I’M MIKE DRIGGERS
Over the last several years, I am frequently asked about my entrepreneurial journey and my career as a serial entrepreneur, so I figured I could share that journey with you here.
Ok, here it goes. At the age of 12 years old I started my entrepreneur path…
January 2, 1979
… with a lawn care business. We lived in a trailer park in Texas where there were mostly military folks. I would get paid to mow their lawns and then I would turn around and hire my friends to do the work. I just managed the process and made some money doing it and not having to do the hard labor (this is where I discovered to work smart and not hard). At the time I did not know really what I was doing it just seemed right so I kept doing it. I did not even know I was in business or even the word entrepreneur. I did this for several years until my family moved to CA.
By the age 14, I started a business with BMX bikes.
January 1, 1981
We would do stunts on BMX bikes, for fairs, trade shows events and sports demos (this was before “extreme sports” came around). During this time, I lived in Scotts valley which is 20 minutes from Santa Cruz Ca. (This was a culture shock and half). We were called chain reaction and we did events everywhere entertaining 1000’s of folks. This is where I discovered that I liked entertaining people and caught the bug and did not even know it.
At a very young age I had started learning martial arts from my dad…
January 2, 1981
…who was a 2rd dawn black belt at the time. This is where I started to learn concepts about discipline, mindset, patients, humbleness and a few other things that were not so pleasant principles – OUCH! (I think my dad put me in martial arts so he could get away with child abuse. LOL. Just kidding my dad is cool) However, I did not take it seriously until we moved to California (around age 14). By the time I was 16 I had achieved my black belt and over the years I received my 3rd dan black belt (fancy name for BAD ASS!! LOL) and along the way, I learn 5 other different martial arts (this is where I started to learn about setting goals).
I would literally sell soap around the neighborhoods.
February 2, 1981
I then met a guy that ran the local 7 eleven. I made a deal with him that I would give him half the profits (this is where I was learning negotiation & joint ventures and not knowing it). He agreed and said ok. I was literately ignorance on FIRE. I would sit there and show folks the power of S8 soap and brush my teeth with LOC. I would take orders than I would give them to my grandfather. Then I would fulfill those orders. Funny thing is my family would call the people and invite them over to learn about a business opportunity. The people that were interested ended up being on my team and consuming the products the others would just continue to buy products from me.
Around the age 15 to 16, I was introduced to the direct sales industry by grandfather, uncle and my parents.
January 1, 1982
I did not know what the industry was about. At the time I wanted a special bike that would cost over 2k (allot Back then, it is equivalent to 6 or 7 grand in today’s dollars). I did not have the money so my grandfather & uncle said you should get a job. I was like what’s that and where do I go? They said well you could sell soap! Not knowing what it was about I said, ok. There I went door to door selling soap (S8 soap & LOC). If you have not figured it out the company was called Amway.
During this time, I learned the concept of being an entrepreneur.
March 1, 1982
I also discovered an amazing concept called personal development which changed my life forever. I started listening and reading books (sometimes), I hated reading but LOVED listing to audio tapes. We would also go to live events to see amazing speakers and learn allot of amazing information. I was constantly feeding my mind. One day we attended a special event in Portland for the Amway company. I had no idea why or what it was about. I just thought this was some more personal development I could eat up. There must have been over a thousand people at the event. I was brought up on stage because I hit the rank of “ruby” in the company (at the time had no idea what that was but went on stage anyways). When I went up on the stage the whole room lit up with cheers and I received a standing ovation because of my age and the rank I hit. Folks it was at this time I FELL IN LOVE with the stage! By the age 17 I had a thriving business. I was going to school, still doing the BMX, selling soap and I was teaching and running martial arts school (learning multi-tasking at the MAX). This is also where I discovered that I love teaching and helping people. I would teach martial arts to kids (learn more patience) and women’s self-defense.
I also had dropped out of school at this time (yes, I know it’s sad).
March 15, 1982
I did go back a couple years later and actually graduated with a 4.0, so not too bad, you will see below. The school system at the time did not keep my attention span. I wanted to have fun. I was making great money. I wanted to branch out.
I had moved over to San Jose, Ca. (45 minutes from Scott’s Valley)
January 1, 1986
After shortly moving there I met these guys that were into what I was & listing to which was called rockabilly – or 50’s music style for those that don’t know what rockabilly is. You Know “Stray Cats”. They had a band at the time called the “King Pins “and I started hanging out with them going to all their shows. I eventually started to work with them and was co-managing, managing, promoting, marketing and selling the band (This is where I really got a taste for gorilla marketing tactics). The band won a popular TV show called the “Gong Show” and won 100k. After winning we were touring all over the united states. We played and open for several popular big-name bands (including the “Stray Cats”).
At the age of 19 I met two gentleman who had change my life in the direct sales industry (this is where I learn about PIVOT).
February 1, 1986
As usual I was out selling my soap and ran into a group of people. They had this special alarm that would click to your belt and if you were attacked you would pull this cord on it and it would set off this LOUD screeching noise. I asked them what it was and they told me it was a personal alarm. I thought instantly this would be great for my women’s personal defense classes. I asked if there was a way that I could sell them. They told me there was and that they were having a special event to launch in the area. They invited me to attend. So, I did, when I arrived, there were several other folks there and I was not clear on what it was I was attending but it looked fun. We all sat down and then they introduced one of the guys I had met. He came up and started to do his presentation. He started to draw circles on this white board and as I sat there, I said to myself HMMMM this looks familiar.
I discovered it was another company that had different products but ran the same way as my Amway business.
February 2, 1986
SO, I join on the spot and started to promote this program. People thought I was crazy, they ridiculed me and said it would never work. This is where I learned that people that seem to be your friends may truly not be and can or will back stab you. Not sure why it is but it is that way. People can get jealous, I guess! Not sure but I did not care, I was moving forward and man was I glad I did (this is where I learned about gut instinct and doing some research). The company was call Quorum a direct sales company with electronics (this is where I learned that even electronics are consumables). The owner was from overseas however they had a local presence. This did not matter though because the 2 gentleman Jeff Olson & Eric Worre took me under their wing and taught me this industry. I built a large team with them and was holding my own events across the U.S. and teaching others how to do what I was doing (here is the trainer / teacher in me).
The company was called TPN (The Peoples Network).
January 1, 1988
Then at the age of 21 Jeff & Eric left the company to start their own. The company was called TPN (The Peoples Network). This was around the time when satellites were just starting to hit the market, I am sure you saw them they were HUGE! The company provided 24hrs a day 7 days a week inspiration, education and motivation through the satellite channel with our very own satellites that were compact and small. We also provided a monthly DVD & audio package with workbook materials. We also would host live events in our area with the major thought leaders at the time. They were folks like Brian Tracy, Jim Rhone, Zig Ziglar, Les Brown, Tom Hopkins, Tod Barnhart, Tony Alexander, Jeffrey Gitomer, and many more. This is where I fell in love with the speaking, training and coaching world and wanted to do it myself. Although, At the time I was better at marketing the speakers than I was with my own program. I was not sure what or how I was going to do it I just knew that I needed to. I then reached out to some of these folks and asked if I could work for them and be coached by them. I did everything from event promotion, to setting up events, booking hotels, to running the back of the stage as well as the front of the room registration. I hosted live events and even trained. I did back of the room sells and even product creation (this is where I discovered the power of 1-on-1 coaching and info products).
Unfortunately, at about 23 to 24 years of age the company closed their doors
January 1, 1990
The satellite company they were leasing with that gave them their channel went bankrupt and they lost the satellite channel they were leasing from and the original deal they had put in place. The company could not sustain themselves anymore and they closed down. Now I was not sure what I was going to do and I figured I would follow Jeff & Eric where we ended up in pre-paid legal. They were a great company however I just was not into the legal services (This is where I learned you need to be passionate about what you’re doing otherwise you will hate it).
At the age of 24 I decided that I wanted to live out a child hood dream of mine and that was to be a cop
January 1, 1991
Yes, you heard me right a police officer. So, I paid my way through the police academy and was hired on as a police officer in the San Francisco Bay. I loved it but man was it WAY to political and I found out really quick I did not like it (again I learn to do what you love not what you have to). The whole time I was on the force I kept thinking that I wanted to still market thought leaders and continue to be coached by them.
I decided it was time to make a move and I did.
March 2, 1991
I created a company called On Target Marketing where I would market different thought leaders. I picked up a couple of contracts of local thought leaders and some of the up and coming thought leaders like the speed-reading genius Ed Stretcher and the Anthony Robbins (Tony) franchise for the San Francisco bay area. I also helped them market their business I even helped Ed Stretcher create the product “Into the Genius Zone”. At this point the internet was starting to come around. Basically, we started marketing to newsgroups and we were programming sites in Note pad and Netscape. The results we were getting were amazing for a sliver of the cost in advertising that we were used to spending. We were getting 400% more sales than the traditional way we were doing marketing.
At the age of 30 the most amazing blessing I could ever have entered my life and that was my son Alex.
January 1, 1997
I was so blessed and highly favored. I was able to be a stay at home dad with what I was doing for most of his younger life. During this time, I would play around on the computer when I was home with him and learned a ton of information about the internet (you know the one Al Gore invented). I new this was going to be big from the results we were getting from marketing and what I was seeing online. I then decided it was time to go back to school to learn how to design and program websites. I ended up going back and getting an AA degree in Multimedia and a BA in marketing from a trade school (and Yes, I earned a 4.0 and graduated with honors). I am glad I made this choice. It turned out to be a very prosperous decision for my future (this is where I learn the power of investing into yourself). Also, during this time, I bought a Strokes Golf Franchise (well it was given to me. The previous owners owed me money). I built that store up to be the leading sales store for all the stores.
During this time……
May 27, 1997
… I found that a lot of the graduates from the school were having a hard time getting employment during the DOT BOOM era, and yet I was talking to different major advertising agencies and they were sharing with me how they were overbooked. I saw an opportunity and immediately started to negotiate deals with different agencies and offering to handle all their grunt work under their brand with all the talented grads I had access to so that the agencies could focus on the more critical work. They loved the idea and so out of the back of my golf shop my new company with some partners “Unleashed Media” was born.
The company started to flourish.
June 27, 1997
We had at least 11 grads working at any one time out of the back of a golf shop. I also merged all the marketing for thought leaders into the new company. The company started getting a great reputation for providing great work and the word was getting out about what we were doing. Some of the amazing work we were providing referrals were pouring in and we started to attract major clients out of Silicon Valley. We ended up having clients like Intel, Motorola, HP, Cisco, 2Wire, Bank of America, ING, and plenty of other big names. We also attracted different Venture Capitalist and Angel Investors. They would invest in different company’s (The .com BOOM) and then bring them to us asking for us to make them look larger than life so that they could get their next round of funding or sell their interests. We made the companies look like they were the authority in their niches (even though they were working out of garages or bedrooms at the time. God, I Love entrepreneurship!). We grew so fast and they were some amazing times. I had set up partnerships with teams in Bangalore India and Legos Nigeria (this is where I discovered the power of outsourcing). We would hire the best of the best for our grunt work and at a deeply discounted price. This infrastructure allowed us to be very competitive especially after 9/11. Oh by the way I started a Martial arts school in Milpitas Ca. to teach my son martial arts and all the local kids and family members. I wanted him to have the same experiences i did and to help him achieve his Jr. black belt status.
I was voted Entrepreneur of the year for my local area by president George Bush
June 1, 2004
We grew the company to the point that we were doing several million’s a year in revenue. In 2004 I was voted Entrepreneur of the year for my local area by president George Bush and was invited to the black and white ball. We also won several awards and were featured in the Business Journals in the top 30 companies to work with. We were featured in major university textbooks where they used samples of our work to teach their students about web development, marketing, and sales. With all this going on, I was not happy anymore, I liked what we were doing but I was not happy. My Marriage had started to follow apart and I was not spending the quality of time I wanted with my son that I would have like to. I was just burnt out! I decided it was time for me to make a change and decided it was time to sell the company. So, I did.
At the age of 38 my father introduced a company to me called WLG (World Leadership Group)
January 1, 2005
…with an owner that I knew and came to respect. His name was Hubert Humphrey (NO not the Vice President) he had built several multimillion-dollar companies and was starting a new one. This was insurance, mortgage, and real estate on a direct sales platform. I became one of the top producers in this company. Then the real-estate market crashed in 2008 and the company had fallen apart.
At the age of 41 I then took my team and went over to a company called Monavie…
January 1, 2008
… and became a top producer there. However, I did not like the integrity of the owner so I left. Over the next couple of years, I joined a couple of other companies and built teams of 25,000 to over 1 million people worldwide. I then landed on a company that was a done for you real-estate investment company called Strongbrook. They were a plug-in-play real estate investment company that did everything for you from A-Z and found the best-producing properties. They would also do financial planning for you around real estate investments. I really loved this company and it was a great concept however management drove the company into the ground and destroyed a perfectly great company (this is where I learn another lesson in poor leadership & management).
During this time, I wrote my first book.
May 27, 2009
What an experience that was especially for thinking I was not a great writer because of my hillbilly language. (LOL). Even as I write this today, I think back at how far I have come in my writing. (I have over 33 books now 12 on amazon and others for special purposes). What motivated me is I was told that I would never be able to write a book from someone that I deeply respected. He said because of my bad grammar and poor understanding of English writing it would never happen (this is where I discovered “you can’t tell me I can’t do something motivation”). But I did it and I discovered ways to where I did not have to write a single word (I also developed a system where I could have a book a month and turn it into 12 different info products if I wanted to). All I had to do was just produce the information and someone else would write it for me. I found out about ghostwriters.
However, a good ghostwriter is “expensive” (This was a very, very valuable lesson for me).
July 27, 2009
I had sought out a highly respected writer within the industry I was targeting and hired him as a ghostwriter for 25k. We then went to work. He told me that we would schedule several calls throughout the month where we would get on the phone and he would ask me several questions and interview me. The first couple of calls he would interview me on the phone (I started thinking that’s it?). He would record the conversation and then go back and transcribe what I said, edited it, and give it back to me (WHAT! I could have done that). I learn that all I needed to do was record it like a presentation and get it transcribed and then find a great editor (which was WAY Morse inexpensive and easier to do). They would edit and make you look like a hero by editing your transcriptions and give it back to you. Then I discovered ways to inexpensively pay to have it laid out in a book format and have a cover design and “POOF” I had my book. This was a lot cheaper than the ghostwriter. Now here I am at the age of 43 saying ok now what? At the back of my mind I hear this voice saying “Mike be a public speaker and coach, do keynote speaking, create your own products, run your own workshops and masterminds, do group coaching and 1-on-1 coaching”.
So, I Did, I focused 150% of my time to exactly that.
May 27, 2010
This was and has always been my passion anyway so why not. The first thing I did was found several different coaches that were experts in what I wanted to learn. I found online courses of what I need to learn and started to learn everything I could about the industry in the current times. I found a speaker coach, product development coach, mastermind & workshop coach, online marketing coach, online coaching coach and sales funnel coach. I literally immersed my self in learning all the latest and greatest techniques I could for the thought leader world. I am so glad I did! This took at least 7 to 10 years off my learning curve. I eliminated 1000’s of road bumps and obstacles, saved a ton of money and I was up and running as a coach quickly after. I invested in myself and it paid off 1000-fold. I created a company called I/ME Publishing Group and started my thought leader business. I started out doing keynote speaking around the world (which I pretty much had been doing in the direct sales industry). Now I was just getting paid for it as a speaker (By the way I have delivered over 3500 presentations worldwide by the time I was writing this bio). During this time, I published several more books and became a top-selling author around the world. I also started focusing my attention and on positioning myself as an authority in the business marketing niche.
The first area I focused on was the media. I needed to get into the media.
May 27, 2010
I started using techniques and resources I used back in the days of Unleashed Media with the different companies that Venture Capitalist & Angel investors would bring to us. Because of this, I started to explode I was featured on several media outlets. I was even invited to be on my old friend Brian Tracy’s Tv show. I also received the chance to co-authored a couple of books titled “Entrepreneurs On Fire” with Barbara Corcoran from the hit TV series, The Shark Tank, and with “Reach Your Greatness” with James Malinchak from the featured hit ABC TV Show Secret Millionaire”. I was also featured on ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, USA Today, ESPN, PBS, Business Journal, Wall Street Journal, and several other affiliated stations across the world. I started to be recognized as one of the world’s most requested business, sales & marketing consultants. During this time, I was introduced to a gentleman by the name of Brandon Hintz. Brandon was doing workshops and teaching businesses how to create and grow your business around your lifestyle and not the other way where you’re a slave to your business (which I totally love because I remembered when I was a slave to my agency).
Brandon and I started to work together and created a radio show called “In The Now”
January 27, 2013
We would interview some of the top and upcoming thought leaders in the world around building and marketing your business (who knew I had a face for radio, LOL, Click Here To See). About 7 years ago at the age of 46 Brandon and I noticed a couple of niches that were booming and so we started coaching coaches on how to have a thriving coaching business. For the last 10 years, I have been doing workshops for businesses teaching how to position them and their businesses as an authority in their niche so it made sense to align with Brandon. Both Brandon and I have started to work together and have been doing workshops together around helping business and the coaching industry. We have also continued to develop and create products together that help the coaching business industry. We even started training coaches that wanted to be business coaches with tools, systems, infrastructure, authority positioning, eLearning center with 197 marketing videos, and weekly group coaching webinars for the coach’s clients on the coach’s behalf. The whole system is a plug-n-play business in a box that is completely white-labeled to the coach.
Now, after 41 years and at the age of 53, as an entrepreneur, all the lessons I’ve learned, the accomplishments I have achieved and connections I’ve made along the way is what allows me to help my clients and students grow faster than they ever thought possible, and avoid costly mistakes that I have made or seen during the process.
My coaching clients literally will knock 5 to 10 years off their learning curve EASILY when they start working with me. Not only that, but we have also shown them how to have a solid business foundation to grow their coaching business.
If you are wanting to MAGNIFY YOUR Influence, Income, and or Impact Millions of People in the world and become the go-to authority in your niche, then its time to schedule a call with my team. My coaching clients generate 7-8 figures and you can too.
Whether you’re just starting your own coaching business, or you have an existing coaching business and are wanting to achieve financial freedom, nothing is more rewarding than getting your messages out and learning from me and the lives I’ve helped impact.
Your “Personal Brand”, “Your special and amazing Gifts” and “YOUR MESSAGE” Is Your greatest competitive advantage YOU can have. People will buy your perspective. Remember there is only “ONE” of YOU. You were born to Succeed!
Your personal brand showcases and builds the connection with your ideal clients and, the thing is, they will crave it.
There is no question that personal branding is the future of consumer decision making. It is here now and is going to grow. Your Ideal clients are looking to what their peers or role models are endorsing and not what the so-called “BIG BUSINESSES” are saying.
You can either soar to great heights like an eagle, lead the way, and be in the “NOW” with what is happening. Or you can swim with the ducks, stay and continue to be in the past and be left behind. Where it will cost you more time, money, influence, impact, and you will become irrelevant in the market place.
I know there’s a lot of people claiming to give the right guidance on how to be an authority, and it can be confusing as all heck with all the “misguided-information” out there. That’s why I am here to help you with a trusted step by step, paint by numbers guide and blueprint to follow.
Start leveraging your personal brand, your message the right way by talking with me.
Remember that today, right now determines and controls your future direction. You have a choice: you can choose right now to change your business, time, life, relationships, and health if you just decide to commit.
At the end of the day, you are responsible for your end results.
So, if you like helping others grow and you have a message: understand that YOU were born with a purpose, you have an obligation to grow that purpose, and you need to take advantage of this calling.
Nothing starts until YOU start. Now it’s up to you to activate your calling and your potential. Discover what you’re truly capable of and live the life that you desire.
Your story, experiences, lessons are gifts to share with the world and have tremendous value for someone else. It’s time to create a massive impact in the world with “YOU”. This is and will always be your uniqueness and competitive edge; put it to work now and you’ll be rewarded and fulfilled with abundance.
May You Be Blessed & Highly Favored With Incredible Success, 
Mike Driggers
