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JJ Birden stops by to talk about his fatherhood journey. He shares his unique story not just about raising his own kids, but his nieces and nephews. We talk about the values he looked to instill into his kids. In addition, he shares the joys about being a grandfather. After that we talk about his time in the NFL and how his heart and determination made him have a long career in the NFL. Next we talk about his book, Beat The Coverage: Six Strategic Steps To Win In Business and Life. He shares the inspiration for this book and how anyone can learn from JJ’s many career paths.Lastly, we finish the interview with the Fatherhood Quick Five.
About JJ Birden
JJ Birden spent his life proving that size does not determine success. Too small for a major Division I football scholarship, Birden walked on at the University of Oregon, earned a starting role, and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 1988. What followed was a nine-year NFL career. It is the longest on record for any player weighing under 160 pounds in the last 35 plus years. He played for the Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs, and other organizations, competing every season against defenders who had every physical advantage over him.
What he lacked in size, he made up for in preparation, precision, and an ability to find the opening when none seemed to exist. After football, Birden took those same principles into the business world. Therefore he was building a career as a keynote speaker, performance coach, and leadership consultant. He now works with Fortune 500 companies, sales organizations, and executive teams, helping high performers identify the “coverage” in their professional lives and build the mindset and systems to beat it. His clients include organizations across the pharmaceutical, technology, and financial services industries.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family. In addition, he speaks nationally through his Beat the Coverage keynote and leadership programs. Make sure you follow JJ on Instagram over at @jjbirden. Plus go to his website over at jjbirden.com. In addition pick up his book, Beat The Coverage: Six Strategic Steps To Win In Business and Life over at beatthecoverage.com over at Amazon.
Kidde Fire Safety Is This Week’s Sponsor
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About The Art of Fatherhood Podcast
The Art of Fatherhood Podcast follows the journey of fatherhood. Your host, Art Eddy talks with fantastic dads from all around the world where they share their thoughts on fatherhood. You get a unique perspective on fatherhood from guests like Bob Odenkirk, Hank Azaria, Joe Montana, Kevin Smith, Danny Trejo, Jerry Rice, Jeff Foxworthy, Patrick Warburton, Jeff Kinney, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Kyle Busch, Dennis Quaid, Dwight Freeney and many more.