Chris Camp

My name is Christopher Camp and I am the founder and CEO of Coach Camp Enterprises.

I entered the military at the age of 21. While I already had the leadership mentality instilled in me from my parents, the military added a whole other level to the “service before self” mind set. This type of servant leadership creates an environment where the leader thinks of their interest last and success is only determined when the team is successful, not the individual.

This concept was etched in stone once I left the Air Force and became a firefighter/paramedic. Life as a first responder gave balance to the “service before self” mantra. As a firefighter/paramedic on the special rescue team in Memphis, I faced the reality that sometimes I had to put my personal safety first in order to help others, but at the same time I may have to endanger my life to save another. This meant making tough decisions, in a very stressful situation, in an instant. This was leadership at the highest level that can only be realized by a handful of jobs.

Over the years, I coached many sports teams which allowed me to craft my problem solving skills, communication skills, and team building skills. In order to be a great coach I saw that it was going to take a great deal of self-reflection and honest criticism. As a coach I was forced to slow down and analyze new ways to deliver information and put players in the best position to help the team and at the same time highlight their individual talents.

The final chapter that helped lead to the development of Coach Camp Enterprises was when I transitioned from the fire department, to teaching at the local community college. I had attended the classes to gain a formal education with a masters in leadership and then I was putting this education with all of my years of experience to work, teaching students how to become a paramedic. Commanding a classroom was another challenge that I had to adapt to. Even with all of the previous years of knowledge and experience, I had to find different ways to deliver the information to a myriad of learning styles.

In addition to finding creative ways to teach each student in a way that they could understand, I found it necessary to cultivate an environment that promoted motivation and inspiration. The rigorous course of paramedicine can make even the most ardent of students to feel motivation fatigue. It was in the classroom that I found my true voice to connect with others and motivate through my passion, which could be felt through my encouraging words. It was my students that played the largest role in me deciding to pursue my next step in life. Being a motivational speaker is just a title to me. I really see my journey as being a culmination of life, education, travel, work experience, and a passion to impact others in the best way possible with leading by example and inspiring others through my life and my passion.