Umbrella In The Rain™
My Motivation
Umbrella in the Rain™
How I Became Who I Am
Jimmy has had an extensive Leadership journey and rewarding career in Executive Sales and Marketing. He has led teams that served the world’s largest retailers in several different consumer product industries. All the while energizing organizations with Actionable Sales Strategies, Goal Setting, Problem Solving, Team Building, and Communication.
Jimmy also has a lifetime of experience in sports and sports marketing in both business and as “Coach Pops”. First as a four-sport athlete in high school, and then as a scholarship Basketball Player and team captain at Western Carolina University.
But Jimmy’s drive and determination in this season of his life began in March 2020 with the passing of his wife of 39 years, Sheree. His grief journey and season of loss has led Jimmy to aspire to serve others and bring value to everyone he meets. Jimmy has used his life-changing setback as a comeback. As John Maxwell reminds us “you are
either up or getting back up.”
“It’s the same in business and in life – we can all be winners with the right growth plan, mindset, and attitude. Setbacks happen- get back up and enter the arena. I share and influence organizations and individual clients by using my journey and experiences as an example for positive change.”
-Jimmy McCallister
Jimmy’s motivation is captured in such a beautiful way in a story shared about Sheree which is the motivation for a soon to be released book on navigating grief, Umbrella in the Rain™.
The story took place in a driving thunderstorm years earlier. Sheree pulled her car over to the side of the road, exiting quickly with an umbrella in hand to help an older, disabled man in a small, motorized cart, who was getting absolutely soaked. She hurriedly caught up to the man, walking beside him on a sidewalk, holding the umbrella over his head, protecting him from the rain. Now she was getting drenched, but oh how she was serving this man in such a special way.
Sheree’s legacy, her DNA – to put others first and to be that shelter – is so beautifully capture by being that “Umbrella in the Rain.”
“We all face storms in our life and must equip ourselves for setbacks. How are you equipped for dealing with life’s storms? How are you serving others who need guidance in the storm? Are you leading yourself, so you can lead others?”
-Jimmy McCallister
