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Jim Cathcart

Jim Cathcart

Keynote Speaker: Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame Speaker

Jim Cathcart Biography

With over 42 years of professional speaking around the world, Jim Cathcart is one of the best known and most award-winning motivational speakers in the business. He has delivered more than 3,200 presentations to audiences in every state of the US, most provinces of Canada and countries from Scotland to Singapore. Some of his most recent international engagements were for tens of thousands of business leaders in Taiwan and 21 cities across Mainland China; hoteliers in Bali, Indonesia; engineers in Toulouse, France; business owners in Bogota’, Colombia; Costa Rica; Panama; sales people in Warsaw & Wroclaw, Poland; Santiago, Chile and Singapore! A business strategist, psychological researcher and philosopher at heart, he is also a down-to-earth regular guy. He has worked in warehouses, driven trucks, sold door to door and at trade shows, been a bank teller, plays guitar in night clubs and pubs, and has toured much of the world on a motorcycle.

A TV interviewer said, “Jim Cathcart is what ‘Fonzie’ would have been if he’d gone to business school.” (Millennials are asking, “Who is Fonzie?”) Cathcart was an insurance agent for many years, an Army officer and a bill collector who, while in his twenties, had to repossess log trucks in the mountains of northern Arkansas. From this varied background he decided in 1972 to become an authority on the subject of motivation and through decades of dedication, study and hard work, he made it happen. And even today, he’s also an active motorcyclist and guitar performer.

Even his fellow speakers hire him! Here’s just a short list of the other speaker friends and authors who have endorsed Cathcart (in many cases they have also booked him to speak at their own events): Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, Tom Hopkins, Todd Duncan, Les Brown, Ken Blanchard, Nido Qubein, Spencer Johnson, Daniel Burrus, Norman Vincent Peale, Zig Ziglar, Stephen Covey, Og Mandino, Earl Nightingale, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, Tony Alessandra, Gerhard Gschwandtner, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Randy Gage and Cavett Robert.

After hearing Earl Nightingale on the radio one day in 1972, Cathcart was inspired to change his life. While working as a government clerk in the Housing Authority he determined to learn psychology and master the process of self-improvement. Through years of fanatical dedication to this quest he learned new skills, became a certified trainer for a variety of programs, read stacks of books, attended countless seminars and volunteered thousands of hours to civic organizations. In this process he moved from clerk, to manager, to sales person, to leader, to trainer, to author and professional speaker.

Today he is listed in the professional Speaker Hall of Fame, is a recipient of the prestigious Golden Gavel Award (along with Earl Nightingale, Art Linkletter, Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins and many others), has been the president of the National Speakers Association and received the Cavett Award for a lifetime of service. He has authored 20 books and scores of recorded programs. In 2014, 15, 16 & 17 he was listed as one of Top 50 Sales Influencers in the World by Top Sales World. The San Diego chapter of the National Speakers Association renamed their member of the year award “The Jim Cathcart Service Award” and the Greater Los Angeles chapter gave him the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. In 2008 he was inducted as one of the “Legends of the Speaking Profession.” And in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 he was selected as one of the Top 5 Sales & Customer Service Speakers by Speaking.com in an online survey of over 27,000 people.

Jim Cathcart is an active motivational speaker and prolific author plus an executive coach to numerous high-achievers. His messages can be seen daily on ThriveTimeShow.com and TSTN.com or YouTube and he does radio interviews almost every week.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Jim Cathcart and other top speakers and celebrities.

Jim Cathcart Speaking Topics

Relationship Selling™ (Treating Connections as Assets), The Power Minute (Motivation), The Acorn Principle (Tapping Your Potential), Leadership and Motivation, Relationship Intelligence®, Communication Strategies

Relationship Selling in the New Era

As the author of the original Relationship Selling, published in 1986, Jim Cathcart has decades of practical experience in seeing what works and what doesn’t. His Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling written in 2002, emphasizes increasing Sales Readiness at all levels of the organization. He motivates sales people to see customers as assets and to build profitable business friendships.

Growing Leadership At All Levels

“If you can’t lead you, please don’t lead me!” Self Leadership is the beginning point for Organizational Leadership. Cathcart’s best seller The Acorn Principle grows out of his psychological research coupled with cutting edge business strategy and shows people how to use the collective intellect of the organization to tap individual strengths and maximize motivation. He shows how to get people to embrace the “genetic code” of your organization.

The Grandma Factor: Lifetime Customer Loyalty

When you find meaning in what you do, you bring value to what you do. Everyone knows how to provide good service; our challenge is getting them to want to. The real magic in customer service comes from discretionary efforts, when people go beyond their job description. This presentation focuses on the ways systems, strategies, standards, and relationships impact service. Jim Cathcart teaches building your clientele through “up-serving.”

Rethinking Ourselves for a New Era

"If you can't lead yourself, please don't lead others." The most popular methods of leadership, management, sales, and service delivery are already dangerously out of date. New technologies require new ways of thinking. Every day another standard practice becomes obsolete. To continue to grow and thrive we must learn to constantly rethink our markets, our systems, our relationships, our strategies, and ourselves. This presentation combines stories, visuals, research, and audience interaction to dramatically improve the way we think and act.

Jim Cathcart Videos

How to believe in yourself: Jim Cathcart at TEDxDelrayBeach

How do I book Jim Cathcart to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Jim Cathcart for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Jim Cathcart, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Jim Cathcart or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Jim Cathcart for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Jim Cathcart, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Jim Cathcart are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Jim Cathcart, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Jim Cathcart speak about?

Jim Cathcart is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Sales, Customer Service, Negotiation, Business, Inspirational, Peak Performance, Futurism, Business Leadership, Business Growth, Personal Growth, Authors, Entertainers, Marketing, Communication, Strategic Leadership, Human Resources, Networking, Consulting, Motivational, Leadership, Innovation, Creativity, College, Celebrity and Culture.

Where does Jim Cathcart travel from?

Jim Cathcart generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Jim Cathcart?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Jim Cathcart for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jim Cathcart for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Jim Cathcart or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Jim Cathcart is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Sales, Customer Service and Negotiation. The estimated speaking fee range to book Jim Cathcart for live events is $10,000 - $20,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Jim Cathcart generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tim Sanders, Don Peppers and Amanda Gore. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Jim Cathcart for an upcoming event.

Jim Cathcart Speaking Topics

  • Relationship Selling™ (Treating Connections as Assets), The Power Minute (Motivation), The Acorn Principle (Tapping Your Potential), Leadership and Motivation, Relationship Intelligence®, Communication Strategies

  • Relationship Selling in the New Era

    As the author of the original Relationship Selling, published in 1986, Jim Cathcart has decades of practical experience in seeing what works and what doesn’t. His Eight Competencies of Relationship Selling written in 2002, emphasizes increasing Sales Readiness at all levels of the organization. He motivates sales people to see customers as assets and to build profitable business friendships.

  • Growing Leadership At All Levels

    “If you can’t lead you, please don’t lead me!” Self Leadership is the beginning point for Organizational Leadership. Cathcart’s best seller The Acorn Principle grows out of his psychological research coupled with cutting edge business strategy and shows people how to use the collective intellect of the organization to tap individual strengths and maximize motivation. He shows how to get people to embrace the “genetic code” of your organization.

  • The Grandma Factor: Lifetime Customer Loyalty

    When you find meaning in what you do, you bring value to what you do. Everyone knows how to provide good service; our challenge is getting them to want to. The real magic in customer service comes from discretionary efforts, when people go beyond their job description. This presentation focuses on the ways systems, strategies, standards, and relationships impact service. Jim Cathcart teaches building your clientele through “up-serving.”

  • Rethinking Ourselves for a New Era

    "If you can't lead yourself, please don't lead others." The most popular methods of leadership, management, sales, and service delivery are already dangerously out of date. New technologies require new ways of thinking. Every day another standard practice becomes obsolete. To continue to grow and thrive we must learn to constantly rethink our markets, our systems, our relationships, our strategies, and ourselves. This presentation combines stories, visuals, research, and audience interaction to dramatically improve the way we think and act.

Jim Cathcart Videos

How to believe in yourself: Jim Cathcart at TEDxDelrayBeach

Jim Cathcart Reviews

  • His sincerity, his original thought, his entertaining presentation style. But most of all, he is extremely likable!
    redpropeller, llc and Lauterbach Management Global, LLC - Sep 28 2012

  • Jim is my role model. He is a success living legend. When I watch and listen to Jim speaking, I get inspired by almost every phrase he says. He truly deserves to be the world's most award winning professional speaker.
    Unknown - Oct 10 2011

  • I enjoyed how he helped me to relook at how I view the value of relationships and the adage of 'It's not what you know, but who you know.' He helped me to fill in the missing part of that statement. I also enjoyed the part about asking myself the right questions to be successful.
    Sales Coach Site.com - Jun 11 2011

  • Naturally I'd praise myself as a speaker, but that doesn't mean I'm right for all speaking assignments. Let me know what you're seeking and I can tell you if I'm your guy. If not, I'll happily refer you to other speakers or to your favorite bureau. My specialty is business motivation. I'm known for my books Relationship Selling and The Acorn Principle. With over 2,700 speeches around the world I've come to understand many industries and organizations. My latest speeches have been for execs in Santiago, Chile & Bogota', Colombia. Last week I addressed 13,000 people at the Opening Ceremonies for the USA National Special Olympics.
    Cathcart Institute, Inc. - Jul 20 2010

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