"Highlight the Positive, Learn from the Negative, and keep Moving Forward"
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Dan Duster is the magnetic motivator who has inspired many to achieve their dreams.
I have heard him speak and he engages while giving power to the commoner. I enjoy speakers who make you feel comfortable while giving you invaluable tips to fortify your life. I had a chance to pin Dan down. He is always on the go! But thankfully, he had a few moments to shed some light on our quest to mobilize and enhance ourselves all while making the best of this thing called life!
You worked in the corporate world for quite some time, and then left. You had a dream and a vision. How have you nurtured this into 3D Development Group?
I've been very successful in sales with top companies such as IBM, Coca-Cola, Abbott Diagnostics. Having gone through their training programs, I always liked training, motivational speaking and helping people achieve their goals. I had done youth motivation since around 1990 when I worked with IBM and always thought about trying to somehow do it professionally. After a long career in sales, in 2000, I got a contract at Verizon in Virginia as sales coach and loved it! There, I created my own workshops for the service reps to help them improve their sales. Within a year, I helped their office move from 4th in their district to number 1. That gave me the confidence to know that I could be effective. So, I moved back to Chicago in 2001 and started 3D Development Group.
In my keynote speech on Personal Achievement, I call myself Dan Duster “the Barrier Buster” – Obliterating Obstacles on your Path to Prosperity. I help people set and embrace their goals, then I help them realize they have the motivation, creativity and resources to achieve any those goals.
What do you share with people in order to get them to realize their own visions?
The first thing that I have people do is create their visions. I ask them to imagine where they would like to be in say, 5 years (whatever timeframe they are comfortable with). If you are in your ideal place, there are no barriers, no distractions; you are exactly where you want to be, doing what you want to do...what is that? I'll have them describe it to me in detail and make them experience that moment. They can go to my website http://www.danduster.net to get a free copy of "How to Achieve the Success that you Deserve" or call me at 773-456-1064 and I'll send them one.
You are related to Ida B. Wells, who was an extraordinary activist, feminist, and one of the founders of the NAACP. How has this impacted your life?
The first thing that comes to mind is COURAGE. She was a courageous person to do everything that she did and stand up in the face of adversity and literally life threatening dangers. She was constantly fighting for justice and equality, and she fought with everyone. Blacks thought she was too aggressive, white women felt she was too demanding and outspoken (with regards to the women's suffrage movement) and men in general thought she overstepped her bounds as a woman. So, when I consider all that she went through, the challenges that I face today seem pretty small.
She directly instilled the value for education in our family. 3 out of 4 of her children graduated from college; my grandmother’s children (my father and his sister and brothers) all graduated college and have advanced degrees; all of their children attended college and about half of us have advanced degrees. We grew up being asked: “What are you going to do after college?”
She also instilled the values of family, integrity and standing up for justice. Most of my relatives have been involved in some type of organization or effort to enhance the community.
I’ve delivered keynote speeches across the nation, talking about her struggles and triumphs in the late 1800’s to motivate audiences to overcome the obstacles we face today and Stand Up against injustices in the workplace, our schools and our communities. The themes of the speeches are Be WELL and Stand UP!
I talk about her principles of leadership;
Be W.E.L.L.;
Be Wise with your Choices,
Be Excellent with your Actions
Live with Integrity
Lead with Courage
Stand UP!:
Don’t be a “Guilty Bystander”; Do something to stomp out injustice whenever you see it!
What do you say to the upcoming generation of colored young men about fortitude and civic responsibility?
Wow, that's a great question! Fortitude is crucial; that's what I talk about in my Be WELL speech. I let them know that great leaders from the past often had to take a position that wasn't popular and be able to deal with folks calling them crazy, threatening them and/or abandoning them. That's when a person's true character shows; not in times of comfort and agreement, but in times of struggle and adversity.
Young men have several civic responsibilities. They must get an education so they can have options in the future and be able to be the leader in their families. They must contribute to their communities and their families; They must be willing to uplift, protect and respect the women in their communities; it's up to them to make this world a better place. They must continue the pursuit for justice and equality that our forefathers fought so hard to achieve. They are literally responsible for the future of our country; they must accept that and take action!
You have also spear-headed another venture, tell us about it?
I'm starting a speaker’s bureau / incubator Local Motivators for people interested in becoming motivational speakers and for current speakers who charge less than $5,000. I've found that there are a number of people that would like to be motivational speakers that need help cultivating their story and then marketing themselves to organizations. There are a number of organizations that want local talent to speak to their groups at a reasonable rate. I'm servicing that need.
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Thanks Dan!!! We'll be checking in with Dan from time to time getting updates, seminar information and tips on bettering our lives!
Dan Duster
President - 3D Development Group
9046 S. Blackstone Ave
Chicago, IL 60619
773-456-1064
877-3D-IMPACT
www.3ddevelopmentgroup.com
www.danduster.net
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