Tell us about yourself; who are you and what do you do for fun?
A few of my passions are acting, traveling, mixology, and I am a huge foodie. I work out just so that I can eat (don’t judge me :-P) If I could somehow combine all four passions, I would be in heaven. My favorite cocktail that I shake up is a basil grapefruit martini. My favorite hot spot is the white sands of Dominican Republic and favorite European spot is Madrid. My goal is to float around the world sharing my story and frequent as many spots as possible enjoying wonderful food, cocktails, and people along the way.
What got you into speaking? Is it what you expected?
I am an actor and being able to share the stories of the author’s work is really what interested me in being on stage. As I got older, I discovered that I had a story to share and there were people that needed to hear it, so they would feel empowered to be intentional in their life and share theirs as well.
Ultimately, I became certified through the John Maxwell program and that has really moved me forward. Being able to bring influence and empower others to be intentional in their lives is what keeps me wanting to share my message. It is everything that I have expected and more. In a world filled with doubt, being able to bring influence and be of value to individuals, even if it is just one person is a beautiful thing.
Tell us about your hardest moment as a speaker so far.
Content. I’m not a writer, so I struggle with this aspect of the business. There is a fine line between sharing your story and infusing humor at those critical moments. Ensuring the content is strong, inspiring, and engaging is always a challenge.
What has been your biggest success as a speaker so far?
Those moments after giving a speech and having members of the audience waiting to share their story with me. They want to share because they now feel inspired and like their voice is now strong enough. This is when I know I have hit the mark.
What was your biggest struggle before finding The Speaker Lab?
My biggest struggle was understanding the business aspect of speaking, and more so formulating a plan that will put me on the path to success.
How has The Speaker Lab helped you and your business?
The Speaker Lab helped me gain clarity. Grant and the Speaker Lab program has really flushed out the “How do I” phase. It has taken all of the pieces of the business and laid them out in a methodical systematic way making them easy to follow and measure. I’m a big proponent of mirroring success. If an individual is already where I want or need to be, then I can look and see what they did to get there and apply the relevant pieces. Being a part of the program has allowed me to pull insight from others which has really shortened my learning curve. The access to the staff, library of interviews with speakers, & the document library have been extremely helpful.
What is your number one goal over the next 6 months to a year?
To book at least 25 stages!
About J Israel Greene
J Israel Greene is a professional Speaker, Teacher, and Coach with The John Maxwell Team. He is also the founder and Artistic Director of the award-winning theater company, Greenetree Productions. Israel is currently authoring a book titled, “Forgotten Sons, 40 Steps to Success”, which chronicles his life story and offers real-world advice for young minority men on managing their path to success. He is passionate about inspiring others and helping them recognize their full potential through intentional living and leadership.
