I had the honor of introducing Alan at one of his most important keynotes… my 5th grade graduation ceremony. (Hey, it pays to have connections!) Alan has worked with some of the highest-performing basketball players in the country – and now he teaches professional audiences how to perform better and be a better teammate.
Two years ago, my mom took me out of school for a day so that I could attend one of Alan’s programs. I loved hearing his stories, as he taught me important lessons for real life.
For my 8-part Summer Speaker Series, and in an effort to learn more about Alan’s life as a speaker, I interviewed him on the following topics:
CJ: What was your first job?
ASJ: At age 12, I became self-employed – mowing lawns and shoveling driveways in my neighborhood. At age 14, I became a sports camp counselor.
CJ: How did you become a professional speaker?
ASJ: I pleaded with basketball camps and clinics to let me come ‘speak’ and demonstrate drills. That’s where I caught the speaking bug!
CJ: What inspired you to choose your program topics?
ASJ: Basketball has been my #1 passion since I was four years old. I’ve spent my entire life in and around the game, so speaking on topics that are relat
ed to the game – such as leadership, performance, culture, and habits – is the only track I even considered.
CJ: How did the COVID-19 quarantine affect you as a professional speaker?
ASJ: It made me realize speaking is what I do… it’s not who I am. I am a performance coach. I am a ‘bucket filler’. Speaking is simply the platform on which I express that.
CJ: What is your favorite thing about speaking?
ASJ: The intersection between what I am most passionate about and what the audience will find most inspiring and helpful.
CJ: What advice would you give to a middle school student?
ASJ: Try as many sports or activities as you can to discover the intersection between what you love and what you are good at. Focus heavily on building quality relationships and serving others — be a great teammate and classmate. Take care of your body – eat healthy, stay active, get sleep! Oh, and listen to your parents.
CJ: What top three qualities in a basketball player were your favorite to coach?
ASJ: Humble, hard-working, and focused
Thank you, Alan, for sharing your experiences and insights with us.
If you are struggling with teamwork in your company, or if you need to Raise Your Game, please hire Alan Stein, Jr.
Our guest blogger Connor Joyce is a rising 7th grader from Huntersville, North Carolina. With a keen interest in learning more about the professional speaking industry, he produced an 8-Part Summer Speaker Series for www.MichelleJoyce.com. He is the firstborn child of Founder and President, Michelle Joyce. When he’s not interviewing speakers, he enjoys football, Fortnite, and watersports.
