The Greatest Lesson From My Mentor Jim Rohn

In my early days as a newbie seminar promoter (three years before I launched Jim Rohn International in 1993), I was promoting a small event in Dallas. I had booked Jim Rohn for a day long seminar starting at 10am and going till 4pm.

Typically, I would arrive around 6:30am to make sure the stage, room, and tables were all set up correctly, and then my team and I would set up product tables and get everything ready for when attendees arrived. Often, people would start to show up as early as 1-2 hours before the start time.

Well, for this seminar, I was in for a bit of a shock. I arrived at the meeting room early, only to find it packed full of people! Another event was already going on in MY meeting room! What!?

I instantly went into panic mode. When I found the hotel staff, they assured me everything was okay since that meeting would end by 9:30 and they could do a quick turnaround by 10.

Well that’s NOT how it works. It takes hours to set up the room, stage, sound, and product tables, plus we would have attendees showing up early to get the best seats before the current meeting was even going to be over.

I went into solution mode and asked if they could give us another room. Answer: No—they were booked solid.

Now I was beyond upset and panicked. My first thought was the expectations of those who had purchased tickets and their busy schedules. And I have to admit, I then started thinking about all the refunds that were going to happen as a result.

Then it escalated. I was worrying not only about how all this would reflect upon me in the eyes of the attendees but also with the man I had booked to speak, my future mentor and business partner, Jim Rohn.

All attempts to find a solution had been exhausted. Now I was faced with how to best communicate this to the folks showing up and to Jim Rohn.

Around 8am, Jim came strolling down to check in before going to have a bit of breakfast. I braced myself to share the really bad news.

I nervously and sheepishly told him I had somehow dropped the ball and allowed the hotel to overlap us with another event. I explained that at the very best we would be able to start at 11am and that we would need to explain what was going on to the attendees and ask them to wait.

I was angry with myself and ashamed I had dropped the ball!

I’ll never forget this next moment for the rest of my life. After sharing the bad news and making it clear we were out of options, Jim calmly looked at me and said, “Kyle, it will be okay. It’s not like a good friend died. Now, that would be a problem. We will just have to explain to everyone the circumstances. They will understand and will wait. And I will make it up to them by going longer and I will make this my all-time, best seminar.”

WOW!

What a paradigm shift! And what an incredible life lesson for me to learn from my future mentor. “It’s not like a good friend just died!”

That’s perspective!

And Jim did make it one of his all-time best seminars! It was an amazing day!

I’ve since used that line and the real meaning behind it to gain perspective when things don’t go the way I hope.

What made this wisdom even more special was that I had never heard Jim say those words privately or on stage ever (and would never hear him say them after). I went on to be Jim’s 18-year business partner. I was executive producer on every audio and video series we released from 1993 on as well as publishing every book and overseeing every event from 1993 to 2007. So, I knew him and his work more than ANYBODY. Yet, this is was the only time I heard him share these incredible wise words. It was just the perfect word, in season, from one of the greatest men I’ve ever known.

I will always be grateful for all the remarkable lessons and wisdom Jim passed on to me, beginning with the first time I promoted him in 1990, through starting Jim Rohn International in 1993, and up until his passing in 2009.

Jim, one more time, thank you for your friendship and mentorship in my life. I will forever be honored and blessed! I promise to always share your message and the impact it has had on me and so many others.

With love, Kyle

This story is an excerpt from The One Thing That Changed Everything book – To get your free digital version of the book, reply to this email and say “share book.” Also if Jim impacted your life, I would love to hear more about your story!

P.S. For details on how to be part of my next book project or my Inner Circle reply to this email with your name and a little about yourself. I will then forward you more info and we can set up a call.

Kyle Wilson, Founder Jim Rohn International, YourSuccessStore, and KyleWilson.com

Listen to Kyle Wilson’s Success Habits Podcast Guests include Les Brown, Denis Waitley, Darren Hardy, John Assaraf, Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen, Jeffrey Gitomer, Roger Love, and more KyleWilson.com/podcast

What Others Are Saying About Kyle

“Kyle, thank you for our partnership and friendship. Friendship is wealth and you make me a rich man. Love and Respect!” Jim Rohn, Iconic Philosopher & Speaker

“I guard my endorsements carefully. Regarding Kyle, he is simply a marketing genius! No joke. Kyle was the wizard behind the successful business of my mentor Jim Rohn. Every marketing dilemma I have ever had Kyle has given me the brilliant and elegant solution on the spot. Kyle’s consulting has saved and earned me hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.” Darren Hardy, Former Publisher SUCCESS Magazine

“I have worked closely with Kyle Wilson for 20 years. He is one of the best all-around marketers, promoters, business-builders and entrepreneurs in the business today. We have generated more than a million dollars together.” Brian Tracy, Int Speaker & Author

“Kyle Wilson is brilliant and so very knowledgeable and an icon in this industry. He was the power behind Jim Rohn. Kyle is my longtime friend and someone I have a great deal of respect for.” Les Brown, Iconic Speaker and Author

“Kyle is a valued friend, a marketing superstar and one of the most knowledgeable people in the personal development industry.” Robin Sharma, Author of Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

“I’ve known and worked with Kyle Wilson for over 20 years. Kyle is the ONLY person that ALWAYS under-promised and over-delivered every single time my dad Zig and I worked with him. He is a valued friend and some one I have great admiration and respect for!” Tom Ziglar, President of Zig Ziglar Corp

“Kyle is one of my old and dear friends and one of the smartest marketing guys I have had the opportunity to work with. He is the scrappy marketing guy. What I mean by that is, there are lots of guys who will put out business plans and do all kinds of nonsense and swing for home runs. Kyle is the real deal and finds ways to create product, add value, help people, build community, he’s unbelievable.” Eric Worre, Author of Go Pro

Share this post

"I guard my endorsements carefully. Regarding Kyle, he is simply a marketing genius! No joke. Kyle was the wizard behind the successful business of my mentor Jim Rohn. Every marketing dilemma I have ever had, Kyle has given me the brilliant and elegant solution on the spot. Kyle’s consulting has saved and earned me hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years."

Darren Hardy

Former Publisher SUCCESS Magazine

"Kyle, thank you for our partnership and friendship all these years. Friendship is wealth and you make me a rich man. Much Love & Respect"

Jim Rohn

(1930-2009), Internationally
Renowned Speaker and Author

"Kyle Wilson is brilliant and very knowledgeable and an icon in this industry. He was the power behind Jim Rohn. Kyle is my longtime friend and someone I have a great deal of respect for."

Les Brown

Iconic Speaker and Author

"Kyle you were a master to work with when filming and producing at my house. Also, Helen and I have toured and done so many 'meet and greets' and have had all kinds of cool activities and opportunities on the road, but last year at your house at the Inner Circle Mastermind ranks at the top as one of the all time best experiences we have ever had on the road. At your house the people and the love was so amazing. We are use to doing all the giving, but that day we felt loved and cared for. It was just an amazing experience! We still talk about it to this day. It is at the top of our tour memories from over all these years!"

Phil Collen

Lead Guitarist, Def Leppard

"Thank you Kyle Wilson for being such a magnificent leader and creating a powerful, humanitarian thinking group of leaders. You’re such an amazing human being. Always inspired by who you are!"

Lisa Haisha

Host Amazon Show, Producer,
Philanthropist

"I have worked closely with Kyle Wilson for 20 years. He is one of the best all-around marketers, promoters, business-builders and entrepreneurs in the business today. We have generated more than a million dollars together.”

Brian Tracy

Professional Speaker,
Best-Selling Author,
CEO of Brian Tracy
International™

"If wanting to break into the speaker, author, marketing world, no one knows and does it better than my 10 year friend, Kyle Wilson. He is responsible for millions of people having access to the brilliant wisdom of Jim Rohn and so many other business thought leaders. He attracts the best people to his Inner Circle, something I'm proud to be a part of. I’m also excited to be working on a new book with Kyle, Lessons From Sports. Honored by his friendship."

Newy Scruggs

7x Emmy Winning Broadcaster,
NBC Sports Dallas/Ft Worth

"Kyle is one of my old and dear friends and one of the smartest marketing guys I have had the opportunity to work with. He is the scrappy marketing guy. Kyle is the real deal and finds ways to create product, add value, help people, build community, he’s unbelievable."

Eric Worre

Founder of Network Marketing
Pro and International Best-Selling
Author of Go Pro

"Kyle Wilson, single handedly changed the way I look at life! And the way I participate in my own! Kyle's wisdom, loyalty and commitment to seeing people soar is unmatched in the industry. He is a spring board, sounding board and ultimately a launch pad for anyone committed to pursuing their deepest dreams and ultimate goals! He is the most authentic mentor, friend and business parter I've ever had. I'm so thankful I ended up in your sphere 'KW,' Kyle Wilson.”

Erika De La Cruz

TV & Media Host, Speaker,
Trainer and Author of Passionistas

"Kyle Wilson is the man! When I made the decision to transition from my 15 year MLB career to being a speaker, best-selling author and business consultant I researched and then sought out the man who has been behind such iconic speakers as Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy and many others. Hiring Kyle as my coach has been one of the smartest decisions I made.“

Todd Stottlemyre

Author of Relentless Success,
15 Year MLB Pitcher
and 3x World Champion

"Kyle is a valued friend, a marketing superstar and one of the most knowledgeable people in the personal development industry.”

Robin Sharma

Author of The Monk Who
Sold His Ferrari

"Kyle can I thank you for something and congratulate you in the same breath? I've done easily 500 interviews in my life. This has been my favorite one. One that went on and allowed that deeper dive because that's one of the things that time limits can rob us of. And I thank you for that because it's been very healthy and very cathartic. And you kind of brought me back in touch with how ready I am to get back on stages. I'm ready."

Glenn Morshower

Actor in Over 250 Movies and Shows

"Kyle is one of the wisest and most brilliant marketing consultants in the world. He is the man behind the great marketing of Jim Rohn International and so many other personal development legends. He is not only someone I’ve enjoyed collaborating and working with for over two decades, but is also a close and valued friend. I recommend Kyle without equivocation."

Mark Victor Hansen

Co-Creator of World’s
Best-Selling Book Series
Chicken Soup for the Soul

“Kyle Wilson is a masterful marketer and there is a good reason why top investors, entertainers, sports figures, leaders in personal development and entrepreneurs call on him as a coach, mentor, business partner and friend. Kyle knows what works in business and most importantly relationships and always over delivers. As an Inner Circle Mastermind member for over 2 years, it’s been the very best thing I could have done to level up my circle of influence, surround myself with success and have the platform to launch a best-selling book, be invited to speak, partner, invest and take my brand to the next level. I highly recommend you invest whatever is necessary to be a member of the Inner Circle or hire Kyle as your coach.

Kelli Calabrese

Wellness Mompreneur,
#1 Best-Selling Author
Mom & Dadpreneur

“Kyle Wilson is the best marketer I know. In the 20 years that I have known him, everything he touches and every idea he generates, turns into money. If you’re looking for a degree of fame, and a higher degree of wealth, I recommend you get YOUR ass to Kyle as fast as you can.”

Jeffrey Gitomer

Best-Selling Author The Little Red Book of Selling

"I've known and worked with Kyle Wilson for over 20 years. Kyle is the ONLY person that ALWAYS under-promised and over-delivered every single time my dad Zig and I worked with him. He is a valued friend and someone I have great admiration and respect for!"

Tom Ziglar

President of Zig Ziglar Corp

"Kyle's Inner Circle Masterminds have been some of the most enlightening events I've been a part of. I've met so many incredible people outside the world I live and work in. It is the pinnacle of places you can go to upgrade your network. Plus, Kyle's coaching has helped me create and additional six figure side income that allows me to impact more people."

Seth Mosley

2x Grammy Winner,
Billboard #1 Producer and
Song Writer of the Year

"When I met Kyle Wilson I had been speaking professionally for 12 years and my biggest ‘achievement’ was $60,000 in debt to the IRS, a truck I prayed every day would start, and a simple 6 CD memory training set. Kyle coached me to market that CD set and in less than 12 months my IRS debt was gone and I was speaking in Australia, Bangkok, Belgium, Singapore, Malaysia and all over the USA with the biggest names in the speaking business. It was almost magical how Kyle took my business from giving speeches in the back room of an IHOP restaurant to audiences as large as 8,000 in what seemed like overnight. I can honestly say that Kyle Wilson was not a major factor in turning my business around. Kyle Wilson was THE factor. I can’t strongly recommend his wisdom, knowledge, business mind or who he is as a person enough."

Ron White

Best-Selling Author of
Black Belt Memory,
2009 & 2010 US Memory Champion

"Kyle Wilson is not only one of my most valued friends and mentors, he is a marketing genius and brilliant business man, always providing the most honest and insightful solutions to any challenge. I am honored to have him as my book partner and life-long counterpart."
Jeanette Ortega,

Jeanette Ortega

Best-Selling Author of
The Little Black Book of Fitness
& Celebrity Fitness Trainer

"Kyle, you ROCKED the EOFIRE show. You are a great storyteller and shared great lessons. Truly impressed…and thank you for what you do/have done for this Entrepreneurial world."

John Lee Dumas

Host of EOFire Podcast with
over 100 million Downloads

"Anytime I'm in a conversation with Kyle Wilson, I always take my notepad out and start taking down notes cause there's so much to learn. Kyle it's a real honor for me to know you."

Bob Burg

Speaker and Best-Selling Author
of the Go Giver

“Kyle Wilson literally built an empire over 18 years working with one of the true legends in the entire speaking space, Mr. Jim Rohn. Somebody I look up too, somebody who was a hero of mine that I wanted to be like because of the way he had great integrity. Kyle has that same integrity, he truly cares about making you look good. He cares about you having quality materials and I will Guarantee you will be so grateful you partnered up and got into one of Kyle's books. Kyle cares truly from the heart about your success. And about representing you in the way you want to be represented. With your great content, and your great information and with who you are as a business, as a brand, as a person. So do yourself a favor, work with my friend Kyle.”

James Malinchak

Featured on ABC’s Hit TV show
Secret Millionaire &
Founder of Big Money Speaker

"Kyle Wilson’s insight, marketing acumen and business knowledge are guru level. His consulting, friendship and brilliant solutions have changed the trajectory of my career and life. His strategies don’t just elevate, they transform you and your brand.”

Olenka Cullinan

Speaker, Passionista, Founder of
Rising Tycoons &
#iStartFirst Bossbabe Bootcamps

"From the moment I met Kyle realized that he was a unique individual. In life their is 'talent' and then behind that 'talent' there is always the business savvy behind it. We say that when the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear. Kyle Wilson IS that teacher and that consultant....are you ready? Kyle, I know our best work is yet to come. Thanks for the friendship and expertise."

Nick Bradley

PGA Tour Mentor,
Speaker, Author

"Is there anyone in the world who is better at grooming and managing a speaker than Kyle Wilson? Absolutely not! Kyle was the man behind Jim Rohn. Kyle, while managing my speaking career, took me to 60 speaking engagements a year while increasing my fee, and helped me publish numerous books that sold nearly a million copies, produce two best-selling audio programs, taught me how to sell product from the back of a room (with a number of $50,000 days and one $110,000 day) and got me my own television show and a co-host with Zig Ziglar on his television show, True Performance. There is not a single person alive who not only knows but has mastered the speaking business from beginning to end like Kyle Wilson. Take my highest recommendation and multiply it by ten and you have what I think about Kyle. What? You haven’t picked up the phone yet to get on board with him? Get going!!"

Chris Widener

Best-Selling Author The Angel Inside

"Kyle Wilson has been a life changing mentor, friend and business partner. He not only has extreme marketing knowledge, is talented and gifted at speaking, coaching and leading, but he also has a unique focus, drive and charisma that magnetizes others and helps them to succeed and become more motivated. I would recommend anyone wanting to propel to higher levels to work with Kyle"

Kim Somers Egelsee

# 1 best selling author
and Tedx speaker

"Kyle Wilson's Inner Circle is nothing short of Life Changing! It offers insights and valuable outcomes for entrepreneurs, champions, and business leaders. IC is high-trust, honest, and encouraging, an integrity-filled environment that generates awareness, understanding, and wisdom from the team for you. IC provides one a board of trusted advisors... the ""GPS to help you get to the next level."

Tim Cole

(Business) Managing Director,
(Military) Colonel, USMC (Ret)

"After only working with Kyle for a few months, I felt my professional world opening up in new and inspired ways. Kyle’s marketing brilliance and business wisdom combine to make him a one in a million in this coaching world. I found that I literally would just listen to whatever he says and that is not common for a strong-willed woman like me, but his guidance is pure gold and his goodness shines through it all. I am so very grateful to him for his coaching.”

Dr. Stormy Hill, OTR/L

Entrepreneur, Author, Educator, Mom

"Kyle you have greatly influenced my life and career. You and Jim made a perfect team with a legacy that will continue to change lives more than any otherthought leaders with timeless wisdom."