author. speaker. motivator.
Affectionately known as "America's #1 Success Coach," Jack Canfield is the originator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and a leading authority in the areas of self-esteem, achievement motivation, and peak performance. [www.jackcanfield.com]
political powerhouse. media mogul. author.
Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and Editor in Chief of the Huffington Post and the author of twelve books. [www.huffingtonpost.com]
author. speaker. linchpin.
Seth Godin is a prominent author, blogger and speaker. [www.squidoo.com/linchpin]
yogi. philanthropist. dynamic teacher.
Krishna Kaur is the founder of YOGA for Youth, a program that takes yoga, meditation, and stimulating discussions on the philosophy of yoga to urban youth. [www.yogaforyouth.org]
producer. philanthropist. tv legend.
Norman Lear has enjoyed a long career in television and film. He is also a political and social activist and philanthropist. [www.normanlear.com]
race car driver. activist. carbon free girl.
Leilani Münter is a professional race car driver and an environmental activist who uses her voice in the number one spectator sport in America as a catalyst for change. [www.leilanimunter.com]
Freedom Fighter. Philanthropist. Game Changer.
By going undercover to meet slaves and slaveholders, Kevin Bales exposed modern slavery's penetration into the global economy. He co-founded Free the Slaves, which has helped to liberate thousands of slaves. [www.freetheslaves.net]
mom. big dreamer. lady in red.
Sophie Chiche, lifebyme.com founder and curator, enjoys asking deep questions and living a life of meaning. Today she's launching Shape House, an urban sweat lodge, a place to melt away fears and fat. [www.shapehousela.com]
Writer. Entrepreneur. Daily Lover.
Entrepreneur and writer Mastin Kipp founded TheDailyLove.com, which merges pop culture with inspiration, and co-founded The Love Yourself Company, an apparel company that has started a global self-esteem movement. [www.TheDailyLove.com]
singer. musician. crier.
Liz Phair is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. [www.lizphair.com]
archbishop. author. peaceful leader.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu is Chairman of The Elders, a group of world leaders who address some of the world's most pressing problems. He works energetically for human-rights and in his ministry. [www.tutu.org]
author. ceo. humanitarian.
Zainab Salbi is the founder and CEO of Women for Women International, a group dedicated to helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives. [www.womenforwomen.org]
speaker. psychotherapist. life embracer.
Despite his physical challenges, Sean Stephenson has taken a stand for a quality of life that has inspired millions of people around the world. He's a professional speaker, psychotherapist, and author. [www.timetostand.com]
yogi. meditator. teacher.
Kia Miller teaches Yoga at Yoga Works in Los Angeles, leads teacher trainings, and runs retreats and workshops on meditation, chakras, pranayam, and mantras, and other practices. [www.kiamiller.com]
creator. writer. idea geek.
Simon Mainwaring is an ex-Nike/Wieden creative, former Worldwide Creative Director at Motorola/Ogilvy, branding/advertising writer, author/speaker/blogger, Australian, idea geek. [www.simonmainwaring.com]
Strategist. Writer. Life Coach.
Shannon Bindler is a style editor, life coach, and the co-founder of Get Up Girl, an empowerment company that inspires women to shine. [www.getupgirl.com]
Designer. Art Director. Passionate Creator.
Grammy-nominated art director/designer/photographer Mathieu Bitton has designed over 450 CDs and movie posters. He's a renowned collector of and authority on black films and their soundtracks. [www.candytangerine.com]
Agent. Producer. Photography Enthusiast.
Opus Reps founder and agent-producer Jorge Perez travels the world producing photo shoots with great photographers and celebrities. He's also very involved with Meals on Wheels in Los Angeles. www.opusreps.com
mentor
Kelly Holtzclaw
new media publisher. social media strategist. mythic storyteller.
Kelly Holtzclaw is a writer, racer, and wine lover. He's the founder of Facetious VSS, an interactive agency. He writes about marketing, mythic story, and film. [www.kellyholtzclaw.com]
I grew up down the street from Riverside Raceway. Not a great area – welfare, school lunch programs, and shattered families.
I used to sneak into Riverside Raceway by crawling under the fence. When I was nine years old I met Mickey Thompson, the P.T. Barnum of auto racing, and he changed my life.
I followed him around all day and he made it his mission to drill this into my head: “You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.”
“How’d you get in here today?” he said. “Through a hole in the fence, right? Guess what – in life, everything has a hole in the fence. All you have to do is find it.”
At the end of the day, he picked me up and plopped me into the seat of the winning Funny Car.
“How does the car feel, kid?”
“Amazing, Mr. Thompson.”
“Well, I own this car. See those trailers full of parts and engines? I own those, too. And I’m responsible for all these people running around celebrating our win. I make their house payments, their boat payments, and pay for their kids’ braces.”
“Wow, lucky.”
“You haven’t been listening,” he whispered. “It’s not luck.”
Then he made it crystal clear.
“Okay kid, reach into your pocket, pull out your money, and count it up.”
I counted out my last remaining bits of change after Cokes and a hot dog. “Uh, sixty-five, sixty-six … sixty-seven cents.”
He looked at me with a grin. “Sixty-seven cents, huh? Well, that’s a helluva lot more than I ever started out with.”
Can you imagine? What an amazing gift to give to a child.
So I grew up, went to a great college, raced fast cars, ran radio networks, owned radio stations, wrote screenplays that made A-list actors cry, married a beautiful woman, and had an amazing daughter … all because I have complete confidence in living my dreams – compliments of Mr. Mickey Thompson.
I always wanted to tell Mickey what he’d done for me. Sadly, I never got the chance. He and his wife, Trudy, died in 1988. If I can’t tell him, I can at least tell you about the ripple effect one unselfish person can have on a child’s life.
Today, I remind the children I meet that they can do anything – anything they want with their lives.
Now go out there and mentor someone.
– Kelly Holtzclaw
Explore More Meaning
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author. mama. pleasure pioneer.
Regena Thomashauer (Mama Gena) is a revolution: an icon, teacher, author, mother, and a pioneer in researching the nature of pleasure and dedicating her life to the discipline of pleasure. [www.mamagenas.com]
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music man. multi-platform artist. down hill skier.
Paul Inman is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist, performer, poet, budding photographer and artist born and raised near Detroit, residing in Los Angeles. His performing name is Paul Inman's Delivery. [www.paulinman.net]
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writer. change-agent. actress with a vision.
Barbara Bassill empowers women to live a life of joy, harmony and authenticity. She's a business woman and mother of three beautiful children. [www.barbarabassill.wordpress.com/coaching]
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jokester. humorous healer. quick quipper.
Actor, comic, and writer, Teddy Margas, is co-founder of the Queers of Comedy. He's appeared in StreepTease, Margaret Cho's Blind Dinner Party, and The Women of Woody, An Evening of Iconic Woody Allen Women performed by an All-Male Cast. [www.teddymargas.com]
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blogger. survivor. moment grabber.
Josephine Bila, M.S.W. is a storyteller who uses her personal experience and training in psychology to transform lives. She creates one blog post every Wednesday on her site. [josephinebila.com]
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organizational consultant. internal change agent. conversation starter.
Brad Rassler is the founder and Chief Catalyst of A Sustainable Way, an organizational development consultancy. [www.asustainableway.com]
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me embracer. inner journeyer. wellness warrior.
Ava Sydney is the founder of Body Temple LA, a website created for everyone who wants to enjoy optimum health and happiness. She is also a life coach, producer and nature photographer. [www.BodyTempleLA.com]
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Poet. Educator. Philanthropist.
Author, poet, and educator Paul F. Cummins is the Executive Director of the New Visions Foundation, which finds innovative ways to educate underserved children. [www.newvisionsfnd.org]
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