We were lucky to catch up with Jim Cathcart recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jim, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Day to day the world can seem like a tough place, but there’s also so much kindness in the world and we think talking about that kindness helps spread it and make the world a nicer, kinder place. Can you share a story of a time when someone did something really kind for you?

In 2021 I got a call from my long time friend and colleague Dr. Nido Qubein, president of High Point University in North Carolina. I have known him since 1977 and worked with him through the National Speakers Association, of which both of us are past national presidents. He is the single most successful person I have ever known! Nido came to the US not speaking English, made his own way and became a substantial business owner, now president of the university where he once attended classes. He said, “Jim am I correct in recalling that you don’t have a college degree?” I said, “Correct, though I am a University professor in the Executive MBA program at California Lutheran University, and I’ve written two college textbooks, I do not have an earned degree.” Nido said, “We’d like to correct that!” He invited me and my family to come to HPU in September of 2021 and they bestowed an honorary business degree upon me.
This is not something he did due to contributions I had made or prestige that I would bring to the school. He did it out of friendship for a colleague he respected. I have delivered over 3,500 paid speeches around the world and written 25 books in my career. I consider this degree to be the most generous thing anyone has ever done for me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

In 1972 while working in a minimum wage job for a government agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, I heard an inspirational message on the radio delivered by Earl Nightingale, the Dean of Personal Motivation. That message allowed me to change my life! I decided to become a lifelong student of personal development. Through many years of fanatical dedication to that quest I made it. At first I just read all the motivation books and listened to recordings, then I went to seminars and joined discussion groups. In 1973-74 I attended 400 meetings of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Jaycees, and learned all of their lessons on personal leadership. In 1975 I was hired as the Senior Program Manager in charge of Leadership Training (Individual Development) at the National HQ of the Jaycees. Two years later I started my own training firm.
Today I’ve delivered speeches and seminars in all 50 US states, every province of Canada (except the Yukon) and all around the world.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I made the choice to become a statesman in my profession. To stand for what is right even when it didn’t help me advance. Though it occasionally made me unpopular with some people the long term effect was that it advanced my influence profoundly.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

When Covid hit my entire business went dormant! People weren’t meeting nor traveling and all of the conventions that had booked me were cancelled. I was primarily a keynote speaker and author. My revenue came mostly from showing up at events and delivering presentations. Overnight that went to nothing, zero business. The need for what I do hadn’t gone away but the means for delivering it had.
I immediately signed up for an online coaching program on how to deliver my services via Zoom meetings. In a matter of weeks I had learned enough to launch my new endeavor as a Mentor rather than as a speaker.
It saved the day and allowed me to pick and choose live speeches when the other business returned.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cathcart.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jimcathcart
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/jimcathcart
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/cathcartinstitute
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jimcathcart
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/jimcathcart

Image Credits
Jim Cathcart