My Best Coach Ever: My Dad (and His Plus 1)

The lessons I learned from my Dad have served me well my entire life. As Father's Day approaches, I wanted to share with you eight life lessons I learned from him. The most important: Care for people.

Eddie Kaye, my Dad, in his U.S. Navy uniform during WWII.

As Father’s Day approaches this weekend Sunday June 15, 2025, it’s the perfect time to share with you my foundation in coaching. I had the great good fortune to be inspired by The Best Coach of All Time: My Dad.

Eddie Kaye was an amazing man, person, husband, team player, and, of course, dad. He was respected by all. He said he was always grateful for everything and only had one bad day in his life (I’ll tell you about that day another time).

Let’s begin with a short background on my Dad to help you get to know him and see his start.

Eddie was the youngest child; with three older brothers and two older sisters. His mother was a sewing machine operator in a factory and they did not have enough money to support all the children. Because of this, the two youngest siblings, including my Dad, grew up in an orphanage.

My Dad would tell me stories — always positive — about the orphanage and the people who had worked there. He appreciated their care; he had a bed to sleep in and food to eat. This appreciation continued throughout his life. When I was 11 years old, we went back to the orphanage/charitable organization and donated some of my very personal things that we thought the children could use. He continued to donate to them his entire life.

When he was 12 years old a foster family asked my Dad to live with them. Mrs. Sheen, the mother, was a remarkable person. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to visit with her several times.

When my Dad was 17, he wanted to join the Navy and help win the war (WWII). His mother and Mrs. Sheen would not give their permission which he needed to join. My Dad was a persistent person. He was in the drum and bugle corps in school. He began to “practice” and played his drum and bugle day and night until Mrs. Sheen and his mom gave him permission to leave high school and join the navy.

These childhood experiences, and those he lived through in the Navy, would have been tough for anyone. My Dad met every challenge with a positive mindset, which helped to create the greatest coach I’ve ever met.

Creating His Own Business

After World War ll ended and my Dad had completed his Navy service, he, like so many returning service members, was looking for work. His mom told him that as long as they had a sewing machine, they would never go hungry.

So my Dad and his brothers decided they were going to make school jackets. Good idea, but the woolen mills would not sell them wool because they were too small.

So, my Dad went to a Sears Department store, bought wool blankets in the school colors, and turned those blankets into jackets. After turning a profit and saving up, he started a business.

This is just one story of his ingenuity and never-give-up attitude. He would always find a solution to a problem or challenge. He would never quit, give up, or let someone discourage him.

He built this business into a successful company.

Father and son, hitting the links.

Lessons I Learned From My Dad

The essential lesson my Dad imparted to me is to care about people.

I am endlessly grateful to him to have learned this from him. My Dad cared deeply about people. Not just some people: everyone. This care led to the people who worked for him to stay with him; often their entire working lives. Some of these people told me that they remember the day my Dad went to the hospital when I was born.

His care for others wasn’t some vague notion. He lived it.

The reason he had such loyal people with him was because he cared about them and their families. He would help them through different issues throughout their lives and be the best human being. He told me that sometimes, he would have to be in the role of their priest, minister, rabbi, or clergyman. People could talk with him, he would listen, give advice, and help in any way possible.

He would also do this outside of business. He coached little league baseball. Too young to play, I wasn’t on his team. One time there was a date set for fathers to work on the field. One of his players quit the team that day. My Dad found out that this boy was embarrassed because he did not have a father. My Dad went to Elliott’s house and told him that he would be Elliott’s father for the father’s day clean-up-the-field event. And then he told Elliott he would be his father for the rest of his life. My Dad kept that promise to Elliott.

Many people say that a book should be written about my Dad. Maybe one day. Until then, here are seven more lessons learned from my Dad that we all could use to become the best versions of ourselves.

1. Listen, Listen, Listen – really focus and understand what people are saying. Through their words, actions, behaviors. Really try to understand people.

2. Then, try to help them in any way you can.

3. He was always helping others. He did not have an ego. His actions were for the other person, not himself.

4. HONESTY – one quote he said that I published in my book is, “If you could look in the mirror and be proud of what you see, then you are a success.” This is so true.

5. He was always supportive. He would go to every one of my wrestling matches. And, it was probably not too easy, because I lost every match my freshman year (though that year helped mold me into the person I am today, I wrote about that here).

6. If he started something, he would finish. “A winner never quits and a quitter never wins.”

7. He treated everyone equally and with respect. It did not matter where you came from, what you looked like, what religion, or even someone’s past actions. He was welcoming to everyone.

My Dad coached so many people in so many ways of life and did it naturally. I don’t think that he thought of himself as their coach. What I’ve realized after 30 years of coaching is that he was simply a natural at it.

He passed away at the age of 89. I was amazed at the number of people who attended his funeral, sent cards, letters, made phone calls, and told stories and thanked him for the way he made their lives better. One last thing. He could always tell a good joke, make people laugh, make people feel good and smile.

The plus one is my mom. She was and is the woman behind the man. She is now 96 years old.

But that’s a story for another day.

My parents: Edythe and Eddie.

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My Dad’s lessons form the core of who I am, as a person and a business coach. I work with clients every day, sharing these lessons so that business success follows.

I am beyond thrilled that the work I’ve done with my coaching clients led to me being named Management Consulting & Coaching CEO of the Year for 2024 (USA).

Let’s make this year your most productive and fulfilling yet!