Jim Rohn was an influential motivational speaker, author, and entrepreneur. He inspired and mentored others who themselves became prominent figures in the self-help and motivational fields. Rohn authored 17 different projects in print, audio, and video media. He was honored with the ‘National Speakers Association” CPAE Award, acknowledging excellence in public speaking. His public speaking career spanned more than 40 years.
Born Emanuel James Rohn in Yakima, Washington, Rohn was the only child of his parents, Emanuel and Clara. His parents had a working farm in Idaho. The lifestyle instilled a work ethic in Rohn that served him throughout his life.
Rohn’s first job was as a stock clerk in a Sears store. When he was 25 years old, he was invited by a friend to attend a lecture by the motivational speaker John Earl Shoaff. He then joined Shoaff’s direct-selling business, AbundaVita, with a job as a distributor. After two years, in 1957, he switched to another Shoaff enterprise, Nutra-Bio. This company provided direct sales of vitamins and other health and nutrition products.
Taking a keen interest in Rohn, the company founders, and Shoaff in particular, took to mentoring Rohn as their protégé. With this guidance, Jim Rohn built one of the company’s most successful organizations. He was rewarded when, in 1960, the firm expanded business into Canada. Rohn was made a vice-president of the company.
It was when Nutra-Bio ceased operations a couple of years later that Rohn had an unexpected opportunity presented to him. A friend asked if he would speak at a Rotary Club the friend belonged to. From this first public speaking engagement, Rohn received other invitations. He began speaking to gatherings at luncheons and other events. In 1963, he presented his first seminar at a hotel in Beverly Hills. His focus on his own story and on personal development struck a resonant chord in audiences. Conducting seminars for employees of Standard Oil and the creation of his own Adventures in Achievements organization catapulted Rohn into the forefront of motivational speaking.
Jim Rohn was always grateful for the help and kindness shown to him by his mentors. In turn, he took under his wing such notable people as Mark R. Hughes, founder of the Herbalife International business, and world-renowned motivational speaker and self-help author Tony Robbins. Author Jack Canfield, who wrote the series of inspirational books beginning with Chicken Soup for the Soul, along with many others, credit Rohn’s speeches and works he authored as central to their career and personal achievements.