Best-selling Author and Marketing Icon Sander A. Flaum Becomes
Official Sponsor of National Perseverance Day Celebrated Annually on October 18
NEW YORK, October 18, 2022 — Best-selling author and pharmaceutical marketing icon Sander A. Flaum used perseverance and mindfulness to transcend his life-long struggle with debilitating stuttering. Bullied as a child for stuttering like Porky Pig, Sander tried therapy, went to stuttering bootcamp—and worked daily to overcome his affliction. He never gave up. Despite being turned down for a corporate VP job because the Board said, “We can’t promote Sander. He has a mental illness. He stutters,” Sander persevered. Sander rose to the top, got married, had children, became the CEO of a top marketing company and now operates his own successful business, Flaum Navigators, a brand marketing consultancy with a team that includes the former Associate Commissioner of the FDA.
Sander knows the key to overcoming any obstacle is perseverance. That’s why he created (and is the official sponsor of) National Perseverance Day, an annual event that sheds a light on the importance of perseverance in overcoming obstacles—both large and small. Celebrated every year on October 18, the annual event also honors those that have survived insurmountable odds. “We all face obstacles in our lives,” says Sander. “I wanted people to know that they were not alone and that with perseverance they can get to the other side.”
A Note About Sander
Sander A. Flaum is the former marketing head of Lederle Laboratories (now Pfizer) and has introduced six blockbuster brands, each exceeding $2 billion in sales. He graduated high school early and while attending The Ohio State University he befriended John Glenn who wrote the forward to his book, The 100-Mile Walk, A Father and Son Quest to find the Essence of Leadership. He also got Bobby Kennedy’s attention and briefly served as one of his junior speech writers. To date, Sander has written seven business and personal growth books.
Today an Octogenarian, Sander still pushes through his adversity every day and practices his speech by mimicking newscasters while watching TV. He attributes much of his success to his mother Rose who encouraged him and told him to “be smarter and work harder.” He even started a stuttering foundation named after her, The Rose Flaum Stuttering Foundation.
Everyone facing an obstacle needs a plan. Here’s Sanders.
6-Prong Plan for Overcoming Life’s Obstacles
- Start Small. To build confidence, pick one thing you love and do it every day.
- Walk it Off. Walking helps combat adversity.
- Know the Facts. Don’t self-blame. If necessary, hire a therapist.
- Embrace Spirituality. Mindfulness fortifies the mind and the soul.
- Ditch All Obstacles. If it doesn’t enrich you, it’s an obstacle.
- Change the Scenery. New experiences help build perseverance.
Sander A. Flaum has been profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and the Associated Press. He is a shining example of a life well-lived. Against all odds he persevered, and came out strong on the other side.
