Peak Performance

Having Mackay on board not only diversified the lineup, it helped PPI fill another need. As the company shifted to the serial format, big names became as crucial to filling seats as fresh names.

"I needed both 'sizzle' and 'steak,' " Brattland explains. " 'Sizzle' means widely recognizable names like Lou Holtz [football coach at the University of Notre Dame]. 'Steak' is a Brian Tracy who knows how to inspire salespeople. People might initially come to see Lou Holtz, but by the time [the presentation] is finished, it would be Tracy delivering the meat of the program."

Today, PPI's lineup reads like a "Who's Who" of motivational orators. Sports figures like Rick Pitino, head basketball coach of the NCAA-champion Kentucky Wildcats, provide the sizzle. As for the steak, it's served up by the likes of Roger Dawson, an expert on persuasion and negotiation, and sales legend Tom Hopkins, author of How to Master the Art of Selling (Warner Books).

As for the future, Brattland is aiming toward another of his early dreams: "I'd like to acquire more commercial real estate. Building this company will enable me to pursue that dream," he says. After all, a man can never chase too many rainbows. Or find too many pots of gold.

This article was originally published in the July 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Peak Performance.