Introducing Ed Reed

Ed is committed to adding value to organization who add value to others. His coaching and leadership training focus on empowering and equipping people to effectively connect with others, stretching beyond their comfort zone, and applying sound wisdom to build their foundation for long-term success. His passion is visible when he is developing leaders of all ages to become creative innovators.

Ed is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council and often serves as a guest speaker to graduate students at multiple universities. He is a mentor and coach to professionals working in various organizations, he has served on several advisory boards for nonprofit organizations, hosted a television show, and has won awards for his leadership impact.

This makes Ed an excellent guest to help show you how to Maximize Your Potential every day!

Ed describes how he has been fortunate to learn from the adversities he has experienced. As a kid Ed describes himself as a "knuckle head" where he didn't really feel like he fitted in at school. One day his teacher in elementary school called all the class in and named three children, including Ed, that were being moved to the "smaller class" - the one that the kids referred to as the class for dummies!

Ed's childhood was hard because he felt like he never fitted in and was bullied. He asks the question: What would it have been like if someone had stopped and asked, "How are you doing?". He goes on to explain how he thought life wasn't worth living and actually attempted to take his own life at an early age. (This is a bigger problem in society than we care to admit!)

Ed was a disconnected kid until a school counselor took time to ask him if he thought he would be okay moving up to the bigger class and of course he said yes. It wasn't easy but his grades did start to improve. His aim was just to graduate school because he knew his family had their own business and therefore he wasn't worried about getting a career.

Ed eventually got to college and was taken under the wing of a professor who invested in his potential, the potential that Ed didn't see himself! He held up an apple seed and asked the students what they saw. Most laughed and thought he was crazy but one student explained how he saw an orchard that would feed many people. This opened Ed's eyes and his attitude changed. He knew he had more to give and he passion to change the world started to grow.

Listen as Ed talks about his leadership style and ethics. How does this relate to experiences that you have had? This is a classic example of many companies looking at the immediate results but Ed was focused on developing the long term vision and future.

Ed found his way into working with kids even though he never thought that was a direction he would ever take. This changed when he encountered a homeless couple who touched his heart. The story shows how people often judge others without knowing the back story. This man described how he lost his job and house after a medical center gave him untested blood which resulted in him getting HIV. This was passed onto his wife and their life went downhill from there. The man was trying to "make peace" with himself before he died. 

Ed's grades in school were a reflection of his EQ, his emotions regarding family and school life, not his potential.

Adults impose limitations on kids and this is where their creativity stops. My aim through Acorns 2 Oaks Leadership Academy and this podcast is to help every level understand that we should be elevating the creativity to maximize potential.

Ed tells the story about his daughter who wanted to create something special for her school's valentines day celebration. She knew the resources available to her and went onto YouTube to find out how to make a box that would be special. Her creativity flowed and she made a list of everything she needed to make her box. Being a good father who wants to stimulate her creativity Ed took her to the store and bought the items. Even thought this cost more than buying a finished article Ed knew that this was an investment in her creativity and would pay dividends to her in the future.

There is more than one way to learn and in traditional schools we only each one way. We cannot be a hindrance to their creativity by forcing them to live in a world that we used to live in rather than preparing them to live in a world that doesn't exist yet.

Question: Were the top 25 products that you use available 25 years ago?

The uniformity and conformity in schools today takes the creativity and smashes it, which is what Ed refers to as the sausage factory. This is another challenge that I am on a mission to change with A2OLA.

Suicide is the second highest cause of death for our youth!

"Love is not an emotion, it is an action." - Ed Reed

When kids find their purpose and we provide them with an environment to thrive we will provide them the power to change the world. We also need to challenge the corporations to exercise social responsibility to create an environment where kids have a place to thrive in their community.

You can connect with Ed on Facebook, on Twitter or via email at [email protected].

You can connect with me at:

Website: www.Chris-J-Baker.com

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: Release Your Unconscious Page

Facebook: Leadership Excellence with Chris Baker

LinkedIn: Chris Baker

Instagram: chris _j_baker_ryu

To purchase my book 10 Steps 2 Freedom from Amazon click here.

To purchase my book Organizational Culture and Leadership click here

Our aim is to help individuals and organizations to raise their bars and be on a journey of continuous improvement. Therefore it is important that you know your own values and align yourself with a company that shares those and has a culture that you can get behind.

Are you ready to Raise Your BARS and be the person you want to become?

Download your ultimate guide to getting promoted in the next 12 months here!

We want you to become the best version of yourself and to do that you have to break away from the limiting beliefs that other people impose on you and step into your greater self. If you are an aspiring leader or a leader who wants to continue growing to be the best you can be we encourage you to visit and subscribe to the Stand Up Leaders YouTube channel.

We invite you to join our Facebook group, Raise Your  Bars  - Personal Growth Solutions, and if you are ready to reprogram your current belief systems,  visit our website by clicking here.