Last week I had the good fortune to attend an event called MegaSuccess. Operated by the JT Foxx Organization, MegaSuccess is often billed as the Super Bowl of Business Conferences.

This is the second year that I have attended the conference which featured approximately 2500 people from over 80 countries around the world. JT Foxx bills himself as the “World’s #1 Wealth and Business Coach.” While many people might quibble with that moniker, it is apparent that JT has an extremely loyal following and that he works very hard on behalf of his clients.

If you are able to look past some of his shtick, you will see that JT spends countless hours and many dollars traveling the world and help business owners get to the next level. He encourages them, pushes them and breaks them down, getting them to recognize their own self-imposed limitations. Though many people want to compare him to Tony Robbins, I believe that you will find them quite different in approach and in focus. While Tony focuses on getting you to look into yourself and get yourself to a better place, JT tends to put more emphasis on making you successful at your business and teaching you how to monetize your strengths and opportunities.

One common complaint that I have seen and heard online, is that people question the value of his courses or his coaching. I will tell you that if you spend the time participating in his events and following his coaching sessions, you will certainly gain value. If you look at anyone who is successful, they likely have multiple coaches for different parts of their life. I can imagine someone hiring a hitting coach for baseball or a golf instructor and proclaiming them a fraud if you can’t hit HRs or break 80 on the course…without the dedicated time and effort you need to succeed.

As an overall experience, MegaSuccess is a true bargain. If you don’t want some of the add-ons which are offered, you can attend for only $99.00 for over 5 days of the conference. There are speakers from around the world telling their stories, some more effectively than others. The key element is the people you have a chance to meet and the celebrities you get to learn from. A partial list of the celebrities who participated in this year’s event included (in no particular order):

• Dr. Phil
• Gabriel Macht (Harvey Spector from Suits)
• Vanilla Ice
• Vince Vaughn
• Gary Kasparov (Chess Champion)
• Hugh Hilton
• George Ross (President Trump’s former right hand man)
• Moira Forbes
• Jillian Michaels
• Omarosa
• Kimora
• Jay Abraham
• Fred Dunn
• Andrea Navedo
• Frank McKinney (Real Estate investor)
• Dolph Lungren (Russian from Rocky movie series)
• Steadman Graham
• Russell Peters (Comedian)
• Gilbert Godfried (Comedian)
• Steve Mandell (JT’s agent and media personality)
• Andre Phillip Gagnon

When you get an opportunity to hear from all of these people, what you realize is that there is an abundance of information delivered in a short amount of time. Last year I failed to take any notes at all and just absorbed the comments. This year I made a more concerted effort to get down some of the highlights. Next year, I feel that I will make a better effort to really get proper notes from more of the sessions.

Another element that makes this conference unique, is that JT Foxx does not attempt to sell programs from the stage or the back of the room. Sure, there is a whole Foxx Shop with his signature ties, bobbleheads and apparel, but you can truly capture the benefit without spending additional money unless YOU feel that there is enough value for you.

I would highly encourage you to attend in 2020. If you want more info, please feel free to reach me to discuss.

It has been an interesting week. Last weekend I was out in Buffalo for Project Play Western New York.  This week I have been out in California for meetings with more sports youth organizations, promoting Sports Philanthropy WORLD 2020 and meeting with speakers and sponsors for that event coming up June 25-26, 2020. If you would like to register, you can get our SUPER EARLY BIRD rate through December 31, 2019.

For much of the week I have been attending MEGASUCCESS, a conference run by JT Foxx. It has been an amazing experience.  I have also had an opportunity to reconnect with some good friends and have a chance to sit down for meaningful conversations with people who are trying to change the world.

Amidst all of the travel and activity, I am feeling very thankful for the people that I have in my life and recognize how fortunate I am to have many supportive people in my life.  While I am involved with sports philanthropy all year round, especially at this holiday time, I encourage people to think about their good fortune and donate to causes that help with food insecurity.  Blessing in a Backpack is great organization my daughter Julia is raising money for through her sorority. Blessings helps feed children in need and is something that runs across all races and geographic locations.

What I was following this week:

• Colin Kaepernick—This situation got out of control quick.  You can see what I wrote about “Plenty of Blame to Go Around in NFL/Kaepernick Fiasco.”  Ultimately, even many of those who have spoken out in support of Kaepernick’s right to protest, like Stephen A. Smith, have come down harshly on him agreeing with what I wrote about him trying to dictate terms of a job interview.  Stephen A’s comments this morning focused on the fact that the NFL was even allowing him an opportunity after he sued them, took a huge settlement and more. I will be surprised if he ends up on an NFL roster this season.

• Tua Tagovailoa injury—People heaped blame on Saban, but the injury occurred in the first half so that is clearly absurd. No team sits starters in the first half, regardless of the score.  The bigger concern might be the issue raised when it became apparent that Tua did not have the proper insurance to protect him in the event of an injury.  That is a place where they are rightfully angry at the school because he should have had coverage to protect a drop in value, not just the total permanent disability. This is why athletes need representation to help them negotiate and ensure the proper steps are taken.

• Athlete violence—In the wake of the Myles Garrett fiasco, there were many calls for the NFL to take a stronger stance against domestic violence or other violence against women. Some expressed disappointment that there was more outrage from Garrett’s conduct than some of the recent examples of violence directed to women.  It becomes interesting to watch some of the double standards that exist where players and many members of the media seem to be more willing to give players a second chance or benefit of the doubt for a domestic violence incident than they do for Myles Garrett’s helmet swing, with some calling for a permanent ban.

• The NCPA (National College Players Association) held an event at UCLA which was primarily focused on two issues:  1) health and safety of college athletes; 2) whether players should be paid or allowed to capitalize on their name image and likeness.   The stories from the women on the first panel were heartbreaking.  Listening to the abuse they suffered and hearing about the number of failures in the administration, you have to wonder how so many people could turn a blind eye to their pleas.  Yet it has happened frequently.  (You can read my more detailed summary of each panel coming soon if you check back on this site). The second panel focused on the issue of payments to players, either in the form of direct payments from the schools or allowing athletes to capitalize on their name image and likeness.  Here are a few articles that I have previously written about the topic.
  • NCAA Statement on Name, Image, Likeness Leaves Gaping Holes
  • Only Two Choices Left for College Sports: Level Playing Field or Free Market

• MEGASUCCESS by JT Foxx—Each year JT Foxx puts together an incredible lineup of celebrities for his MegaSuccess event.  So far, the event has featured: Hugh Hilton, Steadman Graham, Gabriel Macht (Harvey Spector from Suits), Omarosa, Dr. Phil, Vince Vaughn, Dolph Lundgren, Jillian Michaels and many others.  The celebrity aspect is truly just one part of the environment because the event draws over 2500 entrepreneurs from over 80 countries around the world.  It is an incredible opportunity to engage with business leaders from around the world, learn about different cultures and network with successful business people trying to help each other improve their businesses.

• California Organizations—Great trip out to California to have the chance to meet with several organizations.  Met with LA Scores (Spotlight), AVP First (Spotlight) and GOALS (Spotlight coming soon).  Each of them perform incredible work in their community and I especially enjoy the opportunity to take a site visit and see the way each group works. If you want to support our efforts to help organization’s like these, you can become a member of the Sports Philanthropy Network by joining here!

• Project Play Western New York— Last weekend I had the honor to present to Project Play of Western New York in Buffalo.  There were over 75 people leading youth sports organizations about how to improve their organizations and build their capacity. There was amazing energy in the room and people that are very passionate about helping kids in their community remain active, learn through sports and develop needed life skills and relationship building through their sports activities. A special treat to end the trip was the hospitality of the Buffalo Sabres who gave me my peek into the Key Bank Center as they hosted “Hockey Fights Cancer” night. I managed to be a good luck charm to help the Sabres end their 7-game losing streak (with a 4-goal game from Jack Eichel).

If you didn’t have a chance to see some of the other things I have been involved with or written recently, take a look here:

• Sports Philanthropy Newsstand, November 22, 2019
• Why an 8 Team Playoff Will Save College Football
• Plenty of Blame to Go Around in NFL/Kaepernick Fiasco
• FIRE SABAN!! Be Careful What You Wish For ‘Bama Fans
• Why Second Guessing Playcalling is Like Second Guessing Rock, Paper, Scissors
• Roy’s Ramble November 15, 2019
• Roy’s Ramble November 8, 2019

Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

JT Foxx held his MegaSpeaker series in Chicago this week. 

JT Foxx bills himself as the World’s #1 Wealth Coach. 

I first went to one of his events about 15 months ago.  At the outset he can come across as arrogant and condescending.  After you have a chance to listen to him for several hours and hear the way he engages with participants and hear from those that have attended multiple events, you realize how much depth there is to his systems. 

He has built a terrific team led by Francie Baldwin and by Brent Turley.  Brent always opens for him, much in the way that Joseph McClendon frequently opens for Tony Robbins.  He bills his presentations as a way to help people get speaking opportunities, but the reality is that the events are so much more.  He helps them focus on getting a mentor, branding and being decisive in their decision making as a way to get better results in their business. 

If you have a chance to attend one of his events, you can feel the energy and passion he has.  Despite his critics, he is an extremely hard worker and travels around the world speaking and putting on events.  Typically over 320 days per year!! His upcoming MegaSpeaker event has 2000-3000 people in Anaheim and attracts high level entrepreneurs from across the globe.  If you can handle a bit of the schtick, you might get a lot of benefit out of it.

Here are just a few of the highlights. If you want more details, please let me know and I am happy to share more information with you.

• Make Quick Decisions. One of JT’s ongoing themes, is the importance of making quick decisions.  Brent Turley focused on the speed of the decision and making sure you satisfy one the 3 reasons people buy: 1) to make their life easier; 2) make life more convenient; or 3) a need.  When you are trying to make a decision, you should write down:
  • Best case scenario
  • Worst case scenario
  • Most realistic scenario (usually somewhere in between)
  • Then most importantly, make a decision within 5 seconds, otherwise you over-rationalize the decision.
• Keep your word. To me, one of the most interest facts in the entire presentation, was the fact that 1531 people signed up for the free one day event.  Of those, only 112 people showed up.  This speaks to a few facts: 1) not charging makes it very difficult to determine how any people will come;  2) people really do not live up to their commitments.
• 5 Steps to Success
  • Step 1—Maximize Your Strengths
  • Step 2—Turn Your Weaknesses into Strengths
  • Step 3—Mental Toughness which is the ability to tune out liefes bs and go out there and do your thing
  • Step 4—Learn from your failures, be bothered by them and most important never repeat them
  • Step 5—Replace Yourself and Stop Working in Your Business but Work On. Build an organization
    • Recognize if it is just you, you can never effectively increase your prices.
• The importance of note-taking.  He has never seen a successful person that does not take notes. Very few people can remember everything. He also finds it disrespectful if you are not listening to what is going on.  The other occurrence  is that people who don’t take notes often say they didn’t learn anything
• Big 5 traits.
  • Persistance
  • Work Ethic
  • Commitment
  • Loyalty
  • Attitude
• Making Everybody Happy.
  • 25% of the people like you
  • 25% are looking for a way not to like you
  • 25% don’t like you but are looking for a way to like you
  • 25% will never like you no matter what
• Objections
  • Bring them up early. If you know people will find some objection to you or your service, bring it up early and overcome it.  This takes the air out of the objection and allows you to position yourself as having been up front.
• SELLING THE VISION
  • Pitch the WHY
  • Sell the WHAT
  • Close the HOW
  • Use the “imagine” close

• Packers-Lions Controversy—This really is not a Packers/Lions issue.  It is an issue that is occurring on a weekly basis in the NFL.  There is a lot of difficulty officiating games properly when every single play is examined with a microscope and the benefit of slow motion replay, high definition television and thousands of “experts” weighing in on Twitter.  The NFL probably made things worse instead of better in the wake of the blatant miss in last year’s NFC Championship Game between the Saints and the Rams.  Trying to re-adjudicate judgment calls to the microsecond are going to bring us to the same point that we have been at with the catch rule, where for a few years even a minute movement of the ball would cause a pass to be ruled incomplete.  If you focused the cameras on any play and zoomed in on the offense and defense lines, you would likely see holding or a hand in a facemask on every play.  It is hard to see where the NFL is going to be able to clean this up. But at minimum, there were some very funny memes to come out of the game.

• Chicago Ideas Week.      One of my favorite weeks of the year is Chicago Ideas Week.   A week-long program focused on larger societal issues and a series of presentations that are like mini Ted Talks, CIW annually turns out some provocative sessions.  The ones that I was able to attend this week included:
  • What Will The World Look Like in 2050
  • Does Activism Make a Difference
  • It’s time to kick Your Addiction to Algorithms
  • Do We Have All the Answers
  • Who Draws the Line Between Right and Wrong?
  • Entrepreneurs can Change the World
  • Who Do Your Kids Trust More:  You or YouTube?
  • Leaders Aren’t Born, They’re Made

• JT Foxx                 His MegaSpeaker series was held in Chicago this week.  JT Foxx bills himself as the World’s #1 Wealth Coach.  I first went to one of his events about 15 months ago.  At the outset he can come across as arrogant and condescending.  After you have a chance to listen to him for several hours and hear the way he engages with participants and hear from those that have attended multiple events, you realize how much depth there is to his systems.  He has built a terrific team led by Francie Baldwin and by Brent Turley.  Brent always opens for him, much in the way that Joseph McClendon frequently opens for Tony Robbins.  He bills his presentations as a way to help people get speaking opportunities, but the reality is that the events are so much more.  He helps them focus on getting a mentor, branding and being decisive in their decision making as a way to get better results in their business.  If you have a chance to attend one of his events, you can feel the energy and passion he has.  Despite his critics, he is an extremely hard worker and travels around the world speaking and putting on events.  Typically over 320 days per year!! His upcoming MegaSpeaker event has 2000-3000 people in Anaheim and attracts high level entrepreneurs from across the globe.  If you can handle a bit of the schtick, you might get a lot of benefit out of it.

• Airwick VIP Pre-Poop Toilet Spray.   So I usually don’t question the powers that be and their marketing strategies, but after having to endure this ad for the last month on the sports talk radio morning shows, I can no longer remain silent.  Let’s put aside for a moment that it plays about 4-6 times per hour (and sometimes more) during the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. timeslot.  Let’s also put aside the fact that it seems to be targeted at women (or maybe I am misunderstanding that.  But what troubles me the most with this commercial, it that it seems to be giving women, young ladies, and girls the feeling that they need to “hide” their bodily functions from their boyfriend or spouse.  The mom on the commercial literally tells her daughter that her father did not think she pooped for three years.  Really?  I doubt he is that dumb.  But the commercial might be.  The only redeeming performance in the commercial is the (presumably) teenage daughter giving her mom the typical teenage attitude when spoken to about her “body changing”, “needing protection” and the mom’s other inane comments.

HUMOR FOR THE WEEK

MOTIVATION FOR THE WEEK

Each week I am planning to look at some of the stories and news that I found most interesting.  This space will include some sports, but not all of the sports stories that I normally follow in the areas of sports philanthropy, sports law, sports business, Jewish sports, concussions and otherwise.  If you want to see more of what I am following in those areas, let me know and I can point you to the best spots on my blog or various websites.  You will see that I love to find some of life’s little absurdities and point those out as well as other interesting stories that I follow.

MOTIVATIONAL IMAGES OF WEEK:

OTHER TOP IMAGES OF THE WEEK:

ROY’S RAMBLE:

• Buffalo Wild Wings.  I went to watch the Michigan State-Texas Tech game at Buffalo Wild Wings.  One of the few places now that has the sound on for the games.  Apparently BWW created new menus that the waiter said are supposed to remind you of a coaches clipboard.  Horrible idea. Very awkward and clumsy.   D-minus to the marketing staff.  Waiter said everyone hates them.

• Golf.      A friend treated me to the first round of golf we have played together in a few years. Beautiful day on Saturday and nice to be out there. We used to get in about 25 rounds a year together, but family and work seemed to get in the way the last couple of decades.  I always find some good things to laugh at on the golf course.  This day’s prime item was the way many golfers overestimate how far they can hit the ball.  We had a twosome in front of us that was waiting to hit until the group ahead of them was 300+ yards away.  I am not sure we saw either of them hit any ball 200 yards in the air. Most of them were dribblers or shanks.  On two par fives, they waited for the group to clear the green when they were at their tee shots�about 200 yards off the tee.  Still it is always great being out on the course even with clueless golfers.  I managed to scrape out a few pars and even knocked in a birdie. 

• Neuroplasticity training.              .               Last weekend I got certified in neuroplasticity training and will have more details and information for you about that service soon.  This will be a great benefit to so many organizations and so many individuals that could use the help getting their brain to function more efficiently.

• Cancelled meetings.      Many of us have busy schedules. We all recognize meetings get cancelled, rescheduled or arrivals may be delayed.  But it amazes me when someone fails to let you know that they won’t make a meeting until you email to confirm, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE OUT OF TOWN.   TWICE.  Hey, newsflash.  If you are out of town an hour before our meeting, you knew you were not going to make it that day.

• JT Foxx.  Until about a year ago, I had never heard of JT Foxx.  I attended one of his free events in Chicago last summer. He bills himself as The World’s #1 Wealth Coach.”  Though he comes across as cocky and though he can be hard on some of the attendees that he brings up for coaching, there can be no doubt about his work ethic.  He presents all around the world and opens up many of his events for free.  Having now attended my 4^th event of his, there can also be no doubt that he has some tremendous ideas and helps many people improve their lives.  He does it in a very different way to Tony Robbins, but the impact is very real.  You can read more details here.

• Fundraisers Forum.         Led by Rae Ringel, this was an outstanding event.  You read more details about it here, but if you work with non-profits or try to raise money, her presentations are fantastic and worth of a more detailed look.

• Vendor response. I am planning the Sports Philanthropy World Congress in August. As I was looking for venues for the event, I sent out emails inquiring about availability. It continues to amaze me how unresponsive many companies are, even when you are trying to give them business. One venue that was pitching me for business took over 10 days to provide any of the requested information via email (and even then, came back with only about half of what was requested). #VendorFail

• Final Four.           I hate seeing games decided by controversial endings.  The end of the Virginia/Auburn game was tremendous drama but the missed call on the double dribble will be questioned for a long time.  However, what about the missed grab before that?  Would that have cancelled the other missed call out?  The final call on the 3-point shot was the correct call and was explained very well by Gene Steratore.  He is one of the most articulate referees that we have seen on TV and continually provides great insight. This year’s tournament seems to have the largest collection of tight games that I have seen in many, many years.  It will be tough to top Virginia’s two improbably victories.

• Health Club Redux. You may have read my prior post about the 12 Most Absurd Things You See at the Health Club.” I may have to start a volume two. Today one elderly member kicked two teenagers out of the hot tub because they were not technically old enough, even though they were probably only a few months short of the age requirement. Mind you, plenty of space there. They were sitting quietly and talking.

JT Foxx held his MegaBranding event in Chicago on April 3, 2019.  Until about a year ago, I had never heard of JT Foxx.  I attended one of his free events in Chicago last summer and got thrown into a whole new world. JT bills himself as The World’s #1 Wealth Coach.”  Though he comes across as cocky and harsh, he has proven very successful and continues to create new businesses with his tireless energy. 

I attended a 2^nd event in Chicago last fall and then attended the week long MegaSuccess program in Anaheim in November 2018.  That event really opened my eyes as to JT’s power.  Some of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but he sets his vision and does everything that is needed to make that a reality.

Though he can be harsh on some of the attendees that he coaches in front of the group, there can be no doubt about his desire to help people improve.   His work schedule is daunting, and you only have to look at his travel schedule to be impressed by how he is able to maintain that energy throughout.  

JT presents all around the world and hosts many of his events and training without charge.  Obviously, he sells some of his coaching services and online programs, but the value that he delivers is significant. 

Today’s session focused on branding.  JT is a huge proponent of celebrity branding and the power that you get by having photographs taken with celebrities.  This type of branding by association is something that many large corporations use to help brand their own products.

Another of JT’s ongoing mantras is the importance of coaching.  JT personally has 8 coaches and draws different value from each of them.  He talks about the importance of overcoming fear and that it typically takes each person five times of doing one task before they overcome that fear.

JT walked us through many of the elements which are important in the branding process.  Some of these learning nuggets included the types of branding

• Personal Branding
• Company Branding
• Results Branding
• Mission Branding
• Legacy Branding
• Exclusivity Branding
• Bonus based Branding

The other set of items that was particularly interesting was the way that JT spoke about the steps that are needed to establish stronger credibility:

• Speaking
• Media
• Testimonials
• Branding by Association

JT typically has Brent Turley open up his presentations and Brent does a terrific job setting the tone and telling the stories of his tennis playing children and their athletic scholarships.  Brent tells the stories of capitalizing on chances for his kids to hit with Jose Higeras, Roger Federer’s coach, and with Chris Evert.  But embedded in these tales are the concepts of perseverance, taking risks, moving quickly and taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves.

JT put together a 30-day program to help people accelerate their branding strategies.  The point of the program is to go through one element each day, for 30 days. And then repeat it two more times for a total of 90 days.  Reinforcing the strategies in this way will allow you to truly embed the strategies in your daily consciousness.

At the end of the day, JT gave some very helpful insight about how you can gain additional credibility by writing a book.   JT’s process guides you through the steps in creating an E-book that can reach high levels on Amazon.  Certainly, having a bestseller” would add to your credibility and enhance your personal branding.

Having now attended my 4^th event of JT Foxx, there can also be no doubt that he has some tremendous ideas and helps many people improve their lives.  He does it in a very different way to Tony Robbins, but the impact is very real.