About Rich Fenton …

"I spent the greater part of my sales and management career with an enormous fear of failure," says Rich.  "As a result I robbed myself of achieving true success.  Now I spend each day not only accepting failure, but embracing it.  And the changes in my life have been truly remarkable."

This is not to say Rich hasn't had his share of success!   As an account executive in the fleet sales department for the largest Chevrolet dealer in the country, Rich learned to sell and serve from a true master who just happened to also be his father. Widely regarded as the top sales executive in the automotive industry for over 30 years, Rich's dad had a profound impact on his thinking and sales ability.

After leaving the car business, Rich quickly put his sales experience to work, landing a position with Walt Disney Productions in their distribution division, responsible for selling and distributing major motion pictures around the premier market of Southern California.

Yet, deep down, Rich had a burning desire to become a professional speaker and trainer... a dream he’d had since the age of 8.  As Rich tells it, "I set up plastic dinosaurs all over my basement and invited people over to hear me talk about them.  As I recall I charged everyone a nickel to get in." Rich would spend the next thirty years about his dream, planning for it, dreaming about it and flirting with it... everything but actually doing it.  "I was simply too afraid to fail," he says.

Then, Rich found his way to the retail industry, working his way through sales positions into management and district level positions.  With professional speaking his true passion, Rich found his way to the training side of business, holding the position of Training Director for Macy's in Beverly Hills, clothing giant Hart, Schaffner & Marx, and eventually for LensCrafters, the world's largest retailer of eyeglasses.

What Rich is most proud of, however, are not his successes but his willingness to confront and eventually conquer his own fears of failure and rejection.

In late 1997, along with partner Andrea Waltz, Rich launched a business to design and deliver keynotes and breakout sessions in the areas of sales, management and breakthrough performance. Now the author of four books including, Go for No! The Ultimate Strategy for Failing Your Way to Success! Rich travels the country delivering conference presentations and workshops.

About Andrea Waltz …

Andrea grew up in Orange County California and had many dreams, including (but not limited to) writing screenplays, books, and pursuing her interest in becoming a forensic criminologist.  After a rather spectacular turn-around, from a teenager who enjoyed skipping classes to a college student who got straight A’s, Andrea graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Cal State Long Beach.

After deciding that crime fighting wasn’t in her future, Andrea quickly moved through the ranks at LensCrafters… and, at the age of 24, became the youngest manager to run a $3 million plus volume location in the company’s 800-store chain. Her stay also included a stint in the training department where she “got the bug” to teach and develop others. Oh yes, and it was at LensCrafters that she met Rich.

Andrea also served two years as the Training Director for Centinela Pet Supplies based in Los Angeles. While there she designed and delivered sales, management and product knowledge workshops and learning materials.

Together, Rich and Andrea launched their speaking and training business, with Andrea heading up sales and marketing, and assisting with program design and development.   Andrea has co-authored three books and produced a bi-monthly newsletter for managers and executives in the retail industry resulting in hundreds of articles in selling, management, and recruiting. She is also frequently cited as an expert in retail trade journals, most recently contributing to publications such as Dance Retailer News, In-Store (a jewelry store publication), Specialty Retail Business, and many others.