We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Steve Hanson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Steve, thanks for joining us today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

When I was young, I went through a period of rather intense bullying. It contributed to a lot of anxiety and issues of negative self-worth, that for me lasted a long, long time. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a small classroom of high school students. During my presentation, I told the students about a time in my adult life when I was seeing a behavioral psychologist. The psychologist had asked me to write a letter to my most prominent childhood bully, and tell him how his behavior had affected my life. Of course, I initially pushed back, and told her that I didn’t want to do it. Eventually, she won the battle of will’s, and I relented and wrote the letter. The next time I visited her office, she asked me to read the letter out loud, which I did. In the letter, The last paragraph read as follows. “I know that you were just a kid, but so was I. I guess that’s why I’m writing you today. I finally realize that in order for me to move forward, certain things need to be left behind. Goodbye”. After reading it to her, the psychologist told me to crumple up the letter, and throw it out. She said that it wasn’t important that the letter be sent, but that I read the words out loud.

The day after the classroom presentation, I received an email from the teacher. She told me that my presentation had been well received, and had been impactful. In fact, she told me that one of her students had confided to her that she had taken it upon herself to write a letter of her own; not to someone who had bullied her, but to someone whom she had bullied. She not only wrote the letter, but she actually sent it to her “victim”, via cell phone. In the letter, she apologized for her actions, and told her that she hoped that the bullying would not go on to affect her, over the course of her life.

That was the moment that I first realized that I was capable of making a real difference in the live’s of others.

Steve, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I initially got into speaking by doing emcee work for my friend’s pyrotechnic event. At the same time, in my life, I was becoming more confident. I realized that I had something to say. I wanted to share my experiences; share my story. What I really wanted to do was show my children what was possible for them. I wanted them to see that it’s never too late, or too early, to become the very best versions of themselves. Today, the one thing I know to be true is that all life is meaningful. And yet, not all people live a life that is meaningful to them. I want people to know that they are capable of great things, and that they are worthy of wellness, greatness, confidence, and success. I speak on what it means to create a meaningful life, and I offer the tools to make it happen. Those tools, in no particular order, are…

1. Releasing what no longer serves you
2. Managing your self-talk
3. Overcoming adversity
4. Igniting your purpose
5. Clear communication
6. Boundaries

With over 30 years of manufacturing experience, I also speak about leadership, and team building. Meaningful leadership requires empathy, encouragement, empowerment, and respect. It means understanding that people are unique, and that each of us respond to different motivating factors. Great teams are built by playing to the strengths of its members.

Finally, I will soon be adding Coaching to my list of services, so that I can assist business professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone with a desire to succeed, with taking the next step.

The goal is to help others in their personal and professional development. Each of us has the ability to change the world; one thought, one action, one victory at a time

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

I believe that the greatest attribute in speaking (other than training and knowledge) is having the courage to be vulnerable and authentic with an audience. People will always give you a chance if they know that you’re being real.

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

When I first started this business in 2018, I was initially offering emcee services, free-lance writing, and audio editing. The truth is that I was confident in my skill set, but I had absolutely no experience with running a business. I quickly learned that there wasn’t enough demand in audio editing, and there wasn’t enough personal fulfillment in free-lance or content writing. That left just emcee services, but I slowly began to discover that I had more interest in speaking for myself, than I did for anyone else. Each new discovery has forced me to consider a new perspective. In some cases, I have pivoted because it was clear that the product wasn’t resonating with my target audience. At other times, I’ve made changes because what once was fulfilling to me, for one reason or another, no longer was.
I think that in business, as well as in life, making a pivot from time to time is evidence that we are doing something right. It signifies that we are changing, growing, and evolving. And we are responding to those changes in the most positive of ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stevehansonspeaks.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/stevehansonspeaks/
• Facebook: facebook.com/steve.hanson.90813
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/stevehansonlivingwithpurpose/
• Youtube: @stevehansonmotivationalspe4878
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@stevehansonspeaks