The last session—our last live session with Ron—was a bit longer. We try to answer as many questions as possible and want to give as much value as we can.

For those who are new here, hello—I’m Angela Lewis with SpeakerHUB, and we are incredibly excited about the session today with Les Brown.

Ron is going to do a short recap for those who weren’t here last time.

So if you would like, please put your name, tell us a little bit about your business and where you’re located in the chat.

There are still people in the waiting room, so we’ll let them in as we get started with this session.

Audience Voices:

• “It’s been great, I have enjoyed all of the sessions. I’m going to watch the replay.”

• “It’s been informative and useful.”

• “The information has been extremely powerful—lots of nuggets and tidbits. I can’t wait to put this into action.”

Ron Story Jr.: We are here to help and support. If you’ve signed up for SpeakerHUB and need support, let us know.

One of the things I want to highlight is the Hidden Gem segment by Sairan. She has a powerful story. She was a SpeakerHUB user who transitioned from her full-time job because she believed in her message.

In her first 30 days, she sent 2,000 pitches. She did almost 30 podcasts in the first month, and those podcasts turned into speaking gigs.

She did the work, and it’s paying off.

Sairan: Thank you for the introduction.

Each one of us has the best version of ourselves—we just haven’t discovered it yet. I call it a core genius or hidden gem.

Sometimes it’s buried under years of raising children, working a 9-to-5 job. But it’s not too late to discover that hidden gem, bring it to the surface, and share it with the world.

That’s why I put my program at 28 days—because at the end, you’ll celebrate saying, “This is my hidden gem.”

My goal is to go international and global because I speak Arabic and Kurdish. Originally from Northern Iraq, I want to expand my message.

Ron Story Jr.: Sairan represents what we believe in at SpeakerHUB.

When we thought about putting on the summit, I thought of everyone I could invite. I happened to be on a call with Mr. Brown, and he said, “You’re doing a summit? Why didn’t you invite me?”

I said, “You really want to do my little summit?”

He said, “Ron, I got you. How much time do you want?”

I said, “How much do you want?”

He said, “Give me two hours, and I’ll change these people’s lives.”

And I trust him—because he’s changed mine.

Les Brown joins: Listen—thank you very much for allowing me to do this, and for the work you’re doing.

Right now we’re going through a major disruption. Things are going to be very intense between now and election day. But even before that, all of the toxic, negative, mean-spirited name calling—that trickles down to the masses.

Everything we see going on right now was generated out of a story. Nothing happens until a story is told that impacts the collective consciousness of the masses.

So, starting SpeakerHUB and giving ordinary people the opportunity to create a movement—that empowers them to do extraordinary things with their knowledge, wisdom, and experiences.

There are two things I think are very important in life, and how I live. Write this down:

Live your life the way you want to leave your life.

I told my children: if they told you I died, don’t embalm me for three days. Sneak a microphone into my hand. If I don’t grab it and say, “You gotta be hungry,” then call your brothers and sisters and say, “Daddy’s gone.”

Because I talk in my sleep—I’ll speak my way out of here!

I was born in an abandoned building on a floor, with a twin brother, Wesley. We were in foster care and then adopted by Mrs. M. Brown.

All that I am, and all that I ever hope to be—I owe to my mother.

In fifth grade, I was identified as DT—the dumb twin. I was labeled “educable mentally retarded,” put back from the fifth grade to the fourth grade, and failed again in the eighth grade.

I used to be punished for talking too much. Now I get paid to speak. You can’t make this stuff up!

But I met a mentor. Write this down: life is a fight for territory.

My mentor, Mike Williams—I wrote the foreword to his book, The Road to Your Best Stuff.

His sister passed last week. His mother—103 years old—passed just four days ago.

He was the one who saw this Les Brown before I saw him.

Mentorship & Early Struggles

I came to Columbus, Ohio, 56 years ago as a disc jockey.

LB Triple P—Les Brown, your platter-playing papa. There will be none before me and none after me. Therefore, that makes me the one and only.

I used to say:

“Young and single, love to mingle, certified, bonafide, and doubly qualified to bring you satisfaction and a whole lot of action. Look out baby, I’m your love man.”

Now here I am, 80 years old, and I feel like I served at the Last Supper. But I still got some good tips.

The Power of Story

I want you to write this down: Everything happens for a reason.

You and I—we were born and preserved for such a time as this.

The story you have—there are millions of people who need to hear it. Over 325 million lives will be interrupted by artificial intelligence.

They need your story of how you got across the Red Seas in your life. How you handled divorce. How you overcame being laid off. How you dealt with foreclosure, illness, or devastation.

People need to hear your story.

Write this down: How people live their lives is the result of the story they believe about themselves.

The Power of One Teacher

When I was in the fifth grade, I was labeled DT—“the dumb twin.”

One day, a teacher asked me to come to the board. I said, “I can’t, sir. I’m not one of your students.”

The other kids laughed. They said, “He’s DT—Wesley’s the smart one. He’s the dumb twin.”

I said, “I am, sir.”

But the teacher looked at me and said:

“Don’t you ever say that again. Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.”

That changed my life.

What Speakers Must Do

Write this down: Distract, Dispute, Inspire.

• Distract your audience from their current story.

• Dispute the lies they’ve believed.

• Inspire them with a new vision of what’s possible.

When you speak, you help people step away from their history and live in their imagination.

Einstein said: “Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.”

Peace, Harmony, Joy, and Love

Storytellers create cultures.

And our goal is to bring about four things:

1. Peace – because 46% of people go to bed at night unable to sleep.

2. Harmony – in a world that’s angry, divided, and on edge.

3. Joy – life may happen around you and to you, but what matters is what happens in you.

4. Love – what the world needs now is love, sweet love.

Speaking from the Heart

It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it.

You must speak with your heart voice—so people don’t just hear you, they feel you.

I told my mama when I was young, “When I become a man, I’m going to buy you a home and take care of you.”

And ultimately, I did.

But then I got a call—she had breast cancer, and she couldn’t live alone anymore.

My siblings wanted to put her in a nursing home. I said, “Don’t do that. I’ll resign from the Ohio Legislature. I’ll take care of her myself.”

Sometimes life pushes you out of your comfort zone to do what you were meant to do.

Finding His Calling

I didn’t have a college education. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

But I went to a motivational event, and the speaker said:

“There’s somebody here who should be up on this stage, but you’ve convinced yourself you’re not qualified. Whoever you are—you are enough.”

He stopped in the middle of his speech, looked over the audience, and said:

“I’m standing in your dream.”

That was me.

Believing in Others’ Belief

I called my mentor, Mike Williams. I said, “Mike, I’m not rejecting myself anymore.”

Sometimes you have to believe in somebody else’s belief in you until your own belief kicks in.

He told me, “Ask for help—not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong.”

Overcoming Fear & Limiting Beliefs

For 14 years, I convinced myself I couldn’t do it.

Why? Because my mind kept saying:

• “Les, you don’t have a college education.”

• “You were labeled educable mentally retarded.”

• “How could you compete with people with PhDs and corporate experience?”

But then that speaker said something that pierced my heart:

“You are enough.”

Sometimes you have to stop rejecting yourself and step into your calling.

Follow Your Heart

Write this down: When there’s an argument between your mind and your heart, follow your heart.

Your mind will try to talk you out of it. Your heart knows the truth.

There’s an African proverb that says:

“If there’s no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm.”

Artificial Intelligence vs. The Human Spirit

People are intimidated by artificial intelligence.

But let me tell you something: AI can collect data, but it has no heart.

I came up in the days of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. They sang:

“Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby.”

That’s you. You are the real thing.

AI can’t look into the eyes of an audience. It can’t feel their pain or ignite their hope.

You are irreplaceable. You are a masterpiece, because you are a piece of the Master.

Creating Experiences, Not Just Stories

Write this down: Don’t just tell a story—create an experience.

Too many speakers just dump their story onto people. But your story isn’t for you—it’s for your audience.

Your story should:

• Take people to a place in themselves they can’t go by themselves.

• Help them see that life is God’s gift to us—and how we live it is our gift to God.

• Teach them that a setback is a setup for a comeback.

When life knocks you down, try to land on your back, because if you can look up—you can get up.

The Power of Community

Write this down: Being in the right community is everything.

Harvard University did an 85-year study. They found the most successful people had one thing in common:

They had a reference group—a community of people who sharpened them, supported them, and held them to higher standards.

That’s why SpeakerHUB is so powerful. You’re in a community of people going in the same direction.

Iron sharpens iron.

Best Speakers Make the Fewest Words Go the Farthest

I teach speakers: don’t overload people with information.

The best speakers make the fewest words go the farthest.

It’s not about how much you say—it’s about what your audience remembers and what they do afterward.

Lessons From Embarrassment

When I was starting out, a pastor once called me up in front of 3,000 people to lead the morning prayer.

I froze. All I could say was: “Thank you Lord for this morning.” Then I sat down.

The whole church had their heads bowed, waiting. Someone whispered, “The devil had his tongue.”

I was so embarrassed. But afterward, I told myself:

“This will never happen to me again.”

That moment pushed me to prepare like never before.

Preparation & Growth

Every day I:

• Write down seven things I’m grateful for.

• Write down seven things I want to get from the day.

• Read 30–40 pages of something that grows me.

Mr. Washington, my teacher, once told me: “Les Brown, when your audience knows as much as you, they no longer need you. Expand, or you are expendable.”

That’s why you must study continuously—because life is evolving, and you must stay ahead of the curve.

Coaching Moment with Sairan

Ron brought Sairan onto the session and introduced her.

Sairan: Thank you, Ron. I’m honored to be here among all these wonderful, powerful people. We all have the best version of ourselves inside of us. Sometimes it’s buried because of work, raising children, or a 9-to-5 job. But it’s never too late to discover that hidden gem and bring it to the surface.

Les Brown: Tell us a little about your background.

Sairan: I’ve been in tech for 35 years. I did my Master’s in engineering, started my Doctorate but didn’t finish because I fell in love with mentoring and coaching. Now I help midlife women discover their hidden gems—their untapped talents.

Les Brown:That’s powerful. Let’s work on your signature message. What qualities do people always say you have?

Sairan: They say I’m genuine, inspiring, and bold.

Les Brown: Perfect. That’s your foundation. Now let’s shape your message: turn your crisis into an opportunity. Teach people how to discover their hidden talents.

He guided her into framing her talk:

• Be genuine – people want to know if you’re real and trustworthy.

• Be inspiring – help people see what’s possible beyond their current struggles.

• Be bold – stand out, take risks, and make your voice heard.

Les Brown ended with encouragement:

“You’re a beautiful person, Sairan. When people describe you, they’ll say: she’s genuine, inspiring, and bold. You have something special. You’ve got greatness in you.”

Coaching Moment with Bart

Bart shared that he wasn’t having a good day, but he chose to type “terrific” instead of “terrible” in a text earlier.

Les Brown interrupted:

“Listen, Bart—every day is a good day. If you don’t believe it, try missing one. When you open your eyes, it’s a great day. Everything else is gravy.”

He reminded Bart that we have a chance and a choice every day.

Coaching Moment with Alicia

Alicia shared her experience joining Les Brown’s Mastermind.

She said:

• It gave her confidence.

• Helped her find her power voice.

• Taught her vocal variety and how to command an audience.

• Allowed her to connect with other speakers and grow together.

She concluded: “When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Being part of this community has made me a standout speaker.”

Lessons on Storytelling & Speaking

Les Brown emphasized:

• Don’t just tell your story—strategically use it to serve the audience.

• Create openings in your story so the audience persuades themselves.

• People don’t want information—they want transformation.

“If information alone could change people, everybody would already be skinny, rich, and happy.”

Closing Words

Les Brown closed with a powerful reminder:

• You are irreplaceable.

• You have a story someone needs to hear.

• Life is God’s gift to us; how we live is our gift to God.

• A setback is just a setup for a comeback.

“Always strive to get on top in life, because the bottom is overcrowded.”

And his signature line:

“You have something special. You’ve got greatness in you. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.”