September 19, 2023
By: LaToya Bines

The kickoff to the 2023 NFL season week 2, took place in Philadelphia. Eagles Kicker Jake Elliott showed out, with a 61-yard field goal, contributing to their win over the Vikings, 28-34; but the biggest highlight for me was hearing legendary Michael Buffer announce the game. As far back as I can remember, I have heard this Philadelphian native’s voice echo throughout the house as he announced each boxing match. The vibration of his voice captured my attention every time, and I would sit in front of the television developing an appreciation of the sport.
His career started in the early 1980’s, after enjoying one of his favorite pass times, watching the fights with his son. Anticipating the match, Buffer heard the announcer make a mistake. At the time Buffer was a model, but this small moment in time propelled Buffer into action and changed the course of his life. Without the creation of social media, Buffer, like many others, had to rely on non-technical transferrable skills also known as soft skills to land a job especially when changing industries.
As a model Buffer likely exhibited skills such as confidence, self-awareness, attention to detail, punctuality, adaptability, and non-verbal communication skills. Adjusting to his new career, Buffer found himself sitting ringside at an Atlantic City arena. During this event, Buffer was invited by former President and businessman, Donald Trump, to announce all boxing matches that took place within Trump casinos.
The opportunity to become a full-time ring announcer allowed him to showcase complimentary skills like emotional intelligence and public speaking, which opened many other doors. Buffer, now 78, has become the announcer for other professional sport events from boxing to wrestling and the NFL. By taking the initiative and displaying his collaboration skills, Buffer was provided the opportunity of becoming an actor in movies like Rocky and Creed, and making an appearance in sport scenes like in Harlem Nights.
Throughout his career, Buffer tried many phrases to introduce main events, but only one caught the attention of sport fans, promoters, and others. Overtime, he realized that his signature catchphrase was part of his brand, so in the 1990’s, Buffer began the trademark filing process to cover all forms of media. His dedication to his craft has not been overlooked, in 2012 his contributions to boxing were acknowledged by the industry when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Buffer’s career has taught us that one moment in time can change the direction of our lives. What role do you play in your story? Are you the one who motivates others to take the first step to improve the quality of their lives or are you the person whose life will be changed? Some of us will play different roles at different stages within our life. It is up to us to take the first step.
The first step could be updating your resume, receiving interview preparation, starting a new business venture, or outsourcing tasks to scale your existing business. When you decide to take the first step Elevated Standards is here to help. View our full list of services on our website https://www.elevatedstandardspa.com/book-online.
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