Spa Canada Magazine

Getting to Know Our Writers

Getting to Know Our Writers - Robert Evans Wilson, Jr.

Rob Wilson has been a storyteller most of his life. He knew as early as second grade that he wanted to be a writer.

That cat hid in a hat.
Bobby said, “Where is that cat?”
He looked up and down and all around, but that cat
could not be found.
Until he put on his hat. - Bobby Wilson, age 8

When he was in high school he became fascinated with human motivation, and devoured pop-psychology books and magazines. In college, he formally studied psychology and philosophy and worked in two psychiatric hospitals. However, a career in mental health was not his goal. Rob was studying motivation for a different reason.

Rob Wilson wanted to be a best selling novelist by age 25. He wanted to know what made people tick so that he could create interesting and believable fictional characters.

Age 25 came and went, and Rob had yet to get his fiction published. To make money from writing, he went into advertising and used his knowledge of motivation to create ads that increased business for his clients. His ads were so successful he started winning major advertising awards. Those awards got the attention of several colleges who invited Rob to teach advertising.

In 1997, Rob accepted an offer to teach at his alma mater: Georgia State University. His class Creating Advertising That Sells attracted a large number of media sales reps from all areas of the industry: newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations, phone directory publishers and billboard companies. Seeing the
demand for his knowledge, Rob took his advertising seminar on the road.

Before long his clients were asking him to give motivational presentations, and Rob’s business grew accordingly. He created motivational speeches on innovation, leadership, goal achievement and customer service. In February 2007, Rob began writing The Un-Comfort Zone with Robert Wilson a monthly column that looks at various aspects of motivation from motivating others to
self-motivation. Today Rob has spoken in 35 US states and in Canada.

Rob also loves to make people laugh. When he was in school, Rob always had a funny story to tell. He quickly developed a reputation as a joke teller. In 1996, Longstreet Press published his hilarious book OFF THE WALL! The Best Graffiti Off the Walls of America. Over the next year, Rob was heard on more than 100 radio shows talking about his book. His humor made him a favorite of morning and afternoon drive programs in both the US and Canada. Since then, Rob has performed in comedy clubs, and today still delivers comedy roasts for corporate and association events.

Along with writing and speaking, Rob is a full time father of two teenage sons. As a single dad, Rob’s schedule is pretty hectic. He has coached baseball and soccer, served as a Cubscout Pack Leader, and volunteers at his children’s school.