Don Yaeger - Keynote Speaker

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Don

Award-Winning Keynote Speaker, Six-time New York Times Best-Selling Author, long-time Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated and Business Leader. Don Yaeger has fashioned a career that spans more than two decades. As an author, his books have sold more than 2 million copies and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. As an accomplished speaker, he delivers nearly 100 presentations a year to audiences as diverse as Fortune 25 companies and Cancer Survivor Groups, where he shares the story of his personal battle with cancer. He is principally sought-out to discuss lessons on achieving greatness, learned from first-hand experiences with some of the greatest sports legends in the world. Throughout his writing career, Don has developed a reputation as one of America's most provocative journalists and has been invited as a guest to every major talk show – from Oprah to Nightline, from CNN to Good Morning America. Additionally, Don has been engaged as a Media Trainer to countless high-profile athletes, business leaders and elected officials.

Latest Recommendations for Don Yaeger

Chevron Recommendation

	After seeing you last summer at another industry even, I knew we wanted to hire you to speak to our entire audience of IT value Added Resellers and you hit a home run with them last year. *-Chris Phillips,* Director - Channel Development Click here to download the full letter »
	After your visit to our Community Leaders Breakfast this past February, we have been inundated with compliments about your performance. As you know, speaking in front of 800 business people at 8am in the morning can be a daunting task. Obviously you were up for it. To this day, I still receive compliments when Ibump into people who were there. *-Jim Wilkerson,* Marketing & Promotions Click here to download the full letter »
	We always make it a point to survey our team members after our annual meeting to get their feedback on the overall experience as well as the particular breakout sessions we design. I think it is important to inform you that... your speech was the highest rated portion of the entire meeting and garnered the most positive commentary of all of the sessions -Tom Pfeifer, Sr. Vice President Click here to download the full letter »
	The Atlanta Braves recently utilized the Media Training services of Don Yaeger for our Rookie Development Program. Don did a fantastic job of providing the players with awareness of today's social media and hints into future media interactions . *-Frank Wren* EVP and General manager Click here to download the full letter »
	With the vast range of ages and unique learning skills that encompass our Team Members, your messages truly hit home with our entire crew. You held their attention and were able to motivate them not only in their event day positions at the stadium, but in everyday life. *-Cayce Little Pastoor,* Club Marketing & Guest Services Manager Click here to download the full letter »
	Did I forget to mention Michael Jordan? As an organization Presidio hates to lose. That is the reason we keep bringing you back because we will never lose with you as a presenter. We can't thank you enough for your time, lasting messages and sharing and caring. *-Joel A. Schleicher,* Founder and Chairman of Presidio Networked Solutions Click here to download the full letter »

I have no interest in sports, but this was not a sports speech. I have been watching and grading speeches for 30 years and this was one of the most poignant human interest and motivational speeches I have ever heard.

-Patricia Fripp,
Past President National Speakers Association and Inductee into the National Speakers Hall of Fame

Starting and Closing: Perseverance, Faith, and One More
I wasn't afraid to fail. It's really as simple as that. As a seven-year-old kid pitching a ball against a brick wall, John Smoltz decided to be a professional baseball player when he grew up. And from that simple decision until his last season on t...04-04-2012Read more

Check Your Ego at the Door
Every Saturday during the college football season, millions of fans tune in to ESPN’s College Football GameDay. On the set are four of the most well-known faces in all of college football. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, former Heisman Troph...15-05-2012Read more

Don't Let Others Take You to Where They Are
Full disclosure: this was not one of my finer moments.I was in New York recently for meetings and walked to Starbucks for my morning “starter.” As I was standing in line, a call came in from someone I had been trying to connect with for a f...25-04-2012Read more

“Man, I’m under a lot of pressure”…Really??
To the casual fan flipping channels, Sunday in Major League Baseball must have appeared confusing. EVERY player on EVERY team was wearing the same jersey number: 42. This was the fifth year in a row that MLB has celebrated April 15 as the day ...19-04-2012Read more

Letting Go
In a career filled with successes, Warrick Dunn overcame his biggest challenge off the football field. Warrick Dunn grew up the oldest of six children born to Betty Smothers, a single mother and Baton Rouge police officer. As a standout high s...16-04-2012Read more

Hope for the best, but... - March
Hope for the best, but... - March The truly Great know that preparation is the key to success. I'm a big fan of people who understand their "WHY." I'm big fan, too, of those who ask "WHY NOT?" That's why I'm rooting for Jamie Moyer. While s...15-02-2012Read more

What Off-Season? - February
What Off-Season? - February They are always working towards the next game...The goal is what's ahead, and there's always something ahead. After a disappointing sixth-place finish in last year's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Jimmie Johnson, driver ...15-02-2012Read more

Records Are Made To Be Broken - January
Records Are Made To Be Broken - JanuaryThey know their legacy isn't what they did on the field. They are well-rounded. Dale Brown may have retired from coaching in 1997, but in many ways, his life was just getting started. After 25 year...13-01-2012Read more

Don's Great Moment with Zig Ziglar
Last week, Don had the opportunity to spend time with one of his all-time heroes, Zig Ziglar. Don spent the day in Texas to appear on Ziglar’s monthly webcast – which featured portions from Don’s keynote: What Makes the Great Ones Great. ...16-11-2011Read more

Don Yaeger Releases Motivational Book
Greatness: The 16 Characteristics of True Champions TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 – GREATNESS, the newest book by seven-time New York Times bestselling author Don Yaeger, hits shelves today -- and Yaeger is hosting a Face...26-10-2011Read more

Don Yaeger's SEVENTH NY Times Best-Seller
Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: How I Went from Gang Member to Multimillionaire Entrepreneur Ryan Blair with Don Yaeger. Bad boy makes good in this energetically recounted rags-to-riches success story. Blair's placid middle-class family was ab...02-09-2011Read more

Don spends the day with NY Yankee Derek Jeter
Don spent the day with NY Yankee Derek Jeter for an upcoming magazine story. Here’s an exclusive on the best piece of advice Derek ever received: “Realize that every role model is imperfect. We’ve all made mistakes and we have to work every da...21-07-2011Read more

Greatness Box

Motivational Quotes

“You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.”
-Zig Ziglar

Reference of the Week

"I invited Don to speak to a group of 100 internationally-acclaimed lawyers in Boston. With that many talented orators in the room, it was a tough crowd to impress. He delivered. He wasn’t just a hit - he was a home run."
-Andy Haggard, International Academy of Trial Lawyers

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Four-time New York Times bestselling author and long-time associate editor of Sports Illustrated

Don's Best-Sellers

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Latest Recommendations for Don Yaeger

After seeing you last summer at another industry even, I knew we wanted to hire you to speak to our entire audience of IT value Added Resellers and you hit a home run with them last year.

We always make it a point to survey our team members after our annual meeting to get their feedback on the overall experience as well as the particular breakout sessions we design. I think it is important to inform you that...

your speech was the highest rated portion of the entire meeting and garnered the most positive commentary of all of the sessions

-Tom Pfeifer,
Sr. Vice President

The Atlanta Braves recently utilized the Media Training services of Don Yaeger for our Rookie Development Program. Don did a fantastic job of providing the players with awareness of today's social media and hints into future media interactions .

With the vast range of ages and unique learning skills that encompass our Team Members, your messages truly hit home with our entire crew.

You held their attention and were able to motivate them not only in their event day positions at the stadium, but in everyday life.

Did I forget to mention Michael Jordan? As an organization Presidio hates to lose. That is the reason we keep bringing you back because we will never lose with you as a presenter.

We can't thank you enough for your time, lasting messages and sharing and caring.