Leadership and Entrepreneurship: Profile of Mark Victor Hansen Part I of a three Part Article

Leadership and Entrepreneurship: Profile of Mark Victor Hansen
”Mega” Best Selling Author, Motivator & Chairman Mark Victor Hansen & Associates
and Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises, Inc.
[Part I of a Three Part Article]

This article offers an insight into groundbreaking proven research into how to overcome adversity and how to become a successful leader which is well researched and fully documented in my new book “Leadership and Adversity: The Shaping of Prominent Leaders.” This new Leadership book has received extensive endorsements and enthusiastic reviews from well-known prominent business, political, and academic leaders, best-selling authors, and leading scholars who either participated in the study or reviewed the research findings.

You will discover the proven success habits and leadership secrets of people who, in spite of adversity, discrimination, abuse, or difficult or life threatening challenges shaped their own destiny to become successful, effective leaders.
The full results of this research are presented in the just published book, “Leadership and Adversity: The Shaping of Prominent Leaders,” by Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D.

The sixteen prominent successful leaders, who’s stories are told and shared their secrets about how to overcome adversity were: Dr. Tony Bonanzino, Jack Canfield, William Draper III, Mark Victor Hansen, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Monzer Hourani, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), J. Terrence Lanni, Dr. John Malone, Angelo Mozilo, Larry Pino, Dr. Nido Qubein, U.S. Army Major General Sid Shachnow (Ret.), Dr. John Sperling, Dr. Blenda Wilson, and Zig Ziglar.

Additionally, five internationally well-known, highly respected Best-Selling authors, and major academic scholars offered their peer debriefing comments, reviews and their agreement with the findings of my research findings including:
Dr. Ken Blanchard, Dr. John Kotter, Professor Jim Kouzes, Dr. Paul Stoltz, and Dr. Meg Wheatley.

This is part of a short biography of one of the prominent leaders principal participants for my Leadership and Adversity research who generously contributed their time and insights into the phenomenon of how individuals can successfully overcome adversity and obstacles and even go on to become prominent successful leaders. This is three-part mini-biography of one of the principal leadership research participants who generously contributed his time and insight for this important research into Leadership and Adversity.

This Mark Victor Hansen’s “rags to riches” story -PART I:

Mark Victor Hansen’s father, an illiterate Danish immigrant, a baker by trade, who owned a small shop, but he went bankrupt during the Depression. Mark’s father spent his last $50 on new start in America during World War II. His bakery made a small, but steady income for the family to make through the tough times.

Mark Victor Hansen’s mother worked at the counter each day while his father baked in the back. Mark said that “My parents thought hard work was one of the highest virtues possible.” Mark added, “I learned from my father that the more enterprising you are, the freer you are. He also taught me the virtue of being thrifty. Whatever income I earned during my childhood, my father took half of it to save for my college education.”

Mark Victor Hansen was always encouraged to work by his parents. His father wanted his four sons to be a part of the bakery, but that held no interest for young Mark Victor Hansen. Mark soon discovered that he had a natural talent for sales. By the time Mark was only nine years old he dreamed of owning a racing bicycle that cost $200, which was great deal of money in the late 1950’s.

Mark’s Dad said that Mark would have to earn the money for the bike on his own. So, the enterprising young Mark was able to earn the bike by personally selling 375 boxes of American Greeting cards door-to-door for $1 per box. This amazing feat of salesmanship and entrepreneurship my a nine year old resulting in making him the company’s number one salesman in his age division at the time.

Mark said “I knew that I wanted to be a lifelong entrepreneur.” Mark Victor Hansen was never satisfied with just one job at a time, however. He had a paper route and quickly added two more, eventually becoming an assistant supervisor of paperboys.

Mark Victor Hansen shared this insightful and prophetic vision that he had “at the tender age of 16 had a life-defining vision in which I saw myself talking to 80,000 people at one time.” Mark commented, “I wasn’t frightened by this vision.” He added, “I revel in front of an audience. I knew I wanted to be a person who made a difference—someone who could leave a legacy. I didn’t know how my vision would come to be, but I knew it would happen. ”

This is Part One of a three Part Article on Overcoming Adversity

CONCLUSION
Mark Victor Hansen and I discussed my Doctoral research on overcoming adversity and obstacles as well as my research findings. Mark graciously shared his ideas on the importance of overcoming obstacles and specifically about having vision. Mark said, “Solomon said ‘Without vision my people parish’—transliterated that is ‘With vision I flourish.’”

Mark Victor Hansen has demonstrated his vision in all he does in his multiple streams of income and what he shares with his audiences. Mark Victor Hansen & Associates web site shares these thoughts, and I wholeheartedly agree: “He [Mark] possesses boundless energy and exuberance travels still further through mediums such as television (Oprah, CNN and The Today Show), print (TIME, US News & World Report, USA Today, The New York Times and Entrepreneur) and countless radio and newspaper interviews as he assures our planet's people that ‘you can easily create the life you deserve.’”

Mark Victor Hansen has been on of my writing and speaking mentors for many years. I am truly blessed to have him as my friend, enlightened guru, and mentor. I invite my article readers, looking to be uplifted and touched at a “soulular” level to buy, read, and enjoy a copy of one of over 100 Chicken Soup for the Soul books, or The Power of Focus, The Aladdin Factor, or Dare to Win all by Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield.

For my article readers who are interested in becoming “Enlightened Millionaires” — I suggest that buy, read and then put into action the ideas found in "The One Minute Millionaire: The Enlightened Way to Wealth," "Cracking the Millionaire Code," or "Cash in a Flash" by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen.

Both Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen have been my Mentor for many years. I truly value Mark and Robert’s deep insight, clarity, and focus in their live seminar training and their many great books. I have been blessed to have the opportunity to regularly Speak, Instruct, and Mentor for them since 2005 in both the United States and Canada.

www.TheLeadershipSuccessInstitute.com
www.LeadershipandAdversity.com