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From Boxing to Business: How Foreman Won the Final Rounds
Article Overview: “I told a reporter in 1977 when I made my re-entry into boxing – I stood next to the church, it’s called the Church of Lord Jesus Christ. He asked me what I wanted in the future. I said, 20 years from today to be standing right there in front of that sign being the same human being I am today and you know what, I’ve been successful,” says Foreman. “20 years from today I still want to be that same guy speaking to you, happy, proud of what happened to me. I don’t have anything bad to say about anyone. I have great things to say about my country. I have a beautiful wife who has given me a wonderful family and wonderful kids, so we’re all pretty good. George is fine.”
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From Boxing to Business: How Foreman Won the Final Rounds
"I told a reporter in 1977 when I made my re-entry into boxing - I stood next to the church, it's called the Church of Lord Jesus Christ. He asked me what I wanted in the future. I said, 20 years from today to be standing right there in front of that sign being the same human being I am today and you know what, I've been successful," says Foreman. "20 years from today I still want to be that same guy speaking to you, happy, proud of what happened to me. I don't have anything bad to say about anyone. I have great things to say about my country. I have a beautiful wife who has given me a wonderful family and wonderful kids, so we're all pretty good. George is fine."
George may be fine, but his success has been nothing short of tremendous. From in the boxing ring to outside, Foreman has become a dominating force. How did this once petty criminal turn his life around to become the world renowned athlete, celebrity and entrepreneur he is today?
Marketing: "I went back to boxing trying to sell the old George Foreman heavyweight champion of the world," he says. "Nobody wanted to buy it, though." Foreman had to learn how to give his reputation a 180 degree change. From an unfriendly bully who gave the public a cold shoulder, to a salesman with a cheeky grin and a warm familial appeal, Foreman transformed himself in the public eye. He understood how to get people to love him, so they might love his products too.
Salesmanship: Foreman was not a natural salesman. He shunned the media wherever he could in his early days as a fighter, refusing to give them, or the public, the time of day. Soon, however, Foreman was out on the streets of Texas preaching his evangelical messages. He spent countless nights on the street, learning the craft. Soon, he was using those same skills in the boardrooms of America's business world.
Integrity: "The bottom line is, you make a decision you'll be able to sleep with, wake up the next day, look in the mirror and feel good about yourself," he says. Foreman's Lean, Mean, Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine was just one of the products he chose to endorse that lined up with his personal standards of belief. With this grill, Foreman could help people improve their lives by improving their health. "One of the biggest things is to fight," he says. "Just don't go absolutely for the buck."
Diversification: Foreman's face might be on everything from shoes, to cleaning products, to cooking appliances, to clothes and more, but all of it is part of his carefully crafted strategy to try and hit as many winning products as possible. He knows that he won't be successful one hundred percent of the time, but at least he will have tried.
Fight: "That's my gift," says Foreman. "I let that negativity roll off me like water off a duck's back. If it's not positive, I didn't hear it. If you can overcome that, fights are easy." Foreman came from modest beginnings and being a high school dropout to become one of the world's most well known champions. He did it by fighting to overcome and refusing to give in to the struggle.
"You want to leave something, you really do," says Foreman. "I mean, in the end, statues and all those things, that doesn't mean anything. Leave something that we're all going to benefit from. I think that's what I'd like to do."
Lesson #1: “I learned to make people love me to get my message across.”
Lesson #5: “I let negativity roll off me like water off a duck’s back.”
Causing a Rumble in the Food Jungle: The Foreman Grill Goes for Gold
Lesson #3: “Integrity is how I do business. That’s my main asset.”
The Knockout Entrepreneur: The Early Years of George Foreman
Related Forum Posts
Re: Have You Ever Fallen For Marketing Hype?
- Not all "As seen on tv" products can be bad, as some of them even make it to the mainstream like the George Foreman Grill which is sold at places like Zellers and other large retailers now.
I have a friend who owns and loves both the George Foreman Grill and the Bowflex.
Re: Have You Ever Fallen For Marketing Hype?
- [quote="BuzzAroundBooks":1u9z7zli]Not all "As seen on tv" products can be bad, as some of them even make it to the mainstream like the George Foreman Grill which is sold at places like Zellers and other large retailers now.
[/quote:1u9z7zli]
Kevin,
How do you know?
Our family JUST got the George Foreman Grill last week. We're trying it out this week.... we also have something similar to Bowflex though... can't remember what's called.
Regards,
Takuya
Re: Who to profile next?
- Hi Evan,
How about a profile on George Foreman?
My entry
- 1. The Best Business Books Ever: The 100 Most Influential Business Books You'll Never Have Time to Read
- this is a fascinating book about the history of Business theory, and I'd recommend it to anybody.
2. The Big Book of Small Business: You Don't Have to Run Your Business by the Seat of Your Pants, by Tom Gegax. Ditto.
3. PADI: The Business of Diving Book
Okay, so this book won't be of use to anyone who doesn't want to start a scuba store, but I did, and this book was of course invaluable to me in reaching that goal.
Exclusive: Interview with Results
- Hi Forum Members,
I'm helping start up a Business Coaching and Consulting company here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (a Subsidiary of RSC Business in Los Angeles).
As a Research and Development Intern I am required to practice my listening and interview skills by surveying Small and Medium Businesses on thier Business.
This Survey is designed by RSC Business to also assist the Business being interviewed more insight into their own business.
I am looking to interview about 30 businesses across North America over the span of 3 months.
At the end of these interviews I will be publishing a report of the results and they will be made available for free to the Interviewees. The Report data will include responses from a minimum of 100 interviews.
I would like to extend this opportunity to members of the Forum.
If you would like to have this short 20-30 minute interview conducted on your Business and you reside in North America please send me an email or PM.
Please contact me at andy[at]jvprosperity[dot]com to arrange our interview and to get free access to the results when they are published.
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