Michael Woods didn’t start on a stage.
He started in an Arkansas grocery store—where becoming a bag boy was his first big promotion.
Yes, there’s a job below bag boy. Read Michael’s story.
The Experience Behind the Message
I bring high energy, humor, honest stories, and nearly four decades of experience leading people through the pressures of real work. My keynotes help teams stay positive, lead with care, and make others feel valued. I want audiences to leave encouraged and ready to put what they’ve learned into action.
My First Promotion Was to Bag Boy
At 16, I cleaned up the meat department for one hour a day. My first promotion was to bag boy. Yes, that was a promotion, and I was proud of it. I became a store manager at 21, later served as a Director of Training, Director of Meat Operations, District Manager for a chain of more than 50 stores, and eventually co-owned several Arkansas grocery stores.
I know what a busy shift demands from an associate, how much a manager’s example matters, and how decisions across a company reach customers. Those experiences help me connect with people throughout an organization, from frontline employees to senior leaders.
The Choice That Changed My Direction
My mother struggled with addiction, and my grandparents raised me with very little money. As a teenager, I struggled with drugs and alcohol and dropped out of high school. I could not have pictured the life I have today.
When I was 19, I heard Zig Ziglar on a cassette tape. I played it repeatedly. His message helped me believe I could take responsibility for my next choice. I stopped using drugs and started changing my habits, one decision at a time. Years later, becoming a Ziglar Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach brought that journey full circle.
That experience is why I speak with conviction about positivity and resilience. Hard circumstances are real. So is the power of the next choice.
What I Learned About People
The grocery business taught me that service starts inside the team. I believe it cannot be a great place to shop unless it is a great place to work. When leaders listen, set clear expectations, and help employees feel valued, customers can feel the difference. I saw that principle at work from the meat department to company leadership.
Today I bring those lessons to keynotes on staying positive in a negative world, moving forward after setbacks, leadership, and customer service. I tailor the stories and practical takeaways to the people in the room, whether it is a companywide meeting, an association conference, or a leadership retreat.
The Books Behind the Message
My book Staying Positive in a Negative World, with a foreword by Tom Ziglar, shares lessons that helped me change my own direction. My forthcoming book, The Lost Art of Customer Service for Grocery Stores, draws on the leadership and service lessons I learned over nearly four decades in the business.
My Christian faith shapes my purpose: to serve God by helping people discover the greatness He placed inside them. That purpose is behind the work I do as a speaker, trainer, and author.
Bring Michael to Your Event
If you are planning a conference, company meeting, leadership event, or retreat, tell me about your audience and what they are facing. We can shape a message that gives your people energy, perspective, and something useful to carry back to work.
