Les is More

By Bob Cox

During several difficult years while growing up in a poverty-stricken neighborhood, the teachers in his elementary school declared the boy, “Educable mentally retarded”. Most of his teachers failed to recognize the amazing potential of the young man. Fortunately, his self-esteem was not completely destroyed. With the help of his adoptive mother and the assistance of a dedicated teacher in high school, he summoned the determination, persistence and belief in his ability to go beyond the expectations of everyone else that doubted his abilities.

Leslie Calvin "Les" Brown was born February 17, 1945, along with his twin brother, Wesley, in an abandoned building in a low-income section of Miami, Florida. He and his brother were given up for adoption. Both boys were finally adopted by Mamie Brown, a 38-year-old single woman who worked as a cafeteria attendant and domestic assistant. Although success would not come quickly or easily, Les never abandoned his dream of becoming a disc jockey.

At night, Les would listen to deejays on his a transistor radio while sitting in bed so that he could learn from them. He allowed his imagination to transform his tiny bedroom into a glorious radio station. His hairbrush became his microphone and he would banter on late into the night, entertaining his imaginary listeners. His brother and his mother would often shout at him to go sleep, but Les refused to say goodnight to his dream.

Les took the next bold step towards his dream, walked to the local radio station and asked the manager for a job. When the manager asked him if he had any experience, Les said no and the manager quickly dismissed him from his office. Most people would’ve been too crushed by disappointment to ever go back, but Les became more determined than ever. He proceeded to come back every single day and asked the same manager for a job. His perseverance finally paid off and he was hired as an errand boy.

One day, Les got his big break when the opening disc jockey reported to work drunk. The station manager asked Les to track down another DJ to handle the opening shift. Les waited 15 minutes without contacting a single person and then volunteered to step in. Out of complete desperation, the manager accepted and Les’s life would never be the same.

Les would go on to parlay these humble beginnings to achieve extraordinary success. He eventually became a broadcast station manager, a political commentator and a multi-term state representative in Ohio.

Today, Les Brown enjoys life as one of the world’s most renowned motivational speakers. His trademark is his ability to parlay his compelling life story into a blueprint for others to succeed. His transparent, from-the-heart passion and energy has motivated audiences from around the world. He has won numerous awards and is highly-sought-after by Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, non-profit organizations and community leaders all across the country. For three decades he has mastered the science of achievement by interviewing and collaborating with hundreds of successful business leaders. Here’s one of my favorite quotes to ponder…

You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great. ― Les Brown