Gary moved to Texas from South Carolina in 1979. Arriving in Texas with less than $10 in his pocket he immediately started a new job as a door to door salesman selling storm windows and doors.
He married Kathy Morey and has now been married 32 years. and in 1981 he and Kathy opened their first retail store selling decorating products. Today Leland’s Wallpaper is not only still in business, but is the largest wallpaper store in Texas.
In 1996 everyone told Gary that creating a website to sell wallpaper was not only crazy, but stupid. One manufacturer told him ” No one will by wallpaper on the Internet.” So he created his first e-commerce website that same year and it was an immediate success. As Gary always says “Free advice is worth what you paid for it.”
In 2000 Gary created SoftballJunk.com which was the first website for women’s fastpitch softball equipment. He coached a softball team for his daughters and had a hard time finding equipment for the team, so he created his own store.
Gary had no idea that moving into the world of softball equipment would change his life forever. He not only became a celebrity in this niche, and the softball videos he has edited and produced have been viewed Millions of times on You Tube.
Due to his involvement in softball Gary ended up serving as the Director of Social Media for the 3.5 million member United States Sports Specialty Association.
In November of 2004 he heard about a new technology called podcasting, and produced his first sports podcast by December of that same year.
By 2006 Time Magazine had included Gary’s podcasting website in their list of The 50 Coolest Websites on the Planet.
Gary publishes Podertainment Magazine for podcasters, and the Fastpitch Magazine for softball players. He has additionally published over 14 e-books.
The videos he has edited and produced have been viewed Millions of times on You Tube.
Gary was one of the first 100 podcasters on the planet, and was a cofounder of Podcast Movement which has become the largest Podcasting conference on the planet.
By 2016 Gary was inducted into The Academy Of Podcasters Hall Of Fame. Gary still produces several podcasts for himself, as well as running the Podcast Repairman Website to help others produce podcast.
Selling and marketing by any means possible is what Gary does, and knows best. If it is a new type of media Gary has probably already experimented with it, and incorporated it into his marketing program.
Between Gary’s brick & mortar stores, his e-commerce sites, all his blogs, podcasts, and videos Gary knows how to sell, and market almost anything.
Gary’s goal is to share his 35 years of retail, e-commerce, and marketing experience. To help you succeed in your own business.
Gary has been on the speaking circuit since 2005, making appearances from coast to coast. Gary makes himself available to any groups that are interested in having him make an appearance.