Reviews Write New Review
Location
Booking Fee
Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
Virtual Fee: $##,###Get Pricing
[email protected]
Bill Courtney
Subject of the Academy Award-winning Documentary, UNDEFEATED Author, Against the Grain: A Coach's Wisdom on Character, Faith, Family, and Love
"His sucess serves as a moving example of what can happen when people in authoritiy care about others - not just about winning the next game or securing the next client." - Phil Jackson
Bill Courtney is a familiar name to those who saw him in Undefeated, the Oscar-winning movie about the high school football team he coached in a downtrodden section of North Memphis. The documentary, which The New York Times called "an irresistible story," follows the indefatigable coach as he tirelessly works to turn around a troubled inner-city football team, meanwhile putting out fires at his day job: a highly successful lumber company. Now, in his first book, Courtney, Esquire magazine's Coach of the Year in 2012, describes the key principles—including service, civility, leadership, character, commitment, and forgiveness—that have helped young people and adults to live better and more fulfilled lives.
Courtney has also passed along these values to his 120 employees at the lumber company he built from scratch. A former drug addict became a line manager and loving family man; an out-of-control cornerback is now a cadet at West Point; a star running back has discovered he can show his emotions and still be strong. Courtney shares these and other compelling stories—with pithy statements such as "True compassion is when you reach out to another person when there is no benefit to yourself," and "How we treat those we disagree with says more about us than our opinions"—to illustrate how readers can enrich themselves, their families, their businesses, and their communities.
Courtney goes against the grain of today's me-first culture, while explaining why these time-tested principles are needed now more than ever. He shows that winning isn't just about the score at the end of the game, or the profit margin. Ultimately, it's about the impact you make on your fellow human beings and the legacy you leave behind.
He receives rave reviews speaking to such groups as Nike, Frito-Lay, FedEx, the United States Olympic Committee, and many more.
Videos
Speech Topics
For Faith Based Groups
Bill Courtney volunteered as a football coach, but he became a father figure to the players as well. Most came from broken homes, and having grown up without a father himself, Courtney could relate to their situation.His personal faith had always sustained him, and as he grew and started his own family, it continued to be a cornerstone of the tools for living he successfully employs.
What Is Success?
According to Courtney, football doesn't build character. It reveals character. When Bill Courtney began volunteering to coach a local losing football team, neither he nor the players knew how far they'd go, but their journey together became an inspiring lesson.The players soon realized that Courtney would not let them slide when it came to the fundamentals. Not just of football, but of the actions that count in the real world: commitment, dedication, integrity.The same traits that Courtney encouraged of his players have proven themselves in his business success as well. Having started a lumber business from his living room, Courtney turned it into a $40 million enterprise that currently does business all over the world. Even when the recession hit, Courtney's business thrived. "Walking the talk" of hard work, integrity and dedication, he believes that if you do the right thing, profits will follow.
According to Courtney, to do the right thing, you need to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone, Deserve Success, Serve Others and Outwork Everyone Else. His discipline, combined with true caring, showed his team that true success isn't about trophies or awards on a shelf. It's about living life by a set of values one can be proud of long after their days on the field were over.
News
Related Speakers View all
Eric Lefkofsky
Founder and CEO at Tempus, Inc.; Co-founder of Light...
|
|
Darian Shirazi
Partner at Gradient Ventures; Founder & Former CEO o...
|
|
Kevin Tighe II
Co-Founder & CEO at WeBRAND
|
|
Matt Barrie
CEO of Freelancer.com; Matt Barrie is an award winni...
|
|
Pete Cashmore
Entrepreneur & Founder of Mashable
|
|
Blake Mycoskie
Founder of TOMS, Social Entrepreneur & Author of NY ...
|
|
John Wood
Founder & Board Co-Chair of Room to Read; Former Mic...
|
|
Jimmy Wales
Founder of Wikipedia & Wikitribune
|
|
Gary Vaynerchuk
Co-Founder & CEO of VaynerMedia
|
|
Roy Spence
Co-Founder & Chairman of GSD&M, An Advertising Agenc...
|
|
Craig Kielburger
Co-Founder of the WE Organization, Social Entreprene...
|
|
Sandy Kennedy
CEO of the Saltire Foundation
|
|
Jordan Goldman
Named "One of the top young entrepreneurs in America...
|
|
Laurence Winmill
Laurence Winmill is probably one of the most dynamic...
|
|
Fabian Kaempfer
CEO at Chocomize
|
|
Tom Oliver
Award-Winning Global Social Entrepreneur, Philanthro...
|
|
Jon Steinberg
CEO of Future Plc., Founder of Cheddar; Former Presi...
|
|
Anthony Saladino
Co-Founder & CEO of Kitchen Cabinet Kings
|
|
Jordan Fliegel
Founder, CoachUp; a service that connects athletes w...
|
|
Kavita Shukla
Founder & CEO of The FRESHGLOW Co.; Inventor of FRES...
|