The story you are about to read is a humorous, but inspiring one. It is about Les Brown, born on the floor of an abandoned building, with his twin brother, Wes. They were adopted when they were six weeks old by Mrs. Mamie Brown, a single woman who had very little education and financial means, but a very big heart. In a low-income Liberty city in Miami, Florida, Les was mislabeled as a slow learner. The label and stigma stayed with him for several years. Les had no formal education past high school. But with persistence and determination, and his trust in God, he has initiated a process of perpetual self-education, which has distinguished him as a resource on human potential.
Les Brown told a story of how by determination, tenacity, and the encouragement of his schoolteacher and mentor, Mr. Washington, he got his dream job:
“I needed to get a job to help my mother in the family upkeep. I went to Mr. Washington, my high school teacher, who was like a mentor to me. I told him what I wanted to be – a disc jockey. To this he replied ‘if you want to be a disc jockey, you got to be hungry. You’ve got to be willing to do the things others won’t want to do, in order to have the things others won’t have. You’ve got to work on yourself, develop your mind. You don’t get in life what you want; you get in life what you are. Always strive to get on top in life, because the bottom is over crowded. You’ve got to be hungry!’
I said, ‘Yes Sir, I’m hungry. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He said, ‘Start listening to people who are effective communicators. Be conscious of what you are saying and how you are saying it, because once you open your mouth you tell the world who you are. See yourself as a radio disc jockey; start working towards getting sponsorship, start creating the radio format that you want, start developing your personality.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, Sir, I want to be a disc jockey, I don’t have the job yet.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is better to prepare for an opportunity and not have one, than have an opportunity and not be prepared.’
So I started working to develop myself, and my communication skills. I expected to have a radio programme, so I created my format. I started learning how to write promotion and do jingle, and then I went to him one day and said, ‘Okay, Mr. Washington, I am ready.’ He said, ‘Remember you’ve no journalism background, and you know broadcasting is a very crowded field, and very competitive. You are going to face enormous rejections everyday, but if you are hungry enough, the world will make a place for you.’
Then I went to apply for a job and met the Programme Director. I introduced myself. I said, ‘My name is Les Brown. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He asked, ‘Do you have any journalism in your background?’ I said, ‘No sir, but I have been training myself. Let me audition for you, let me show you how good I am.’ He said, ‘I m sorry, I don’t have a job for you now.’ I was discouraged, so I went back and told Mr. Washington. I said, “Mr. Washington, they said no.’ He said, ‘Don’t take it personally, most people are so negative they have to say no seven times before they eventually say yes.’ He said ‘You’ve got to be hungry!’ He said, ‘Go back again.’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’
I went back to the Programme Director the second day. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown, I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ Surprised, he asked, ‘Weren’t you here yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Did I not tell you no yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘So why are you back today?’ ‘Well sir, I don’t know whether or not somebody was laid off or fired sir’, I replied. ‘No one was laid off, no one was fired’, he retorted.
I was back the third day, ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown. I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ This time, certainly in rage, he answered: ‘I know what your name is. Weren’t you here the last three days?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Didn’t I tell you no vacancy?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Then why are you back today?’ I don’t know whether or not someone is sick or someone died.’ ‘No one is sick, no one died, no one is laid off, and don’t you come back again.’
I came back the fourth day, talking loud, looking happy, like I was seeing him for the first time. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir?’ He looked at me with exasperation and said, ‘Go and make some coffee’, I said, ‘Yes sir!’
Sometimes you have to stoop to conquer. You’ve got to sacrifice before you reign. So, I became the errand boy for the disc jockey. I’ll get their lunch and dinner, and stand in the control room. I will not leave until they ask me to. Then pretty soon, they trusted me to pick up entertainers from town.
Then one day I was at the radio station, and this disc jockey by the name, Rocky Rogers, was drinking while on air. He would slur his word; it was obvious he was inebriated. He couldn’t complete the show. Then there I was looking from the control room, walking back and forth, young, ready and hungry! Rocky was dead drunk. I was ready to go and get him more drink if he asked me to. Then pretty soon the phone rang, it was the General Manager. He said, ‘Rocky couldn’t finish his programme.’ I said, ‘I know.’ He said: ‘Would you call one of the other D.J’s there?’ I said, ‘Yes sir’ and hung up the phone. I said, ‘He must be thinking I’m crazy.’ I called my Mama, and told her to turn on the radio, that I’m about to come on air! I waited for about 20 minutes then I called him back. I said, ‘Sir, I can’t find anybody.’ He said, ‘Young boy, do you know how to work on the control?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ I couldn’t wait to get behind the turntable. He said, ‘Go ahead and start the recording.’ I said, ‘Yes sir!’”
That was how Les Brown became a disc jockey. After the first recording, Les impressed the General Manager so much that he got the job of a disc jockey without qualification.
Les Brown’s passion to learn and his hunger to realize greatness in himself and others helped him achieve his goals. He rose from morning deejay to Broadcast Manager, from community activist to community leader, from political commentator to three-term legislator, and from an emcee to premier keynote speaker. He has risen to national prominence by delivering a high-energy message, which tells people to live up to their greatness. It is a message Les Brown has learned from his own life, and he is helping others to apply it to their lives.
Les Brown told a story of how by determination, tenacity, and the encouragement of his schoolteacher and mentor, Mr. Washington, he got his dream job:
“I needed to get a job to help my mother in the family upkeep. I went to Mr. Washington, my high school teacher, who was like a mentor to me. I told him what I wanted to be – a disc jockey. To this he replied ‘if you want to be a disc jockey, you got to be hungry. You’ve got to be willing to do the things others won’t want to do, in order to have the things others won’t have. You’ve got to work on yourself, develop your mind. You don’t get in life what you want; you get in life what you are. Always strive to get on top in life, because the bottom is over crowded. You’ve got to be hungry!’
I said, ‘Yes Sir, I’m hungry. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He said, ‘Start listening to people who are effective communicators. Be conscious of what you are saying and how you are saying it, because once you open your mouth you tell the world who you are. See yourself as a radio disc jockey; start working towards getting sponsorship, start creating the radio format that you want, start developing your personality.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, Sir, I want to be a disc jockey, I don’t have the job yet.’ Then he said to me, ‘It is better to prepare for an opportunity and not have one, than have an opportunity and not be prepared.’
So I started working to develop myself, and my communication skills. I expected to have a radio programme, so I created my format. I started learning how to write promotion and do jingle, and then I went to him one day and said, ‘Okay, Mr. Washington, I am ready.’ He said, ‘Remember you’ve no journalism background, and you know broadcasting is a very crowded field, and very competitive. You are going to face enormous rejections everyday, but if you are hungry enough, the world will make a place for you.’
Then I went to apply for a job and met the Programme Director. I introduced myself. I said, ‘My name is Les Brown. I want to be a disc jockey.’ He asked, ‘Do you have any journalism in your background?’ I said, ‘No sir, but I have been training myself. Let me audition for you, let me show you how good I am.’ He said, ‘I m sorry, I don’t have a job for you now.’ I was discouraged, so I went back and told Mr. Washington. I said, “Mr. Washington, they said no.’ He said, ‘Don’t take it personally, most people are so negative they have to say no seven times before they eventually say yes.’ He said ‘You’ve got to be hungry!’ He said, ‘Go back again.’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’
I went back to the Programme Director the second day. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown, I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ Surprised, he asked, ‘Weren’t you here yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Did I not tell you no yesterday?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ ‘So why are you back today?’ ‘Well sir, I don’t know whether or not somebody was laid off or fired sir’, I replied. ‘No one was laid off, no one was fired’, he retorted.
I was back the third day, ‘Hello Director, how are you sir? My name is Les Brown. I’d like to be a disc jockey.’ This time, certainly in rage, he answered: ‘I know what your name is. Weren’t you here the last three days?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Didn’t I tell you no vacancy?’ ‘Yes sir.’ ‘Then why are you back today?’ I don’t know whether or not someone is sick or someone died.’ ‘No one is sick, no one died, no one is laid off, and don’t you come back again.’
I came back the fourth day, talking loud, looking happy, like I was seeing him for the first time. ‘Hello Director, how are you sir?’ He looked at me with exasperation and said, ‘Go and make some coffee’, I said, ‘Yes sir!’
Sometimes you have to stoop to conquer. You’ve got to sacrifice before you reign. So, I became the errand boy for the disc jockey. I’ll get their lunch and dinner, and stand in the control room. I will not leave until they ask me to. Then pretty soon, they trusted me to pick up entertainers from town.
Then one day I was at the radio station, and this disc jockey by the name, Rocky Rogers, was drinking while on air. He would slur his word; it was obvious he was inebriated. He couldn’t complete the show. Then there I was looking from the control room, walking back and forth, young, ready and hungry! Rocky was dead drunk. I was ready to go and get him more drink if he asked me to. Then pretty soon the phone rang, it was the General Manager. He said, ‘Rocky couldn’t finish his programme.’ I said, ‘I know.’ He said: ‘Would you call one of the other D.J’s there?’ I said, ‘Yes sir’ and hung up the phone. I said, ‘He must be thinking I’m crazy.’ I called my Mama, and told her to turn on the radio, that I’m about to come on air! I waited for about 20 minutes then I called him back. I said, ‘Sir, I can’t find anybody.’ He said, ‘Young boy, do you know how to work on the control?’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ I couldn’t wait to get behind the turntable. He said, ‘Go ahead and start the recording.’ I said, ‘Yes sir!’”
That was how Les Brown became a disc jockey. After the first recording, Les impressed the General Manager so much that he got the job of a disc jockey without qualification.
Les Brown’s passion to learn and his hunger to realize greatness in himself and others helped him achieve his goals. He rose from morning deejay to Broadcast Manager, from community activist to community leader, from political commentator to three-term legislator, and from an emcee to premier keynote speaker. He has risen to national prominence by delivering a high-energy message, which tells people to live up to their greatness. It is a message Les Brown has learned from his own life, and he is helping others to apply it to their lives.
No comments:
Post a Comment