S. E. Day is the host and executive producer of The Legally Steal Show™, a talk radio show which provides insider consumer advocate information and advice and information that matters most to consumers’ wallets.
S. E. Day is the best-selling author of The Negotiating Experience and Your Car Deal Your Way! which was written for the credit union industry and its members. He has a strong background in the credit union movement and CU board management. This background is helping credit unions improve current and new member participation. He is also the author of How to Legally Steal Your Next Vehicle and Save $1,000s, a consumer information guide to effective vehicle negotiations and The Graceful Art of Negotiations, due out in December 2011.
Day is also a serial entrepreneur, professional speaker and an expert negotiator. During the end of his junior year at Mississipi State University, S. E. received his commission and served as a military officer during the Persian Gulf War (1990-91). After returning from the war, S. E. graduated from MSU in 1992 with a BA in Political Science. His years as an officer in the U.S. Army MP Corps and his time in combat brought forth his natural leadership ability and encouraged his sense of self-discipline. In 1999, S. E. was offered a position as a Special Agent with the U.S. States Secret Service but declined the offer in pursuit of his entrepreneurial dreams. In 2006, S. E. received his MS in Community Economic Development from Southern Hampshire University.
S. E. enjoyed a career in automobile sales, management and finance and dealer ownership. In these roles, he realized he was an effective negotiator and actually enjoyed negotiating. S. E. has learned that all aspects of real life are negotiable. His speaking and training series, the Graceful Art of Negotiations, Maximizing Your Desired Results teaches his audiences how to turn “no” into “yes” in sales through effective negotiation. His goal is to enrich the lives of professional women and men who also strive for excellence in their respective fields.
What are you working on right now?
I am working on several projects. I will have my third book The Graceful Art of Negotiations, 7 Phases to Maximizing Your Desired Results completed by January 2012. I am preparing to be the spokesperson for Grow Financial Federal Credit Union. I am also creating my own media group.
Where did the idea for The Legally Steal Show come from?
It came from my first book, How to Legally Steal Your Next Vehicle and Save $1,000s. As a negotiating expert and consumer advocate, I felt having a radio show appropriately titled could give consumers insight into business financial practices and help them improve their personal bottom lines.
What does your typical day look like?
My day starts with a cup of coffee, my smartphone and CNN/MSNBC. Once I have viewed the financial and consumer news, I head to my home office to respond to emails, review appointments, research and prepare for the day’s show segment.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Conceive, believe, research and execute.
3 trends that excite you.
I am excited about the will of people. I am excited about the future of the Internet. I am extremely excited about my future. The possibilities are endless and I am taking advantage of them.
What is the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
The worst job I ever had was working at McDonald’s when I was 16 years old. I learned to never work that hard at anyone else’s company but instead to put that energy and work ethic into my own business.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I would stock pile cash like a hoarder before I leap into to the uncharted.
What is the one thing you did/do as an entrepreneur that you would do over and over again and recommend everybody else do?
Threaten to fire yourself daily. The threat is the incentive I use to stay focus on the task at hand. It makes me a better and more focused employee, employer and entrepreneur.
Tell us a secret…
I want a leading role in a major movie production. See, now that I have said it aloud, it will have to become a reality.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
If you want to be wealthy, focus on creating a business that addresses a want and not a need. Consumers are driven by their wants and desires and they spend accordingly.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Not being vain, but The Graceful Art of Negotiations when it comes out. It will illustrate practical applications on how to win at negotiations in any situation, including personal situations with family and friends.
If you weren’t working on building your image as a national expert, what would you be doing?
I would be working with young entrepreneurs and helping develop strong business models for them to be successful. They are the future and I feel it is my duty to pay it forward to the next generation.
When is the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
I laugh out loud several times a day. My mind is so supercharged and creative that I find humor in many things. And no, I am not crazy but I am laughing as I respond to this question.
Who would you love to see interviewed on IdeaMensch?
The acting couple Will and Jada Smith.
How difficult will it be to start a media group?
I will need to conduct months of research, create a plan and obtain capital.
How can you be more effective in helping others achieve their goals?
Simply being more attentive to others’ needs and helping where you can be the most effective.
Connect:
I can be heard Monday-Friday at 12:00 PM Eastern and Saturday at 3:00 PM Eastern on BlogTalkRadio.com/LegallyStealShow
Websites: www.legallystealshow.com and www.thenegotiatingexperience.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheLegallyStealShow
LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/thelegallystealshow
Twitter: Twitter.com/LegallySteal
Blog: LegallySteal.blogspot.com
YouTube: Legallystealshow
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.