Some day I might call Tim Brewster “Mr. Make Things Happen” except years ago Fortune magazine put that tag on my friend Harvey Mackay. Brewster won’t have the opportunity to win football games until next fall but the new Gopher football coach launched a marketing campaign from day one after being hired last month.
Brewster is selling Golden Gopher football to every man, woman and child willing to hear his message. He’s gushing with optimism and expectations that Minnesota football will return to a level of excellence similar to its storied past and that fans will enthusiastically embrace the program. And he’s doing it in the right way, showing humility and willingness to listen and take advice from others.
Mackay, who lettered in golf at the University in the 1950s, is a sales guru, acclaimed speaker, nationally syndicated business columnist and author of inspirational international business books that have sold over 10 million copies, been translated into 37 languages and sold in 80 different countries. He also is a passionate sports fan and loves the Gophers.
I recently asked Mackay his thoughts regarding Brewster so far. “In three words, he gets it,” Mackay began. “He has impressed with the little things and the big things he has done. Little things like saying I am happy to be here in the Twin Cities, not just Minneapolis. He talks about team work and what it means. He has put together an impressive, dedicated staff that has made a commitment to be here and be successful. That is an outstanding plus.”
The Brewster profile is that he almost works 24-7 and Mackay is impressed with the 46-year-old coach’s work ethic. “It looks like he works eight days a week and he’s proud to say that’s what he does,” Mackay said.
Read Mackay’s books and see how often he promotes the value of developing extraordinary mentors in business and life. Brewster’s mentors include national championship coach Mack Brown of Texas and Super Bowl coach Mike Shanahan of Denver. “A person’s life equals the total sum of his or her experiences and he’s had some truly outstanding experiences to date,” Mackay said. “Mack Brown on a scale of 10, with 10 being the highest rating, is a 12. Friends who know Shanahan tell me he is tremendous, too.”
Brewster’s willingness to meet people and learn from others includes meetings he’s already had with coaches of other sports at the University. “He’s truly a good listener, asking substantive, in-depth questions in order to be brought up to speed fast,” Mackay said.
There’s something else Mackay and a lot of other folks like about Brewster. “I also like his comments that it’s not going to take forever to take the program to the next level,” Mackay said. “He hasn’t coached a game yet but having met him, looked at him eye-to-eye, and read his comments in the newspaper, it would be impossible not to be enthusiastic about Tim Brewster. The Gophers are in good hands with Tim.”