INITIATE LEADERSHIP. EMBRACE CHANGE. THRIVE THROUGH MOTIVATION :
Former college and Pro Football Coach, business leader, Author
About John Parker
About John Parker
Often you come across an individual who lives a humble life, yet his very presence strikes a polarizing cord with the people around him. This is John Parker. He is a retired Professional and College football coach of 30 plus years. He is brash, unapologetic, sometimes painfully direct, blunt and has never been afraid to say what everybody is thinking, but are to filtered enough to not say it. He prides himself on “keeping it real” with people.
He will frequently say “if you ask me a question, you will get a direct answer. I never promise that you will like the answer, but it will be straight forward. If you ask me what I think about a situation, if I think it’s great, then I will tell you just that. But, if I think it is “Messed Up” then you will get that also, but if it’s the ladder, I will also help you fix it.” As a motivational speaker, he has made a difference in people’s lives by teaching them how to gain real direction and follow their dreams.
John has always been a rebel, but he has always had a cause. Mostly it was to disrupt and "wake you up" from whatever comfortable system people believed in. John Parker's expertise and passion are the motivation, inspiration and leadership of individuals, teams and organizations. He is one of the most sought after motivational/leadership speakers nationwide. His keynote speeches and presentations, and his motivational and leadership development programs range from small rooms of top leadership teams to large scale events on very big stages.
Power, authority and even a title aren’t necessary for impact. Influence—that’s what is necessary, along with the desire to be influential. No matter where an employee sits within your organization, he or she can learn how to have influence. John's motivational speeches are ideal for teams and organization that want to develop more influential leaders. This presentation will motivate your people to become your company’s leading performers, who influence outcomes, contribute to major decisions, and create change that moves your company ahead.
Parker on being a "Survivor"
One word used in describing John Parker is “survivor.” During the summer of his junior year of college, he was driving on a major highway, in the North County area of St. Louis late one evening. The events that would happen next would change his life forever. A drunk driver decided to drive down the exit ramp and proceeded to get on the inside lane, lights off and doing 80-mph, traveling in the wrong direction. When he appeared in front of John, it was too late. The driver hit him head on. John probably should have been killed in the accident, after all, who survives a head on accident at 80-mph? But, although he was only injured, those injuries would be quite devastating. He had stitches in his head, detached the retina in his right eye, broke both collar bones, cracked his sternum and broke nearly all his ribs. In addition, his right knee was smashed and required major reconstructive surgery.
He did survived the accident, but he was a mess. But, with a determination and drive unlike most, one year later he was back on the football field and finished his college football playing career. Later, during his 30 plus years as a college/professional football coach, he endured several health scares but through all of this, John has never lost his focus or his drive to be a leader, and to motivate other to best the absolute best that they can be. As he has been known to do, he has always kept silent about most of his health issues. He truly is a walking miracle.
Parker on "Leadership"
Successful leaders are laser focused on high value activities, doing the right things at the right time. They are skilled at concentrating their daily strategies on executing work that has the most impact. They know how to control their schedules by utilizing time blocking, delegation, and by learning to say “no” effectively to anything that gets in the way of what is most important. John is one of the most effective motivational speakers as he shows leaders how to manage their time so it doesn’t manage them.
After his college playing career, and a short stint at the professional level, John made it his ambition to become a Division I College Football Coach. He had many opportunities to do other things with his professional life, but he knew what the game of football had provided to him and he wanted a chance to provide that same opportunity to other young men, especially young men of color. He has often stated that “football has been a platform for everything I have ever done. I owe the game and the coaching profession everything.” He traveled all over this country following his ambition, but he knew that he also wanted to make social changes within the coaching profession. He wanted changes in how the profession was for black coaches. He has stated, “When I first started coaching, less than 1% of NFL teams and major universities had a black head coach, but nearly 80 percent of the players looked like me. That was not right.” In 1994, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Black Coaches Association of America and made a conscious decision to put his career on the line to fight for minority coaches in the football profession.
John never became a Division I head coach, but he is not bitter. He always says, “real leadership is not about popularity. Often it is about the opportunity to go against the grain, sacrificing yourself for the greater good. I had a good run for over 30 years. More importantly, my players graduated and moved into productive lives when they were done. I was happy with my coaching career. I have no regrets. Furthermore, the work that we accomplished paved the way for opportunities for young coaches of color to gain opportunities. I am very proud of the work I have done. Yes, I was very lucky and fortunate to work for and with some of the great people I did.”
Prior to getting out of coaching, he decided to go into the public relations/crisis communications/contract negotiations business. That came as a surprise even to him. His negotiation skills were made public during several coaching searches, and other coaches began to approach him about negotiating their salary contracts with universities across the country. Very soon, he was privately representing almost twenty percent of the top college and professional football coaches in the country. He was able to parley this into handling their endorsement deals and their crisis situations. He finally walked away from the college coaching side of football in 2010, when he left Tennessee State University. His reputation, hard work and persistence later earned him two NFL Championship/Super Bowl rings. One as a Defensive Secondary Consultant with the Seattle Seahawks (2012-14) and the other as a Lead Film Analyst with the Philadelphia Eagles (2017-18).
Parker on "Motivation"
Motivation and purpose are the key to performance. But how does motivation actually work in the human mind? What can we do to keep ourselves and others motivated through challenge and change? Is there a secret to helping others stay focused and engaged?
John Parker is a professional speaker who has connected with people of all ages and backgrounds. From the corporate boardrooms, to high school and college campuses, to civic and charitable events, John Parker has lead, influenced, instructed and inspired people nationwide. He states, "I feel that my life’s calling is to motivate people to be better. I am here to be helpful to those who feel helpless.” He added, "when we were kids, we were fearless, happy, unstoppable, even when we were doing everything for the first time in life, but that never stopped us. We tried and failed, we tried again and again until we learned how to walk, speak, play, eat and so on. As we grew up, we started learning from everything we heard around us and everything we experienced. We developed habits, beliefs, fears and grew from our own good and bad experiences. That is all we know; our experience and our life. We don't know, live, speak, play or work using somebody else's experience, but our own, and all that defines our future. I try and help people realize more about themselves.
John Parker is a forward thinking leader who refuses to slow down. He forward thinking has made him come to understand the need to take care of our senior population. He has realized that by 2030 more people in the United States will be older than age sixty-five than younger than age five. He also understands that our health care system is unprepared for the complexity of caring for a heterogenous population of older adults—a problem that was magnified by the coronavirus pandemic. Parker knows all to well that preventive health screenings are a smart way to safeguard your overall health and well-being. He knows that these forward thinking health screenings offer a wide range of benefits, such as catching potential health issues early, preventing more severe problems from developing, improving your overall quality of life, and reducing healthcare costs. Plus, by finding out your risk factors for specific conditions, people have the opportunity to make lifestyle changes to lower their risk. He believes that making preventive health screenings a priority is your best bet for continued good health. With this thought process he launched and is the CEO of a brand new venture. His company, Medical Testing Services and Consulting focuses on leveraging advanced genetic testing technology to identify pathogens swiftly, enabling proactive measures to mitigate disease spread and reduce morbidity and mortality rates among residents. He is the President of Evolution Communications & Media Group, a firm that specialized in corporated/crisis communications and public/media relations and reputation management for large corporations/companies, government entities and non-profit organizations.
He is the former Chief Communications, Public Relations and Marketing Officer for Evolution St. Louis, a high-tech knitting and fabric company. He is the former Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Media for the St. Louis Development Corporation. He has been a television talk show host. He has had a syndicated national sports radio/TV show "The Sports Mayhem USA" on over 130 stations in the country. He has published a men's magazine, "Evolution Magazine". He has built and sold several companies. He currently holds seats on several charitable boards such as ARCHS, the St. Louis Ambassadors, the Viral Cancer Research Foundation, the St. Louis Small Business Institute, and many others. He is a staunch advocate for the St. Louis Crisis Nursery, the Make A Wish Foundation and the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. In December of 2018, John Parker was named as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential African American in St. Louis, Missouri". In addition, he is a published author and has written four books. He is an accomplished singer and can often be found on the weekends with his wife beautiful Nancy, on stage in the lower Broadway area of Nashville, Tennessee.
John Parker could be labeled as an over-achiever, but he doesn’t see it that way. John looks at life as an opportunity to do whatever you truly want to do. "You must have the courage to risk it all sometimes and keep moving forward in the face of adversity." He says, “Our story is who we are. All that will remain of us after we are gone is our story. Our "legacy." Surprisingly, we all know that there are people who wait for someone like a John Parker to step up and say what needs to be said, unabashedly and always with conviction, so that they can be led and motivated to gain the same courage to raise their hands and shout out, without any restraint, and say, “Damn, I’m just like you!”
John Parker is a rare blend of a brilliant talent to repeatedly reinvent himself and over-achieve, unwavering perseverance and dedication, whether it is for a cause or just for the motivational factor and leadership of people. Parker is the definition of leadership, inspiration, relentless hard work, passionate preparation and yes, a coldblooded and often polarizing persona that forces people to "get comfortable being just a bit uncomfortable", because John Parker believes in "real" conversation, in order to effect "real" change, "real" motivation and "real" leadership.
He does this by simply "KEEPING IT REAL" !!!!!!!
More About John Parker
John Parker speaks to the audience from personal experience. His purpose and passion is to help others find who they really are became a focus. He bases his practical, down to earth approach on real-life applications, and speaks about the power of welcoming change and how the mind works when it comes to inspiration, motivation, leadership, peak performance and success toward change and through change.
John Parker connects with attendees instantly. Audiences consistently rate John Parker as the “highlight” of their events. He is a powerful story-teller and his keynotes talks are full of real life stories with powerful insights that then lead to powerful tools and actionable takeaways. John Parker is a nationwide authority on leadership development and motivation, and he always works with you (and with your team) to create a customized program that works perfectly for your event’s agenda. John Parker always takes the time to talk with key stakeholders and team members, review materials, and weave in relevant themes and areas of focus based on interviews, materials and your specific requests. John Parker's events, talks and seminars are uplifting and engaging. He is humorous, highly interactive and provides real strategies to change your lives, accomplish your goals and become the best version of yourselves, personally and professionally, in a rapidly changing world.
John Parker's keynotes are based on the weight of our own human compass. John Parker meets people where they are and help them maximize their potential as confident leaders who make the right decisions and choices, no matter the challenge. His discovery process, using his honed skills in motivation and leadership development, challenges people to unpack their biases and focus on what is right and just, no matter the situation or audience. John Parker will provide the motivational guidance necessary to increase a person’s ability and confidence to lead in all circumstances, even if the whole world is watching.
John Parker has spoken to dozens of college campuses, major corporations, mid-size companies, emcee'd hundreds of events and been featured on many media outlets discussing change, corporate motivation, leadership and how the human mind works to become exceptional in every area of our lives, personally and professionally. Every event is very different from the next, and each speech is tailored to give your audience the most actionable tools, motivation and passion, and the power to lead toward change and through change in the most effective, passionate and mindful way.
John Parker has hand-crafted topics using the latest research and based on her expertise in human behavior, delivered through engaging, interactive, humorous and insightful storytelling.
The Ideal Opening Keynote Speaker
Kickoff your meeting or conference with a bang! As your Opening Keynote Speaker, platform pro John Parker sets the stage for profound learning and meaningful engagement with his thought-provoking content delivered with an entertaining, energetic and humorous style. John will provide both the content and context for your audience to help set the stage for all the entertainment to come!
A Memorable Closing Keynote Speaker
As a powerful Closing Keynote Speaker, John Parker will reinforce the learning and value received by your conference participants, while challenging them to forgo ingrained behaviors and think beyond the traditional mindset. With the right mix of humor and energy to keep audiences engaged and in their seats, participants will stay until the end and leave with a smile on their face, along with a clear idea of what’s next and how to get there.
Companies and organizations who have chosen John Parker
John Parker
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
Veteran Motivational Speaker
John Parker's story is one that moves, touches and inspires. It’s a story about determination and personal accountability. John Parker is a professional speaker and very successful author and entrepreneur. His presentations are a combination of rich, true life content and great clean humor.
Veteran Motivational Speaker
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
Veteran Motivational Speaker
A veteran in the art of public speaking, John Parker has connected with people of all ages and backgrounds. From the corporate boardrooms, to college campuses, to civic and charitable events, John Parker has influenced, instructed and inspired people nationwide. He will connect with you, leaving you laughing, motivated, and better able to deal with the daily onslaught of stress in of your life.
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
John is a gifted, glamorous & well spoken providing Emcee Services John brings humor and warmth to his Emcee duties through honest excitement, humility and openness. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that John Parker is Emcee who cares deeply and believes fully in audience. John is an emcee other emcee’s aspire to be. He is without a doubt a top Emcee in the country. He is a rock star emcee. Get "The Coach" John Parker as your master of ceremonies – and make your event rock!
ENERGY FOR KEYNOTES
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
Experienced Emcee and Show Host
Many speakers are outgoing and vivacious. John Parker, however, has the special ability to TRANSFER energy to the audience! It is the clients he works with that come away dancing on the ceiling, filled with vitality, possibility, and exciting clarity about how to improve the quality of their lives, future career, communication, and relationships. John Parker's events are flat-out FUN!
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The second key difference is one that is becoming more and more important to people looking for a great speaker. From major companies to college campuses, all are becoming increasingly desirous of speakers who not only inspire with regard to their futures, but also extend their message beyond the work community. John Parker’s principles, experiences, and stories enable every single person to relate at a PERSONAL LEVEL. The result is a much more LASTING and ACTIVATING response .
PASSIONATE ABOUT MOTIVATION
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
INSPIRING FOR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The final difference can best be summed up in one word PASSION! John Parker does not care about glitz and flash. On every occasion that he speaks, his audiences get excited about him being there, and in every seminar and keynote John has delivered. Audiences love him because he KEEPS IT VERY REAL!
More About JOHN PARKER
BACKGROUND
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
John Parker was born in St. Louis Missouri. He graduated from McCluer Senior High School in the suburb of Florissant, where he was an All State performer in football, basketball, and track. He was inducted into the schools' Hall of Fame in 2003. He was awarded a college football scholarship, and played Defensive Back at Ball State
John Parker was born in St. Louis Missouri. He graduated from McCluer Senior High School in the suburb of Florissant, where he was an All State performer in football, basketball, and track. He was inducted into the schools' Hall of Fame in 2003. He was awarded a college football scholarship, and played Defensive Back at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana.
He holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Education/Public Relations, and Masters of Science Degrees in Exercise Physiology and Sports Marketing, and is pursuing at Ph.D in Sports Psychology respectively.
He got his calling to become a Coach, and he very quickly answered the call. In over twenty-five years, he has coached (15) 15 NFL draft choices, seven (7) of which have played in the Super Bowl.
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
In 2004, prior to his retirement from professional coaching, Parker began operating as the President of Evolution Communications and Media Group, a Communications and Crisis/Reputation Management Consulting Firm in St. Louis, MO.
John Parker has been a professional television talk show host of the show “Prime Time Sports” in St. Louis, M
In 2004, prior to his retirement from professional coaching, Parker began operating as the President of Evolution Communications and Media Group, a Communications and Crisis/Reputation Management Consulting Firm in St. Louis, MO.
John Parker has been a professional television talk show host of the show “Prime Time Sports” in St. Louis, Missouri (11 years). The award-winning sports show was recognized throughout the Midwest. He also developed a national sports radio talk show titled “The Sports Mayhem USA”, which was heard on the Sports Byline USA Radio Network (130 stations) for over six years.
John finally hung up his coaching whistle permanently in 2010, and built a successful public relations and reputation management firm. John is currently the Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Public Relations and Human Resources for Evolution St. Louis and the Owner/President of Evolution Communications & Media Group, a firm that specialized in crisis communications and media management for large corporations, government entities and non-profit organizations.
CHARITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL LIFE
CHARITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
John became an activist, honed his public speaking talents and expertise, and began speaking to both small and large companies and organizations all over the United States.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of ARCHS, the Adoption Exchange, the St. Louis Ambassadors, the 1904 World’s Fair Charitable Foundation, the Viral Cancer Rese
John became an activist, honed his public speaking talents and expertise, and began speaking to both small and large companies and organizations all over the United States.
He is a member of the Board of Directors of ARCHS, the Adoption Exchange, the St. Louis Ambassadors, the 1904 World’s Fair Charitable Foundation, the Viral Cancer Research Foundation, the Small Business Institute and AHA Unlimited. He has done events for The Leukemia Lymphoma Society Gateway Chapter, The St. Louis Crisis Nursery, The Jack and J.T. Snow Foundation and the National Liver Foundation. He is a member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the United Way. He has received numerous awards in his career including being recognized by the “I’m a Survivor” Foundation because of his two successful battles with cancer.
In December of 2018, John Parker was named as one of the Top 100 Most Influential African American in the City of St. Louis, Missouri.
SOME OF JOHN PARKER'S MOST SOUGHT AFTER SPEECH TOPICS
OVERCOMING ADVERSITY
- Whether we embrace it or not, adversity is part of our life. Learning to rise to the challenge is what builds character and resilience. Your attitude in the face of adversity is what defines you as a person. With every hurdle you surpass you learn how to strengthen your will, confidence and ability to conquer future obstacles.
- Adversity comes in all shapes and sizes. In the business world, adversity becomes a metaphor for taking the reins into the unknown. John Parker's talk on Overcoming Adversity will teach you how to accept adversity and remain optimistic through each failure.
LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH SELF-DISCIPLINE
- The number-one trait needed to accomplish any goals in life is to have self-discipline. Self-discipline is a learned behavior that not everyone has. The ability for a person to be able to monitor and control her own behavior is a concept that many would love to have, but unfortunately not all of them do. John Parker give a few strategies to help you the audience improve their self-control, so they will make better choices and not emotional ones.
- MOTIVATION THROUGH CHANGE
- Motivation and purpose are the key to performance. But how does motivation actually work in the human mind? What can we do to keep ourselves and others motivated through challenge and change? Is there a secret to helping others stay focused and engaged? The answer is top cutting-edge science based knowledge paired with practical, real-life applications, delivered in a light, engaging and humor based atmosphere.
- In this transformational and fascinating experience, John Parker shares with the audience the best kept secrets and most powerful strategies for increasing motivation and leading ourselves and others toward peak performance. Audience members will not only go through an entertaining and captivating experience but will leave with real, tools and practical strategies that will completely transform the way they motivate themselves and others on a daily basis.
EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP: THE POWER OF BREAKING THROUGH BARRIERS
Great leadership relies on the power to motivate through obstacles. This is centered around communicating effectively and creating a culture of powerful teamwork. During this inspiring, motivating and insightful experience, John Parker provides leaders with real-life, cutting-edge strategies to shift from vision to powerful teamwork, growth, and exceptional success.
John Parker brings in the most recent winning leadership strategies. This is a highly interactive keynote, full of audience participation, insights, best tips and real life inspiring leadership stories to highlight teamwork, increase motivation and grow engagement through diversity of personalities, generations and challenges and lead forward with confidence through all barriers and toward outstanding performance of leaders and teams alike.
Things My Mother Taught Me:
John Parker talks openly about his life experiences. This is often an emotional speech and a real insight into why he is the one of the most dynamic speakers in the country. This is an audience favorite!!
JOHN PARKER
John Parker has a reputation as one of the most energetic and inspirational leadership and motivational speaker’s in the country. He brings experiences, rich humor, and colorful storytelling to every event he hosts. He is regularly requested, and has a full schedule of events that he emcees. Companies and organizations request him often when they need to raise the level of excitement, because he comes with an energy level that is unmatched by most other speakers. He truly is inspiring.
Here are just a few more of John Parker’s Former Clients
*MSUD *Boeing Illinois Dept of Transportation *National Association of Engineers *The St. Louis Crisis Nursery *The Adoption Exchange *Youth Lifeline America *Nestle Purina Corporation *Big Brothers/Big Sisters *The United Way *Emerson *Dell *Harbour Group Inc. *The Black Coaches and Administrators Association *Nike *The American Football Coaches Association *Adidas *The Fellowship of Christian Athletes *AFLAC *National Womens Council of Realtors *Various Educational, Youth and Civic Organizations
For booking please contact: John Parker at 314-363-1102 or Email him at CoachJohnParkerLive@gmail.com
Testimonials
"Thank you for being a great Emcee at the IEC Presidents Reception & Awards Gala and making us all look good at America's Center in St. Louis. I have never heard so many good comments. Your level of excitement really kept the room lively and everybody loved your humor. The audience was so impressed and they can be a tough crowd !!
Spencer Villwock, CEO, Independent Electrical Contractors
"Fabulous! Superb! Excellent! Wonderful! Amazing! - These are just a few of the descriptions of John Parker’s hosting at the MSUD conference/symposium in Chicago. Needless to say, he was an absolute, unequivocal hit with everyone. The effort he put into his duties to customize it for our very unique and diverse audience was greatly appreciated. He really 'hit the mark' and gave our attendees lots of great humor as they face the challenges with a terrible disease in the future. He delivered in a way that left our audiences standing on their feet and asking for more."
Mrs. Barbara Mudrick, Conference/Symposium Director, MSUD
“Besides being an outstanding coach, an inspiring speaker and motivating leader of people, he is a great host for any event and for any organization. He speaks to people from experience, very directly, and from the heart, and people truly listen to him and enjoy his handling of an evening”.
Mr. James Allen, Director of Marketing, Nestle-Purina Corporation
"Thanks John! We can’t thank you enough for being a part of our 15th annual airline partners summit. Your presentation was interesting, motivating and perfect for our audience. We are already implementing your motivational concepts. Steamboat is a special place with some special people. We are so glad you got to experience what differentiates us from other resorts including our team. John, you are now officially a part of our family!"
Rob Perlman, VP Marketing, Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation
Testimonials
“John Parker has one of the best and brightest minds in both sports and business. I told him once that he should have a radio talk show, because of what he has the ability to do, which is speak to people in a frank, and direct manner, by encompassing the controversial issues, and the experiences of life, while at the same time keeping it very funny. It was inevitable that some major radio or television program would discover this man, his un-canny inspiring talents and the fact that often he does it off the cuff, with minimal resources required.”
Mark Blaudschum, Writer, The Sporting News
"I really appreciate your presentation for Commerce Bank. We were truly blessed with an inspiring speaker and a perfect fit for our annual “Top Gun” event. Your ideas were “on target” (no surprise there) and will be implemented in our bank as we make adjustments to improve our processes."
Tommy Bargeron, Market Vice President, Commerce Bank
"Thank you for your outstanding presentation. Finally seeing you speak was terrific. The anecdotal feedback is very positive, as is the feedback for the overall meeting. So, my immediate reaction is SUCCESS!"
Lori Fouche, CEO, Prudential Group Insurance
“John is consistently enthusiastic, well-prepared and professional in all aspects of his work. More over, he is a team player and interacts effectively with various types of people. What he brought to his talk is not something that you get in your average speaker.”
Bruce Baum, Professor and Humor Consultant, Buffalo State College
INVESTMENT SCHEDULE Price range is very negotiable (depending on size of function, organization, or company)
Dinner/Lunch, Speeches, Appreciation Events, Master of Ceremonies, Banqu
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