The first time I saw Brendan, he was busy entertaining a whole school yard full of kids and parents. With three torches flying and a burning bicycle balancing on his head, the crowd was cheering and having great fun. So I decided to hire him. The best recruitment I ever did – out of more than 2000 recruitments over the years.
It’s hard to do Brendan justice through a simple blog post like this. He is the one person I know that can deliver just about anything. Whatever he sets out to do, he can get it done – from running the half marathon remarkably fast, beating the crap out of me on the pool table, mastering golf and becoming the best foosball player in Norway – to consistently creating value in business projects. Brendan is the most direct and honest person I have met. He would tell the President of the United States exactly what he thinks with no holds barred. In a war, he is the one I would want to have as my wing man.
I am honored to share my workday with Brendan – and because of that I now call it my playday.
His childhood was remarkable, being the son of “Romeo and Juliet” with one family high on the Unionist side and the other at the top of the IRA. He has learned a lot in his life – but more importantly, he can teach and inspire others. Being a Montessori teacher and a prize winning instructor of business courses, he can spell-bind an audience and get them to get it. Whatever “it” is.
I am personally on a quest for less security, certainty, comfort and solidity in life. And with Brendan as a partner, there’s always a surprise lurking.
Surprises can be found over at his blog.
This marks the start of a new series of posts on this blog. More amazing people to come.
Geir Isene - uncut 
Geir, I have to be very honest: I simply don’t have time now to read this post, but I’ve read the title and I was very happy. I’ve wondered all the time who Breadan Martin is…First time I thought it’s your son, but as time goes by I’ve understood that he is not exactly the age to be a child 🙂 So, this article is really welcome, even if I didn’t read it at all 🙂 I will definitely come back soon with another reply, after reading the entire article.
Hei Dragos
It would be fun to meet you some day
bren
You will. If you work with Geir and live in Oslo, I can assure we will meet one day. And if have any muscular, back or neck problem, count on me 🙂
You can count on Dragos being an amazing massage therapist.
Very kind of you, thank you, Geir! 🙂
I propose Brendan Martin to write an article about Geir Isene and post it in this blog in the next amazing people blog post.
After reading “Presentation tips: How to engage your audience” ( http://brendanmartin.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/presentation-tips-how-to-engage-your-audience/ ), I got a simple question to Margrete (re: http://brendanmartin.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/gaping-void-quality.jpg ): Is Brendan also f*ing amazing in bed? Maybe I’ll get a hilarious response 🙂
LOL 🙂
Great link too, the film clip of him.
Hei Ferenc
I will do as you ask and write an article about Geir. Although, I think it would be easier for me to write ” A day with Geir” and describe discussions, disagreements, typical situations that we end up in, work, crazy stuff etc…
Sound ok?
bren
Ok
Oh, by the way I showed your question to Margrete. She laughed and that was that. I guess that´s good 🙂
🙂
Wow, he really is pretty amazing. Just being the son of “Romeo and Juliette” probably says a lot about his formative years. (Btw, that was a great line you wrote – in fact, the whole post.)
I would say that you two friends both have good karma ;). And I’m still looking forward to the 2013 tour with the two of you coming to a city near me.
(Brendan, I would love to hear what you would tell the President of the United States… :))
it depends who the President will be 🙂
Ha ha! Good point. It might make a big difference.
Actually, though, I was wondering what Brendan would say right now to the President. (And I’m still picturing him talking to President Obama – now or in 2013 ;).)
Who do want to be the next President, Marildi? I watched both of the debates until now and the score is 1-1 in my opinion…Or maybe I’m wrong?
Obama, of course. The far bigger being ;). But I agree with you on the score so far. (Obama had a bad day.)
What is your prediction, Dragos? (I hope you and I aren’t going to have our own political debate. The tradition here is to debate “religion”. :D)
.
@Geir. For some reason, I’m still not getting the email notifications for this thread even though I subscribed.)
Not at all! This blog is not an argue place, definitely not. People like me, from Eastern Europe, will be always grateful to Ronald Reagan for winning the Cold War. But honestly Romney is not exactly the type of President I want for the United States. If you support Obama I suppose you’re living on the Eastern Coast, isn’t it?
Oh, good. I would have been surprised if you had a different viewpoint in comparing the two men. And if you did, we would have had to get the amazing Brendan to settle the draw (who I would also be surprised if he had a different viewpoint :)).
I agree with you about Reagan too, a very good man. I wish I could also agree that this has not been “an argue place” 😦 :).
And no, I don’t live on the Eastern Coast. I live on the West Coast in the largely liberal state of California near the largely liberal city of San Francisco. 😉
San Francisco means Joe Montana, right? 🙂
Oh yeah. Back in the day, San Francisco was almost synonymous with Joe Montana. Even people like me, not much of a sports fan, followed his story. He was also known as Joe Cool (cool like Obama ;)), a super superstar.
I guess you really are a sports fan, and what a good profession you chose – to assist athletes so directly. I suppose you are part of “the team”. 🙂
Oops, didn’t quite get this one in the right place – I’m still not getting emails, which I usually hit the reply button on.
I am, but I’m 100% European, so I really love 2 sports almost inexistent in US: football (that one you call soccer) and handball 🙂 I’ve tried to understand American football or baseball, but it was simply impossible to solve the mistery 🙂
I have a son who is hugely into football (what you call “American football” :D). But it’s still pretty much a mystery to me too. When my son was younger I learned enough baseball to be the scorekeeper in the Little League games. Now I only watch these sports if I’m watching with someone else, which makes it a whole other “ball game” :).
Yepp, as a kid I remember being Joe Montana when we played american football 🙂
@ Dragos. Did you watch President Obama’s acceptance speech? It will probably be replayed on CNN or wherever. I think you would enjoy it and agree with me about him being a big being. 🙂
@ Geir. You probably didn’t watch that speech (possibly because of the time difference), but you should. It’s a real pleasure moment for anybody who likes inspiring speakers. See if you don’t agree that Obama’s TRs were superb. His TR 1 was completely real and natural – and it impinged! And the responses from the crowd were clearly received by him and subtly acknowledged. He was really “there” the whole time and in communication with everybody.
Just felt like sharing! 🙂
Thanks – I will probably see it when I get home in a few hours.
The whole planet saw it, Marildi 🙂 Not exactly live, cause in Europe it’s a different hour, but still, it’s today’s headlines everywhere:)
“Mr. President, you should meet a friend of mine”
That’s a good line to include in your article!
Btw, you are another good writer. I read some of your blog posts – the most recent one about ITIL is clever satire (if I got your meaning, LOL). 🙂
Cheers, Brendan!
“with one family high on the Unionist side and the other at the top of the IRA” ??? Jesus Christ, what a cocktail!!! Definitely his loyalty has a relation with his Irish blood, isn’t it? In fact, Geir, I suppose this is the key for your stable and happy life: beeing surrounded by good people. And when I say “good”, I mean integrity, ability and trust. One more time, even I’ve met you just 30 minutes all my life, you gave me a life lesson, Geir 🙂 Takk!
PS. In 2 hours I will go out for lunch. When the waiter will fill my glass, I will remember both of you, Geir and Brendan. Cheers, boys! 🙂
LOL!
hehe @ cocktail 🙂
Cheers right back at ya!
love bren
I was once impressed by some american superstars who, when interviewed, was telling about a lot of amazing people that they had around them.
And I thought:
I wish I had all those amazing people aroung mé!
Some years later I finally see that having amazing people around is much more about the person LOOKING than it is about the people around. If I am able to really look, really tune in to the people I do have around me, I am able to find lots and lots of amazing treaits that they all have! Today I, too, am sourrounded by amazing people 🙂
Not to take anything from Brendan who also seem to have a lot of amazing traits.
Nice post!
love bren
I should add to this blog post that Brendan is a person who gives without thought of reward – a trait I set above all other traits.
Not necessary to mention this, Geir 🙂 I can imagine he is such a wonderful person 🙂
Nice post Geir. Well written and fun to read 🙂