it was so peaceful. There was such an attitude of goodwill and camaraderie and companionship. That was just incredible. I'm Dr. Alicia Kopfstein, I teach at American University and I'm a contributor and co-editor of a recent collection of essays called Leonard Bernstein and Washington DC. I was a singer in Leonard Bernstein's "Concert for Peace" that happened at the Washington National Cathedral in January of 1973.  ARCHIVAL:  Introduction to the three official inaugural concerts tonight. There's a fourth unofficial one. Leonard Bernstein is conducting what is called a "Concert for Peace" at the Washington Cathedral.  Admission is free, arrangements have been made to pipe the program outside.  It is thought that 10,000 persons might show up, many of them anti-war protesters.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ku9HUWZDas AK:  There was hope, there was desire for peace, there was love, but there's also a resignation, a fear because people had done their utmost to try to protest the war and it didn't seem to change anything.  Years and years and years of protest still led to the Christmas bombing.  So it was just, we're getting desperate. Let's do everything we possibly can. The Vietnam War went from 1959 to 1975. When Nixon was elected the second time, it was shortly after some more horrors in the Vietnam war. We had Kent State and the Pentagon papers, the My Lai massacres. Films and photographs were available in Time and Look and all the major magazines and newspapers showing women and children and young people just lying dead by the road.  Shocking for people in this country.  There were a lot of anti-war protests and Bernstein participated in those an...

My guest for this special extended episode is Bernie Swain. He is the co-founder with Paula Swain and Harry Rhoads Jr. of Washington Speakers Bureau, a lecture agency which represents many prestigious authors, politicians, journalists, athletes, and business leaders. He is author of the book What Made Me Who I Am. He talks about his humble beginnings, starting the company, exceptional clients, leadership, character and honesty.

In this episode, I speak with Bernie Swain, co-founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau, who give me a wakeup call as he causes me to think of them as "turning points" by discussing all of the ones that changed his life.

Bernie Swain – Washington Speakers Bureau a Handshake Deal Bernie Swain, his wife and Harry Rhodes Jr co-founded the Washington Speakers Bureau. It took 8 years of working, gathering speakers, building their business to get to the moment when they truly arrived. They'd met with a speaker they wanted to sign. Everyone in DC wanted him, Swain's company wasn't a front-runner; there were bigger more established firms. Fred Ryan, President Reagan's Chief of Staff from 1989 to 1995 called Bernie. Braced for bad news, Ryan let Swain know, President Reagan selected the Washington Speakers Bureau to represent him. In this moment, his company graduated to the top of the industry.  

My guest today is Bernie Swain. Bernie is the founder of the Washington Speakers' Bureau, one of the most successful and well-respected speakers' bureaus in the world. Since launching in 1980, the bureau has represented US presidents, prime ministers from Great Britain, countless American and world leaders, business and economic visionaries, authors, media personalities, sports legends. Bernie's bureau represents some of the most successful people and well-respected minds in the world. He knows their well-told and well-known stories as well as many of the behind the scenes stories too. Recently he put all of that in a book called What Made Me Who I Am. In this book, Bernie does an incredible job of collecting a series of lesser-known stories from well-known people. Tales of grit, determination, sometimes involving love, sometimes involving luck, but great stories of real people doing extraordinary things. So I wanted to have Bernie on to talk about his story and some of his favorite stories from others as well, so let's get to it. Listen To The Podcast: RESOURCES: What Made Me Who I Am Book: https://amzn.to/2NapMPn INTERVIEW: Bernie, welcome to DREAM THINK DO. Thank you, it's great being here. I appreciate the time you're sharing with me. It's an absolute honor. Often when I have people on for DREAM THINK DO, they walked out a dream and sometimes it was a lifelong dream. Something they dreamed of doing as a little child, but if I'm understanding your story, you weren't five years old dreaming of someday having a speakers' bureau. No. It sounds like this started in a completely different fashion. It was totally different. In fact, I was in my early 30s when the change took place. No one in my family, to give you an idea of where I started from, and maybe this will tell the people that are listening to the podcast, that no matter where you begin from, you can succeed in life. No one in my family ever attended college before. In fact, my mother and her family were farmers who grew up in Central Virginia and basically lived off the land. My father, with five sisters, a brother and assorted relatives, grew up in just a two-room house in the poorest of mining towns in West Virginia. When my grandmother couldn't take care of him, he spent part of his childhood in an orphanage. So, when I was in high school, there was never really any conversation in my home about my going to college. That wasn't a given. Yeah. My family, I think, expected me to do well and find a job and succeed and be happy, but there was never any conversation. I had a teacher in high school. He was the athletic director and the football coach and he encouraged me to go to college. In fact, I would have never gone if it hadn't been for his input and influence in my life. I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to be something as a football coach or an athletic director or teach physical education. So, he set me on this path and I went to college and graduated from college. My first job was the football coach and the junior high school ninth grade phys ed teacher at the junior high school I had previously gone to. Wow. I spent a year there and went back to school to get a master's degree and then went on to become the intramural director at George Washington University, and then the assistant athletic director. I was months away from becoming the athletic director at the university when a friend of mine sent me a copy of Fortune Magazine. In the magazine was a story about this lecture agency called Harry Walker. In the article, it told how Harry Walker went to the Gerald Ford White House and signed Gerald Ford, who was the president at the time, Henry Kissinger and Alexander Haig to speak for him after they left office. At the end of the article, Henry Kissinger is quoted as questioning the high commission rate that Harry Walker wanted to charge and says, "Why don't I simply sign with one of your comp...

There is no straight line to success. In fact you maybe going through what feels like hell right now but how can you not only come through, but come through as a a far better leader? The Greatest Leaders have faced great adversity…Baptism of fire; In his new book: “The Crucible’s Gift” our guest spoke to 140 diverse leaders who had gone through this baptism of fire and demonstrated the art of living more authentically.Our guest on this episode is James KelleyDr. James Kelley currently lives outside Dubai with his four kids and his lovely wife. However, he is originally from Portland, Oregon. Following the completion of an MBA and a year of teaching English in Japan, James moved to Australia to pursue his Ph.D. He is also the host of the Executives After Hours podcastJames is a bit of an anomaly, and comes across as a lot less of a Ph.D., and a lot more like the guy you want to have a beer with at the local brew pub. He is the author of a brand new book titled The Crucible's Gift: 5 Lessons from Authentic Leaders Who Thrive in Adversity, has been endorsed by many of the big boys and friends of our show like: Bernie Swain, John Berghoff, Dorie Clark, Jeff Hayzlett, Marshal Goldsmith and Bill George. On this episode we will examine the Hero’s Journey of leadership and Why embracing your crucible moments will make you a better leader!To find out more about Dr Jame Kelley: www.DrJameskelley.com To find out more about hiring the host Dov Baron as a speaker or strategist: http://fullmontyleadership.com/consulting or http://fullmontyleadership.com/speakingRemember you can now also find us on iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, or wherever you tune into podcastsAnd on traditional radio stations across the US every Monday and Thursday on: 99.5 FM & 1520 AM Las Vegas102.1 FM & 1640 AM Lancaster, Philadelphia87.9 FM & 810 AM Macon, Gorgia 92.1 FM & 1630 AM Tampa, Florida97.7 The Villages, Florida96.3 FM Boulder ,Colorado90.3 FM Milwaukee, Wisconsin 94.7 FM Pittsburg, Philadelphia87.9 FM Colorado Springs, ColoradoAlso look for us on ROKU TV where there’s 100K subscribers. If you are a regular listener, then a big thank you to you for making us the #1 podcast Globally for Fortune 500 listeners! And with a potential reach of 2.5 to 3 million listeners for every show, we’re honoured and grateful to be cited in INC.com as The #1 Podcast To Make You a Better Leader. By the way you can now listen in via “Google Home” or “Alexa” Find us there by just saying: “Play Dov Baron’s Podcast” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bernie Swain had started his dream job as athletic director at a major university, when he and his wife discovered a major opportunity in an entirely new field. His wife convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency, with their headquarters being a friend’s large office closet. Nine years later their Washington Speakers Bureau lecture agency became the largest in the world.

When you’ve grown to be the largest lecture agency in the world who represents prime ministers, presidents and secretaries of state, you have to understand that this value of work womes from a turning point in life that defines who you are. Author of “What Made Me Who I Am” Bernie Swain used to work in a closet before he got to represent 3 of the last 4 presidents of the United States. He shares that with Washington Speakers Bureau, your speech should aim to make a difference and make people go in a direction of change. AirBnB has proven that there are people who would choose to rent rather than own. Co-founder and CEO of Boataffair Adrian Walker applied this idea to renting boats. He and his wife thought they liked sharing the boating experience but a lot of people don’t own one because of money and maintenance factors. He now helps people enjoy a fantastic day in the water and he earns extra income on the side. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Take The Lead community today: Dr. DianeHamilton.com Dr. Diane Hamilton Facebook Dr. Diane Hamilton Twitter Dr. Diane Hamilton LinkedIn Dr. Diane Hamilton YouTube Dr. Diane Hamilton Instagram

Bernie Swain is the founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau, a lecture agency which represents many prestigious authors, politicians, journalists, athletes, and business leaders. At the firm’s start back in 1980, he began signing every speaker with a handshake -- this proved to be the hallmark of trust that helped accelerate the company’s growth. Years later, Bernie’s roster of speakers would be the greatest in history and the firm still continues its practice of signing speakers on the strength of a handshake. Today, the best of Bernie's fortunes turned out to be the speakers themselves because these remarkable leaders had become his friends and he captured many of their most personal, powerful influences and defining moments in his book, “What Made Me Who I Am.” What you’ll learn about in this episode: How an error became a defining moment in Bernie’s career Why passion is so much more important than talent when you’re starting a company on your own Why there are no shortcuts to long term success How a handshake can create an environment of trust and honesty Why Bernie felt compelled to write the book, “What Made Me Who I Am” How turning points in our life define our successes and accomplishments How you earn opportunities by making wise decisions The importance in taking your time to make life decisions Why you need to remember that no matter what you do, you are your brand How best to connect with Bernie: Website: bernieswain.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/BernieSwainAuthor LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-swain-0a704b4

Bernie Swain had started his dream job as athletic director at a major university, when he and his wife discovered a major opportunity in an entirely new field. His wife convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency, with their headquarters being a friend’s large office closet. Nine years later The Washington Speakers Bureau lecture agency became the largest in the world.

January 4, 2018 Speaker SuperGuru Bernie Swain and to 2000 offices Terry Ogburn

Entrepreneurial, passionate Bernie Swain is an American businessman and author. Chairman of the Washington Speakers Bureau and foremost authority on the lecture industry.    Bernie Swain, Co-founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau and author of What Made Me Who I Am and founder of The Washington Speakers Bureau, in 1980… in a closet, became the largest lecture agency in the world represent American and world leaders; 3 U.S. Presidents, 5 Prime Ministers of Great Britain, 6 Secretaries of State, journalists, authors, Business leaders, sports legends and great achievers of all kinds.   Quote: Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts." -- Winston S. Churchill     Website:: bernieswain.com Facebook:: FB: https://www.facebook.com/BernieSwainAuthor/ LinkedIn:: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernie-swain-0a704b4/    Premium binge worthy content. Up or Out with Connie is reaching over 2.5m listeners per episode. And we’re not done  yet…  We can be heard on… ·       C-Suite Network ·       iTunes ·       iHeartRadio ·       Stitcher ·       Multiple online networks, and ·       1,900 analog stations in 145 Countries. Be sure to subscribe on iTunes, because you don’t want to miss any of the good stuff.   Let us know what you would like and need to hear on a future episode. We are here to mentor leaders who are ready to develop high-performance habits, achieve excellence and Be Unstoppable Together.   Register to be a guest at www.uporout.com   Book Connie to speak at your next event: UnstoppableSpeaker.LA Are you an executive looking for a mentor to help you develop High-performance Habits and achieve excellence? Give Connie a call at 570.906.4395, she just may be what you’re looking for!    Now to get your copy of the Be Unstoppable Freedom journal, simply send an email to TEAMPHEIFF@pheiffgroup.com. In the subject line include Be Unstoppable Freedom Journal.   I will send you to link where you can enter your information. I’ve ordered 2,000 books for you… my listeners. This journal retails for $97.00.  It’s yours for free, but I do ask that you help by paying for the shipping. That’s it, only pay for the shopping and I will send you and autographed copy.   It’s easy, send an email now to TEAMPHEIFF@pheiffgroup.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bernie Swain shares one of the biggest factors in starting and maintaining his business; having empathy for his clients. Trust grew his business to represent the biggest names in politics and the entertainment world.  Presidents, Prime Ministers, Authors, Big Thinkers and TV and Acting celebrities.     Bernie Swain is the Founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau and author of What Made Me Who I Am. The original idea was encouraged after Alex Haley told Bernie to think of our lives as being libraries and how sometimes they are overflowing with volumes and experiences and they need to be shared. In his book he shares the experiences of different celebrities and cultural icons and how they overcame what was holding them back and had trust in the process and were able to become successful.   More info about the Washington Speakers Bureau: Founded in 1980 by Bernie, his wife Paula Swain and Harry Rhoads Jr. created a bureau that changed how the lecture industry operated. They set new standards and upon making his first deal with a client Bernie never used a signed contract.  All deals were based on trust. Since 1980 Washington Speakers Bureau has represented three presidents and has been a part of over 50,000 events.   You’ll discover:   The importance of trust between yourself and your client. Why you need to find people that are good examples in your life. How empathy can open your business up to greater success. That there is a pathway for all of us to find. What makes passion more important than talent. Interview Links & Other Resources   Visit BernieSwain.com Visit the Washington Speakers Bureau Check out Bernie Swain’s book What Made Me Who I am Follow Bernie Swain on Facebook Connect with Bernie Swain on LinkedInFollow Bernie Swain on Twitter Mere Mortals Unite on C-Suite Radio iTunes - Subscribe, Rate and Review  

Bernie Swain’s wife, Paula, convinced him to quit his dream job and start a lecture agency with her. With no experience, plan or money, they did. Nine years later, their agency, The Washington Speakers Bureau, became the largest in the world. Clients included President Reagan, Alex Haley, Tom Brokaw, Condoleezza Rice, General Colin Powell and Doris Kearns Goodwin. “Through the successful, accomplished people I represented, I came to understand what turning points are all about.”

In this episode I meet Bernie Swain - co-founder and Chairman of Washington Speakers Bureau and today's foremost authority on the lecture industry. Over the past 35 years, he has represented former US Presidents, American and world leaders, journalists, authors, business visionaries, and sports legends In this fascinating conversation with Bernie we talk about his experiences working shoulder to shoulder with the world’s leaders. We talk about passion, determination and defining moments, and how that passion can be unlocked in the turning points of your life. Find out how Bernie risked everything, starting in the stationery cupboard in a friends office, and how, with dedication, passion and pure dogged determination, he built his business to be the best and most respected agency in the country. 1:12 - Introducing Bernie Swain, the co-founder and CEO of the Washington Speakers Bureau.   2:25 - The difficulty of breaking through the public personas of world class interviewees.   5:00 - How he approached the interviews for his book and his expectations.   6:34 - Bernie’s focus on turning points and the big turning points in his life.   8:51 - The process of leaving his dream job to start a speakers bureau with no experience at all.   11:08 - The 14 months of failing in starting the business and recognizing your turning points.   13:43 - How important it can be to fully commit and burn the bridges.   15:15 - The importance of both passion and dogged determination.   17:09 - Starting a speakers bureau with no experience and the role of the small wins.   19:50 - Connecting authentically with clients through identifying with their challenges to tell their stories.   21:56 - Starting the process of his interviews by having a trusting relationship between the interviewee and himself.   23:05 - Advice for recognizing your turning points when they’re presented to you.   24:51 - How important it can be to trust your intuition.   27:40 - Challenges from early on in Bernie’s experience with the speakers bureau.   29:09 - Dangers of being derailed from your goals by outside voices.   31:23 - Advice for people feeling buried in social media.   33:16 - Breaking down the stories of world class people into relatable paths.   34:47 - How Bernie sees his business changing - or not - in the near future.   36:30 - What the people Bernie works with are like, on a personal level, and the role of trust in all relationships today.   39:12 - Living with abundance versus scarcity and how that has affected people Bernie has worked with.   41:36 - The simplicity and interconnectedness of the traits that create great people.   42:42 - The questionnaire.   46:32 - Getting in touch with Bernie and finding his book, What Made Me Who I Am.         Resources and Links Mentioned:   Washington Speakers Bureau   What Made Me Who I Am by Bernie Swain   Bob Woodward   Fortune Magazine   Lou Holtz   Yogi Berra   Liz Murray   BernieSwain.com   Facebook   LinkedIn          

Today's guest on The Successful Pitch is Bernie Swain, the author of “What Made Me Who I Am”.

Today's guest on The Successful Pitch is Bernie Swain, the author of “What Made Me Who I Am”. He's the founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau, which represents famous presidents, Tony Blair, Condoleezza Rice, athletes, Tom Brokaw, and he talks about how he started his agency, how long he had to wait while working out of a closet to get his first client, and the resilience it takes to become an entrepreneur. He said, “Passion is much more important than talent, and a pitch works when it's real and authentic. Really, there's no short-term path to long-term success.” He said, “You'll never be happy until you control your own destiny.”

How to Connect to Bernie & Lou: Bernie:  Twitter: @Swain_Bernie  // Site: bernieswain.com Lou:      Twitter: @ThriveLouD     //  Site: loudiamond.net More on Bernie:  Bernie Swain is the founder & chairman of the Washington Speakers Bureau – one of the pre-eminent lecture agencies in the world – and author of  “What Made Me Who I Am“. Bernie is a humble man that embodies much of what the American dream is all about.  From starting his Agency out of a closet, making every deal with just a hand shake he turned his business into one of the more respected global companies. Hear his story.  Learn about the mentors that have helped him along the way.  And learn about some of the incredible ‘clients’ he’s represented throughout his career. This episode is a special treat — enjoy the authentic Bernie Swain. **Quotes from this episode** “Passion is a lot more important than talent” “There are no short cuts to long term success” “When an old person dies it’s like a library burning” – Alex Haley “Pay attention to the people you represent, as each one of them is a learning opportunity”

Bernie—founder of the pre-eminent lecture agency in the world, Washington Speakers Bureau—comes from simple, humble, and resilient stock.     His mother, Patricia, grew up in central Virginia with her family who were farmers and lived off the land. She worked on her parents’ farm, hunted, fished and yet loved to fly; she befriended Charles Lindbergh and other aviators of her time.  Bernie’s ... Read More

 Bernie Swain founded the Washington Speakers Bureau. Hear the whole story on The Nice Guys today. Reach Us Here: Doug- @DJDoug Strickland- @NiceGuyonBiz Bernie- @Swain_Bernie On Facebook: The Nice Guys Community page Become a patron and support the podcast at www.Patreon.com/NiceGuys   Show Notes by Production Assistant - Anna Nygren   Intro Go ahead Patreon, make my day   “A friend's half-serious note spurred us to abandon our careers and risk our family's fortune on a preposterous idea.”   –Bernie   The most successful people are driven by their defining moments. So says our guest today Bernie Swain. He is co-founder and chairman of one of the most powerful agencies in the world, The Washington Speaker's Bureau. His client list includes presidents, dignitaries, celebs and sports heros. Sometimes behind the scenes but always leading the pack. Welcome Bernie to the Nice Guys. What a cool collection of awesome you have put together...you've got to be happy with this? You originally called the Agency a preposterous idea. So crazy in fact, it had to work or you would lose everything. Tell me more. 3 presidents, 4 prime ministers 5 secretaries of state...but Bernie, no Nice Guys podcast hosts, I must have missed the invitation to contribute. Can you share some of your why for a moment. You are one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our day. It's not about the money, at least I don't think it is, your credit score is looking pretty good. What is it about? Share with our community a story in your book that inspires you most. I know there are many, but is there one that stands out for you? What's it like to sign a president, did you keep the pen? Who was your first president, Reagan right? That must have changed your life. Talk about instant fame. What do you want people to remember your for Bernie? What Made Me Who I Am    Contact: Get Bernie's Book- What Made Me Who I Am BernieSwain.com bswain@washingtonspeakers.com   Text “NiceGuys” to 31996 for bonus material and to be entered to win a FunkNfans T-Shirt every week.   Proud to be affiliated with the C-Suite Radio Network and the Greatness Podcast Network   Doug and Strickland's Stuff: Amazon #1 Best selling book Nice Guys Finish First. Business Building Bootcamp (10 Module Course) Need Podcast Production? www.podcastproduction4you.com   Partner Links: Amazon.com: Click before buying anything. Help support the podcast. Sign up for Sanebox free and get a $10.00 credit on us: The best way to get a handle on your E-Mail. Interview Valet:  Get interviewed on top podcasts and share your message. Acuity Scheduling: Stop wasting time going back and forth scheduling appointments   Survey: Take our short survey so The Nice Guys know what you like.   Nice Guys Links Subscribe to the Podcast Niceguysonbusiness.com   You can text Doug anytime at 410-340-6861, of if you just want to leave us a message or record an intro to the show, call 4242 DJ DOUG (1-424-253-3684)   Promise Statement: To provide a learning experience that adds value to your life.   Don't underestimate the Power of Nice.

Bernie Swain was facing gargantuan competition to be the lecture agency that would represent President Ronald Reagan. He was certain that he would lose out to a more experienced and larger firm. When Bernie got the call, he prepared for the worst. Listen to Bernie share his story of how wining helped him to move onward and upward faster.

Nicholas Kusmich is the world's leading Facebook advertising strategist, Founder of H2H Media Group and the League Of Extraordinary Marketers and creator of The Art Of Lead Generation. Nicholas is using his unique ability to understand behavior to create advertising strategies that leverage social platforms. The most important question you should ask before advertising, but probably aren't, is do I have a Predictable Profit Process in place that makes it worthy enough to go to Facebook and drive traffic? More eyes will not always equal more sales. Media platforms like Facebook are accelerators. In order for Facebook to be a game changer for you, you must know exactly what a lead is worth to you and how many web visitors become clients in a predictable fashion. Otherwise, Facebook ads will be your downfall.   “Facebook is the eyeball store.” How do you develop a Predictable Profit Process? Who are you trying to serve? The business should not revolve around you or your product, but rather the marketplace you are trying to serve. In order to build a sustainable system, you need to identify the specific steps that prospects take before they become an actual client or customer. Be very specific. Pareto had the 80/20 principle, but that doesn't work in social media marketing. Nicholas takes it a step further with the 4 percent rule. Building on Pareto's 80/20 rule, take 20 percent of the 20 percent, which represents 4 percent. The end result is the exact population of the marketplace you are attempting to serve. Get clear on their problems, needs and fears. Learn their four forces: Fears, Frustrations, Wants and Aspirations. Articulate how your product or service gets them closer to where they want to go or solves one of those four forces. Then ask what are the one, two or three conversion events you can put in front of them that will move them from prospect to client. Begin to drive a small number of people there to see if it converts. Track how many people convert for every 100 people who see it. If you know how much each visitor is worth to you, then you now have the magic metric and now have a Predictable Profit Process. Understand that Facebook is not a commerce-driven platform – it is a socially-driven platform. You can not sell directly on Facebook. There always needs to be an intermediary step. “The worst thing you can do on a social platform is bring commercial intent to it.” Nicholas doesn't follow the rules of traditional advertising copy. The one thing that causes people to buy from you and not your competitors is resonance. They have to know, like and trust you. Good communication is when your ideal prospect or customer feels understood by you. If you are not connecting on an emotional level, your copy will not be well received. Nicholas developed the Look, Hook and Took approach to writing copy. Look. The most important step a marketer can take with their Facebook ad is with their image, especially in an attention deficit world. Find images that provoke an emotion through story. Hook. It is important is build rapport. A fundamental strategy to build rapport is a methodology called feel, felt, found: I understand where you are coming from. I have experienced this emotion too and I overcame it when I found _______. Took. In every ad, there must be a very clear Call to Action. The language used should be simple, but direct. For example, I want to give this to you. Click here to download, watch, etc. “In today's world, the currency that creates transactions is connection.” If you want to take the next step towards building a marketing strategy that resonates with your audience and has a huge impact, then check out Nicholas' Behind Closed Doors workshop.     Resources: Learn more about Nicholas: Website | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Join the FB Marketing Mastery group Watch the Behind Closed Doors workshop What Made Me Who I Am by Bernie Swain   -- We...

In the early 1980s, Bernie Swain left his dream job at a young age to work in a closet with his wife. Their goal was to create the Washington Speakers Bureau. The agency has since represented several presidents, prime ministers, and bold-faced names -- clients he signed with a handshake. Bernie Swain’s new book is “What Made Me Who I Am”. Show Notes: https://whitneyjohnson.com/bernie-swain-disrupt-yourself/  

Co-founder and Chairman of the Washington Speakers Bureau, Bernie Swain joins Moe Abdou to discuss why the turning points in your life often define your destiny.

Bernie Swain has had the most intimate conversations with some of the worlds most influential people. Presidents, Prime ministers, Colin Powell, Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brokow, Allen Greenspan, CondoLeeza Rice, sports legends, andmany more. Bernie is the co-founder and Chairman of Washington Speakers Bureau. Which is the Largest Speaking agency in the world. Having represented the last 4 Prime Ministers of Great Britain, 3 of the last 4 presidents of the United States and very high profile speakers countless American and world leaders, business and economic visionaries, journalists, authors, and sports legends. Today, Swain remains Chairman of Washington Speakers Bureau, and he says: When you actually get to know, the way he did, the truly successful and accomplished people, you will often find a turning point. It may be a person in their life, a moment in time, or an unexpected event. It may be more intangible, such as the expectations set by others, or something that totally surprises you. Bernie Swain says: success and accomplishment don’t happen in a vacuum; they rise from experiences that have a profound and lasting influence. When you ask these successful and accomplished individuals about their turning points and listen carefully, you will often hear truly enlightening and inspirational stories—stories that can serve as a shining beacon of light to us all… and that’s what he’s hear to share with us today For more, visit BernieSwain.com.More on the Host Dov Baron: http://FullMontyLeadership.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bernie Swain has one of the more interesting people I've interviewed. He quit his job to start a speaker's bureau, signed his first deal on a handshake, represented President Ronald Reagan - and now he's written a terrific book.  In this conversation, we talk about taking the risk of starting an agency, how he was able to secure President Reagan as a client, and what's next in his world. We laughed, we shared stories, and Bernie gave us some terrific advice on how to become a success.   More about Bernie, from his about page: Bernie Swain - founder of the pre-eminent lecture agency in the world, Washington Speakers Bureau - comes from simple, humble, and resilient stock.     His mother, Patricia, grew up working on her parent’s farm, hunted, fished and yet loved to fly; she befriended Charles Lindbergh and other aviators of her time. Bernie’s father lived with his single mother, five sisters, one brother and numerous relatives in a tiny two-room house in one of the poorest mining towns in West Virginia; he spent part of his childhood in the local orphanage.  The couple married and settled down in Arlington, VA, where Bernie and his brother grew up listening to New York Yankees games on the radio and idolizing Bernie’s hero, Mickey Mantle.  Inspired by his high school football coach, Bernie planned on a career in college athletics.  He earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees from George Washington University. In the last few months of graduate work, he met his lifelong partner, Paula, a special education teacher.  The two of them started a family during Bernie’s five-year tenure as GW’s Assistant Athletic Director.  At GW, Bernie created one of the first college athletic marketing programs in the country.  He also managed the baseball team; its performance was so strong that the team made it to the N.C.A.A tournament for the first time in 20 years.  By the time Bernie reached his early thirties, he was well-prepared to become GW’s Athletic Director upon his boss’s imminent retirement. The year was 1979. Jimmy Carter was President.  Headlines of the times consisted of the Iran hostage crisis, Three Mile Island’s nuclear accident, and Britain’s election of Margaret Thatcher as prime minister.  The Bee Gees were popular as was Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Tom Wolfe’s bestseller The Right Stuff, and Sony’s Walkman.  “A friend’s half-serious note spurred us to abandon our careers and risk our family’s fortune on a preposterous idea.”   –Bernie This was also the time when Bernie and Paula’s friend, Harry Rhoads, sent them the note that inspired all three of them to turn their lives upside down.  They quit their jobs to start a lecture agency—without experience, without a plan, and without a single client.    “Bernie, you will never be truly happy until you control your own destiny.”  –Paula, 1979 The trio started Washington Speakers Bureau from a small supply closet belonging to Chuck Hagel, who would later become Secretary of Defense. For eighteen rocky months, they sat in that closet with their savings running out, unable to compete against the dozens of established agencies up and down the east coast. “What have I done?”  –Bernie, 1980 Just then, Bernie got his first exclusive speaker, sealing the deal with a handshake. That handshake became a “defining moment” for their company as word spread in the small town of Washington. Their roster of speakers started to grow and their market share increased. “You gain a certain confidence—and optimism—when you build a business yourself.” –Bernie, 1990 In just eight short years, WSB became the top agency in the world.  Then their growth and their reputation expanded. Over the last thirty-five years, WSB has represented three US Presidents, four prime ministers of Great Britain, countless American and world leaders, business and economic visionaries, authors, media personalities, and sports legends.  More from Bernie Swain Buy What Made Me Who I Am Visit Bernie's website Check out Washington Speaker's Bureau Follow Bernie on Twitter

In this episode, I talk to Bernie Swain about The Washington Speakers Bureau, his new book, passion, and much more. Here's our conversation: The post Ideas: Bernie Swain — The Washington Speakers Bureau  appeared first on Adam Kirk Smith.

Today I'm speaking with Bernie Swain, co-founder and Chairman of the Washington Speakers Bureau and author of http://bernieswain.com/book/ (What Made Me Who I Am). Bernie fell into this career by accident, but he developed a passion for meeting new people and forming relationships.  Bernie was prepared to pursue a career in college athletics but, as his boss was ready to retire and promote him, Swain quit to join his wife Paula and his friend Harry Rhoads to start a lecture agency without experience, without a plan, and without a single client. “We started out not knowing anything.” The three co-founders started Washington Speakers Bureau from a supply closet belonging to Chuck Hagel, who would later become Secretary of Defense. After a rough year, when their savings were running out, Swain secured their first speaker: Steve Bell, then the anchorman for Good Morning America. Eight years later, WSB was established as the top lecture agency in the world.  “Your brand is trust and honesty: being able to deliver what you say you're going to deliver, and deliver it well.” Over the last 35 years, WSB has represented three US Presidents, four prime ministers of Great Britain, countless American and world leaders, business and economic visionaries, journalists, authors, and sport legends. “The most important thing is relationships.” Bernie's career is built on networking and good relationships. Steve Bell reached out because of a positive experience with Bernie at his previous career working in the athletics department of GWU, and then Bernie and Steve made their deal based on a handshake – a sign of trust. What could have been a huge mistake (not signing a contract) became a huge boon for WSB. “A surprising number of speakers gave us a chance knowing they could walk away from us at any time if we didn't do a good job for them, or if they didn't trust us they could walk away from us. On the other hand, we knew because they could walk away from us that we had to work hard to make them happy.” WSB continues to represent everyone on a handshake, because that's the soul of their business. Good leaders build a strong foundation with solid character. With their solid foundation, WSB is still on top and they've made countless friends along the way. “No matter who you are, or what the decision is, you want to make decisions that you feel in your heart are the right things to do.” What Made Me Who I Am isn't the story of how Bernie became successful, they're the stories about how his life changed because of the relationships he has made. Bernie shares first-hand accounts of the powerful influences and defining moments from accomplished leaders like Doris Kearns Goodwin, Colin Powell and Terry Bradshaw. You can find an excerpt on Bernie's site. I appreciate Bernie coming by and sharing his story. He is a passionate, risk-taking leader who sets a great example by building a business with a soul and serving his clients well. -- Don't be a podcast junkie… Resources: Learn more about Bernie: Website | Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter What Made Me Who I Am by Bernie Swain Washington Speakers Bureau -- This episode is brought to you by SY Partners and Unstuck, helping you make a change by identifying the things holding you up. Their new program “Life Courses” are based on decades of learning about what inspires people to change. It is created by SYPartners, a transformation company that helps individuals, teams, and organizations become the best version of themselves, so they can create massive positive impact in business and society. To start making your change, visit Life Courses by Unstuck on the web. -- We are also brought to you by the Lawton Marketing Group. A full service advertising and design agency serving companies and entrepreneurs at all levels. The are your one stop shop for all your web site, logo, social media, print, app design and reputable management needs. Visit LawtonMG.com for...

Erika's guest is Bernie Swain, the co-founder of the Washington Speakers Bureau and author of What Made Me Who I Am, the new book that captures leadership transformations of 34 of his company's most prominent speakers. Erika and Bernie focus on practical insights and tips to help you become a better leader and manager.

Do you find yourself at a turning point? A fork in the roads where your only choices are to either stay on your current trajectory or pursue a passion you can’t yet back with experience or expertise? Lucky for you, passion wins out over talent every day of the week, because having a natural talent is almost inconsequential if you’re not passionate about using it to achieve and make a difference. Bernie Swain joins us today to talk about his leap from steady career to entrepreneurship, how it almost failed, and what he did to turn his failing project into the thriving business we know today as The Washington Speakers Bureau. Tune in! In this episode, you will… Learn why passion is more valuable than talent Realize how important it is to discover your passion, and then incorporate it into your career Be reminded that relationships are integral to development, because success and accomplishment don’t happen in a vacuum Understand that people aren’t born great, but great qualities and traits can be developed Discover that a willingness to learn from others makes you stronger, wiser, and positions you for success “Our influences and defining moments add up to who we are.” – Bernie Swain CLICK TO TWEET SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST EPISODE RESOURCES Becoming Your Best Website Becoming Your Best Podcast Becoming Your Best Blog Becoming Your Best iTunes The Washington Speakers Bureau What Made Me Who I Am by Bernie Swan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.