Cody Erickson is not your typical salesman . . .or maybe he is. This is the transformational story of a young man who challenged the debilitating effects of Aspergers Syndrome, and became one of the top performing salesman in a door-to-door pest control company.
"Cody is a different person than the guy I met two years ago. Through the mastery of sales techniques, Cody has overcome the challenges of Aspergers Syndrome and transformed his life socially." - Justin Harwood
"If you ask everybody in our family that watched Cody grow up they would tell you that he is a walking miracle. Growing up was very difficult for him. He was persecuted for his disability and often came home crying his eyes out daily for years."
"Our God-sends were a few choice medical providers who helped us to keep Cody at home with the family. Without their expertise to get Cody's mood and severe impulse control issues under control he would have had to go to a residential treatment center. The incredible thing about Cody growing up was his intelligence. He could read like nobody I have ever seen and absorb every bit of it. He could also memorize things very well and really didn't have to study for tests. The only reason we didn't push college was because extensive testing showed that despite his intelligence, he had other learning disabilities that would make college something that would not instill a sense of success due to the difficulty he had with busy work involved with most schooling.
When the opportunity came up for Cody to work with Justin Harwood we all had concerns if the grueling hard work of door to door sales would break him but with the skills taught to him by Justin and other salesmen, Cody learned to be the master of himself. After his first sales season ended he brought several of his coworkers to our house to meet them. At first we thought that these would be a few who just tolerated Cody, but what we found is an amazing brotherhood. These other salesmen grew to love Cody. They commented to me "Nobody gets mad at Cody no matter what he says. Look at him." They were referring to his big smile and dimples which seemed to win people's hearts even with his Aspie blunders. My boy gained confidence. He came back a changed person. Somebody believed in him and gave him a chance to find his talent. We could never repay Justin, nor the other influential salesmen who mentored Cody into the person he is today. As a mother, I often feel like I can't possibly be worthy to have been given such an incredible person as my son. He teaches me daily so much about life, people, compassion, and love. He could have many reasons to not smile because life has thrown him some difficult challenges but he wakes up with a smile on his face and is usually the first to make someone laugh with his fresh conclusions about life situations."
Asperger syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) considered to be on the “high functioning” end of the spectrum. Affected children and adults have difficulty with social interactions and exhibit a restricted range of interests and/or repetitive behaviors. Motor development may be delayed, leading to clumsiness or uncoordinated motor movements. Compared with those affected by other forms of ASD, however, those with Asperger syndrome do not have significant delays or difficulties in language or cognitive development. Some even demonstrate precocious vocabulary – often in a highly specialized field of interest.
The following behaviors are often associated with Asperger syndrome. However, they are seldom all present in any one individual and vary widely in degree:
• limited or inappropriate social interactions
• "robotic" or repetitive speech
• challenges with nonverbal communication (gestures, facial expression, etc.) coupled with average to above average verbal skills
• tendency to discuss self rather than others
• inability to understand social/emotional issues or nonliteral phrases
• lack of eye contact or reciprocal conversation
• obsession with specific, often unusual, topics
• one-sided conversations
• awkward movements and/or mannerisms
Source: www.autismspeaks.org
Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.
"Think it, ink it, believe it,and achieve it" -Patrick Snow
One of the most powerful tools to capture and build market share is a published book. Successful speakers, authors, entrepreneurs and professionals are tapping into this $28 billion industry to build their brands, bolster their reputations, and create value for their audiences.
Enter Patrick Snow. Patrick became an international speaker and best-selling author the hard way. His first book, Create your Own Destiny, took five years and $20,000 to create. Having sold nearly 1 million copies of his book to date, Patrick has built a comprehensive program to help you develop, write, edit, and publish your book, and leverage that book into a powerful career as an author, speaker, and/or consultant. Having coached more than 1000 publishing clients and entertained more than 3000 audiences, trust me when I say that Patrick is a power-house in the publishing and speaking arena.
PATRICK SNOW is an international best-selling author, professional keynote speaker, publishing, speaking and book marketing coach. As a speaker, Patrick has electrified more than 3000 audiences on three continents and as a publishing coach, he has mentored more than 1000 clients throughout the world to successfully publish their fiction, non-fiction, memoir, legacy, and children’s books.
Patrick has been recognized on TV, in magazines, and in major newspapers such as The New York Times. His book and family photo was also featured as a cover story in the December 5th, 2002, issue of USA TODAY.
Patrick is author of the international bestseller, Creating Your Own Destiny, which has sold almost one million copies in five language and 108 countries worldwide since its first printing in 2001. As a result, this book and his second book, The Affluent Entrepreneur, have both been purchased by John Wiley & Sons in NY and have been republished under the Wiley imprint. He is also a contributing author to numerous other books including Chicken Soup for the Soul: Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction. Patrick's newest book, Boy Entrepreneur was published in September.
Originally from Michigan, Patrick graduated from the University of Montana in 1991. He lived in the Seattle area for more than 20 years until April 2013, when he and his fiancé, Nicole, have moved to Maui, Hawaii (where he continues to build his speaking, coaching and consulting business).
To schedule your no-obligation, complimentary, 30-minute publishing consultation direct with Publishing Coach, Patrick Snow, call or text 206.310.1200 or email patrick@patricksnow.com
Websites:www.PatrickSnow.com
www.ThePublishingDoctor.com
Text: (206) 310-1200
Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.
"Getting people to get a higher quality start is ultimately going to determine the finish they have."
“With no goals or big aspirations, I made one small, positive change in my life. The change wasn’t so important. The implementation of the change was everything. A small step that can be repeated every day.”
SMALL-STEPS DAILY PRACTICE
"This is the process that changed everything for me. Not overnight. But gently. And slowly. A small, healthy change here and there. Repeated. Every day. Positive change happened. I tested, learned, applied, and grew."
5 WITH JOE
5 With Joe is a five-week intensive program to build positive choices, lasting habits, and increased vitality based on the following five themes:
STAY IN TOUCH WITH JOE
Website: www.joejacobi.com
Twitter: @JoeJacobi
Sunday Morning Joe: http://jacobimedia.com/joejacobi/category/sunday-morning-joe/
Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.
Annie Vandermyde is the CEO of #Fly, an organization that helps women who have suffered abuse to connect with themselves and feel beautiful again and have a lasting image from the experience.
More About Annie
Following the end of a difficult marriage, Annie Vandermyde, a mother of three, found herself devastated, picking-up the pieces of a traumatic nine years. One day, at a very low point in her journey, Annie drew upon her passion for photography and cosmetology and organized a makeover and a photo shoot for herself. She wasn’t used to being behind the lens and knew it would challenge her. The experience awakened something in Annie. She saw a strong, beautiful woman in the photos –one who looked distantly familiar yet attainable to her.
On the heels of this experience, Annie’s brother, wanting to “get Annie back”, gave her $500 to use ONLY to resurface the strong, beautiful woman Annie once was. Pondering what to do with this new gift, one of her brothers suggested that her own makeover and photo shoot worked so well for her, why not do that for others?
And so it began! Annie began her new mission by partnering with a couple of local shelters that help women who are recovering from abuse. She bought them a new outfit, completed a cosmetic session and did a photo shoot for these women –#FLY was born.
In this episode we discuss
– How adversity can prepare you for your greatest opportunity.
– Steps to overcome depression and take control of your life.
– How can you personally “do more than exist?”
– The power of confidence and the importance of healthy relationships.
Stay in touch with #FLY
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hashtag-Fly-1616482921905371/?ref=hl
Instagram: _hashtagfly.org_
Website: www.hashtagfly.org
Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/hashtagfly
Connect with Us
Thank you for listening to our show. Take a minute to join the discussion on our Influencers Facebook group and if there is someone you know that should be featured on our show, please reach out to me for details and a free signed copy of the Laws of Influence. Don’t forget to subscribe to our show and please come back next week for more Influence with Brad Harker.
We have all faced adversity and pain in our lives. Unfortunately, the majority of people succumb to adversity, and conform to a reality that is beneath their potential. Occasionally however, we find Influencers with the courage to face adversity, rise up, and dedicate their lives to empower others reach their potential.
Meet Ryan Michler. Ryan is a husband, father, Iraqi Combat Veteran, and the Founder of Order of Man. Growing up without a permanent father figure, Ryan was left to learn what he could from a few strong men in his life and become a man on his own. Says Ryan:
“I believe that most, if not all, of the world's biggest problems could be solved if males everywhere learned how to be better husbands, fathers, friends, and leaders.”
In this episode, I talk to Ryan about the origins of his rapidly growing “brotherhood,” Order of Man. We discuss the passion that drove him to interrupt a successful career as a financial planner, in order to follow his quest to restore honor and integrity to manhood. We explore the success he has found narrowing in on a niche, and capturing the attention of men throughout the world. We also talk about the habits and routines that have enabled Ryan to create a balanced and successful life for his family. Our interview explores Influence in the context of building a tribe (company, foundation, following, brand) and how to effectively take your great ambition to the next level.
“The secret of leadership is simple: Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.” ― Seth Godin, Tribes
Shownotes:
https://bradharker.com/2015/12/003-tribes-with-ryan-michler/
How to connect with Order of Man:
www.orderofman.com | www.facebook.com/orderofman | www.twitter.com/orderofman | www.instagram.com/orderofman
How many of us played schoolyard baseball, wondering what it would be like to face a pitch on the big-league stage? My guest today, Zach Sorensen, shares his powerful story about how he turned a childhood dream into a reality of becoming a Major League Short-stop.
Zach shares his journey of Influence as he beat the odds to claim his opportunity to play professional baseball. He talks about the work and mental adversity he faced as he mastered his craft, and how he has leveraged that experience to become a powerful coach, speaker, and mental conditioning expert.
Join us to discover how you can overcome adversity in your life, realize your potential, and dominate in your pursuit of greatness.
Shownotes: https://bradharker.com/2015/11/influence-002-confidence-with-zach-sorensen/
Website: www.bradharker.com/podcast
What does it take to succeed as an Entrepreneur? How can Influence help you achieve that success? Are there consistent strategies among top entrepreneurs that drive their success?
My guest today, Ever Gonzalez, has interviewed thousands of entrepreneurs through his successful podcast Outlier On Air. Ever shares his journey starting as an entrepreneur by profession, to becoming an entrepreneur by passion. He talks about the differences between successful start-ups and failures, and shares concrete strategies that you can employ today to take your project or company to the next level.
In this episode we talk about:
Shownotes: https://bradharker.com/2015/11/influence-001-influence-entrepreneurship-ever-gonzalez/
Website: www.bradharker.com
Outlier: www.outliermagazine.co
Welcome to Influence with Brad Harker, where we bring together great minds, and game changing concepts to help YOU, embrace your purpose, amplify your potential, and leverage the power of your Influence.