Bush makes debut as motivational speaker at Fort Worth Convention Center

Posted Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 Comments   (0) Print Share Share Reprints
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By AMAN BATHEJA

abatheja@star-telegram.com

FORT WORTH — Joining the ranks of Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins and several past leaders of the free world, former President George W. Bush made his first foray into motivational speaking Monday at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

"Every single day, I was honored to be your president by bringing honor and dignity to the office," Bush said to more than 11,000 people as the premier guest of the Get Motivated business seminar.

Bush, who lives in Dallas, spoke in a relaxed tone about how he stands by the decisions he made as president and encouraged others to stick to their principles and live each day to its fullest.

"It’s so simple in life to chase popularity, but popularity is fleeting," said Bush, who battled low approval ratings during his second term. "It’s not real."

The former Texas governor was greeted warmly by the Metroplex crowd.

"I was ready to put him back in office," said Richard Jones of Cleburne following Bush’s speech.

Get Motivated is the latest incarnation of Peter and Tamara Lowe’s traveling convoy of celebrity-delivered entrepreneurial optimism, still strong after more than 20 years.

The couple launched Tampa, Fla.-based Get Motivated Seminars Inc., after Success Events International shut down in 2001, owing millions in unpaid bills and facing complaints from attendees of false advertising. Before that, the Lowes’ daylong events had been held under other company names including Peter Lowe International, a nonprofit.

Bush joins a long line of presidents, including his father, George H.W. Bush, who have spoken at Lowe seminars.

Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford have all headlined Lowe’s events. Other Texans who have been a part of the series include former first lady Laura Bush and late Gov. Ann Richards.

Other speakers at Monday’s event included long-standing Lowe speakers: former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and motivational speaker Ziglar.

A spokesperson for Get Motivated would not say how much the company pays its speakers, but personal finance disclosure forms filed by Giuliani in 2007 during his presidential campaign showed that he was paid $100,000 per Get Motivated speech in 2006.

Sales pitches

Though tickets at the door were $225, most attendees paid far less, many as little as $4.95 a ticket. The low admission price was made up for in part by various pitches throughout the day for future investment seminars and tools.

Real estate guru James Smith and investment adviser Phil Town promised in separate speeches that it’s easy to make money through investing.

They both offered attendees the chance to sign up for future investment seminars, discounted from thousands of dollars to under $100. Following each of their speeches, hundreds hurried to tables set up around the convention center where a small army of Get Motivated staff members were ready with stacks of order forms.

"The investment opportunities — I felt like they were sales pitches," said Greta DeWitt of Arlington, who said she enjoyed hearing Bush and the other high-profile speakers.

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