Steve Gilliland is one of the most sought after speakers around the world. He speaks to over 250,000 people annually across more than 30 industries, in all 50 states and 15 countries. A recent newspaper stated, “Steve is what happens when the humor of a stand-up comedian collides with the inspiration of a motivational speaker.” He is a member of the Speaker Hall of Fame and listeners can hear him daily on SiriusXM Radio’s Laugh USA. He is an acknowledged businessman, bestselling author, acclaimed speaker and quite the personality. Steve Gilliland has a diverse background and enthusiastically shares his experience with others seeking to improve themselves and their business.
The Salt of the Earth
Steve spent his early years in Pittsburgh, a child of Christian parents that instilled a strong work ethic. After graduating from Grove City College, he became a prominent businessman. Steve is credited with building a multi-million dollar company himself from the ground up. This was no overnight success. Steve humbly shares, “I’ve had my ups, I’ve had my downs,” and this is reflected upon tellingly during his speaking engagements. His philosophy is that if you continually learn about your company, your industry, your customer and yourself, you will always be a leader. He holds to the motto: “If you take care of people, the business will follow.” His company was recognized as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in the region.
As an author, Steve continues making the publisher’s bestseller list and was named Author of the Year. Enjoy the Ride, Making a Difference, Hide Your Goat and Detour are four books that continue to influence the organization of active business leaders. His books, CDs and DVDs deliver practical lessons for sustainable personal and business growth.
Making a Difference
Steve Gilliland began writing and speaking with a thought-provoking question from his secretary. “If you could do anything in the world you wanted and it all paid the same, what would you do?” This spurred his realization and created an opportunity for others to learn and grow from his insights and perspective. Steve was gracious enough to set aside time to speak with us about his journey and experiences. For him, speaking is driven from his desire to help others. He willingly offers, and with all humility knows that he cannot know everyone’s personal challenges but hopes to provide them support and the motivation to keep going. Steve said, “I don’t know the challenges that face people every day, but I do know that I have the power to bring them hope.” Sometimes this is what matters most, especially when life throws a curve ball and you have to adjust to new situations. Perspective and understanding from a person who has been there can help to make the necessary mental adjustments and strengthen the resolve to keep going and overcome the next challenge. From a lifetime of experience and the ability to look back at pivotal moments in his own life, Steve believes, “Moments matter and at any given instance our conscious choices impact people.”
From Those Who Listen
Steve shares that his fondest compliment is when audience members salute his authenticity and how very real he is. He says, “It’s the real life stuff [that I speak about]. It’s not just a bunch of…if you follow A-B-C-D, you’ll get E-F-G-H. There is no pill or magic formula. It’s about real-life, practical, everyday situations that people face in their personal and professional lives.” Steve offers his experiences as the ultimate case study and shares pragmatic ways to deal with the situation at hand in an entertaining and crowd-pleasing fashion. Two million people have been a part of his “LIVE” audience. Hundreds of testimonials testify to his impact on attendees with standing ovations, pure enjoyment of the presentation, setting a new bar for organizations, and reporting that his presentation was “absolutely the BEST WE HAVE EVER HAD.” Steve Gilliland isn’t just a speaker who challenges people to change; he is a captivating personality with a revitalizing message that offers a fresh perspective and mindset that truly makes a difference. Steve Gilliland is without question – Unlike any other!
