TEXT or CALL Jason 801-674-3668

Facebook X-twitter Linkedin Instagram Youtube

The Promise Blog
Engagement

The Honor of Service: Officer David Romrell

    This past week I performed at an event every day. Decembers are like that. However, this December has been different. A few corporate dates sprinkled in between some very heart-wrenching charity work and service. It is a privilege to be asked to lift the wounded through music, laughter, and message.  Yet it can be equally daunting when it’s for such serious and powerful moments for those grieving. I shared the following posts on Facebook regarding being asked to sing a Bruno Mars song for the funeral of fallen officer, and former Marine, David Romrell.   https://www.facebook.com/jason.hewlett1/videos/10156650810969564/     You can tell by that video that I was unusually nervous for the moment, and then my reaction following the event:     This week was one of a greater consideration of life and our Promise to live a good one. I know my performance wasn’t the point of the event, it wasn’t even a blip on the radar and really in the overall scheme of things didn’t matter if it was great or amazing or not good at all. What matters is that we answer the call to serve. The honor of service is a great one. At funerals,

Read More »
December 8, 2018 No Comments
Funny

The Promise of Self-Preservation

  As the physical therapist strapped weights to my forehead pulling back, and weights to the stem of my neck pulling forward, he looked at me and asked, “How long are you going to keep hurting yourself?”  It had been 6 months of intense fixing: chiropractors, yogis, personal trainers, physical therapists, and anything I could justify trying to keep getting on stage, save becoming addicted to crippling and numbing drugs. It wasn’t just the body falling apart, it was my voice as well. Coming off stage with nothing left, the pain was too much.  But at least the audience was entertained! ENT’s, sticking cameras down my throat, let me know surgery would come soon to remove damage long ago done, and what I had put my voice through over 12 years of pushing the extreme limits of the human voice, was destroying my God given gift. At 36 years old I was given a grim diagnosis – keep doing what you’re doing on stage and you will be dead by 50. For one moment I’d like you to consider what is your great gift, and how you’ve utilized it your entire life to not only be successful in work, but

Read More »
November 26, 2018 16 Comments
Family

The Promise That Scares You

  “You have more in you.  You MUST share it. You have no choice and I will not allow you to continue until you do.”     Have you heard this voice before?   It may sound frightening, and to be frank, it is.   But that is the voice in your soul talking.  Are you willing to listen?   The other night in Orem, UT, as I performed to my first of 2 sold-out shows, I looked out over the audience.   The entire first row was sound asleep.   Why would I admit this to you, when you usually hear me talk about all the good things that happens in life, the standing ovations and accolades?   Because, I’m the only one who knows the truth, the only one who can share this secret with you, and it’s important you realize what we all go through during life’s performance.   Whole row – asleep – while I gave them my all.   Now granted, they were old, probably the youngest person in that row was 97, and it was 8:10 PM, so like 3 hours past their bedtime, but it is the truth.   And being that it

Read More »
October 25, 2018 19 Comments
Gratitude

Where It All Began: Kauai, HI

    Raptor loose in Kauai!   I guess you could call me a sentimental guy. Here I am, one hour left before I fly away from beautiful Kauai Island, but I’m here in Lihue, where pretty much a lot of my career creativity began. Back in March of 2000, we came here with my parents who cashed out all of their Marriott points and gave each of my siblings and I our own special room. My clock would never change.  I couldn’t figure out why I could not sleep, but I took advantage of the time and would walk along this beach every night for the entire trip for almost a week and a half as I created my entire act, my show. In that time I put together what would become staples of my act for years to come, including the Jim Carrey Subway routine, the Bee Gees parody, the Chipmunks, and I figured out how to create a show out of what I have been blessed with for my talents. It was here that I first leveraged my Signature Moves. This place is very special to me and it was the last trip that I ever took

Read More »
October 13, 2018 2 Comments
Business

The Olympics of Speaking: MDRT 2018

    “What is the biggest event you can get if you’re a corporate speaker?”, is a question I am often asked by those not in my industry. The answer has always been MDRT, The Million Dollar Round Table.  Their conference is “The Olympics” for a speaker like me. I just came off stage from my MDRT experience as their closing keynote speaker. The standing ovation was my gold medal moment, 15,300 people laughing, cheering, crying, and high-fiving, this was a fulfilling experience to say the least.  To be told by those that have been attending for between 30-50 years that it was the single greatest presentation they’ve ever had on the stage was humbling. The connection for me, however, was even deeper. During my entire youth there were MDRT plaques lining the hallways of our home.  My Dad, John Hewlett, being in the upper echelon of the most successful in the world in life insurance and financial planning fields, his lifetime membership in MDRT made it my goal as well.     I thought I was going to be an insurance salesman, because that’s what he was and thought I’d be. When I cautiously brought the idea to my

Read More »
June 28, 2018 14 Comments
Inspiration

In What Ways Are You Like Hemingway?

    Video of this message if you prefer to watch   I’m writing to you from Key West, FL. When people think of Key West they mostly think of key lime pie, which I am sorry to say, I can’t even stomach. However, when I saw on my calendar I was booked to be in Key West I thought of only one name: Hemingway! About a decade ago I first visited Ernest Hemingway’s home here with my wife and our friends.  Today I enjoyed the tour once again and am inspired. He is one of the great prolific writers in American History. Come to find out, he wrote 70% of his stories, many of which were made into movies, while he was here for 9 years of his life. Every morning he would cross the catwalk on the upper balcony of his beautiful home to the hay house he converted into a writer’s studio and dutifully write from 5 AM-1 PM. In this very room came ideas and inspiration for some of the greatest novels of all-time, including Old Man and the Sea, A Farewell to Arms, Green Hills of Africa, For Whom The Bell Tolls, among others.  

Read More »
April 25, 2018 No Comments
Business

Do You Leave a Tip at the Hotel?

On my last business trip I tipped the Uber and Taxi drivers, the bellman, room service, the shuttle driver, the waiter, the shoe shine guy, the concierge gal. And then I neglected leaving a tip in my hotel room, even though I usually do. What is the difference between everyone else and the hotel housekeeping staff? We interact personally with all of the other people and feel a certain sense of obligation, or opportunity to give something back. As I left my hotel room after a quick visit (only slept a few hours) I am not sure why, and I’m embarrassed to say, I felt it wasn’t necessary to leave a tip for some reason. Yet as I walked in the hall I noticed the housekeeping cart (the one we all grab a few more shampoos from) and saw the lady who would soon enter my room to clean it in total quiet, no interaction, no fanfare, just doing her job. Once I put a face to the person and said hello I thought what am I doing?  Why wouldn’t I leave her a tip? So I turned around, went back in, wrote a little note, and left some money.

Read More »
March 23, 2018 No Comments
Business

Thank You for An Amazing Year in 2017

  Many of those that read this blog are clients and employees of the awesome companies I have had the chance over the past year to speak to, perform for, and play master of ceremonies.  On behalf of my family, both the one at home, and the one at work with JHE, we are so grateful for your business and the incredible, unforgettable experiences. In years past I have done a Top Ten list of my favorite events.  Instead of that today, here are some of the memories that will always be associated with 2017 (not all events listed): Houston Safari Club (January 14) in Houston, TX, where I had to follow the President of the NRA and one of my opening lines were, “In this room of gun toting folks, I don’t know whether to feel safe or just plain terrified.”   RootsTech (February 8-11) in SLC, UT, the largest family history/genealogy conference in the world (10,000 in attendance, 100,000+ livestream), this was where I played Master of Ceremonies as well as Showman, introducing dear friends such as Hank Smith, and performing with VocalPoint and Noteworthy.  I also received many tweets saying how much I looked like Al Franken (before

Read More »
December 30, 2017 No Comments
Engagement

The Promise of Gift Giving

    It was January 29, 2001, the one month anniversary of our first date (when you’re in love you celebrate those things). I took my soon to be fiancee, and eventually wife, to a concert I knew she would love and should confirm for her that she had the same feelings I did.  It was Billy Joel & Elton John.  We were about row 10, incredible seats, my ego sky high. Before the concert I said that I had a gift for her.  Reaching around the seat I revealed the present that would go on to live in infamy until this day.  A Tiffany & Co. crystal bowl box, elegant, radiant, stunning, with a perfect bow on top. She began to cry.  I asked her why she was crying.  She said, “No one’s ever bought me a Tiffany & Co. crystal before”, and she wrapped her arms around me. My face went flush. And then she opened the box. Yes folks, silly me, trying to be cute, I had used the only box I could find in my parent’s house that was big enough to fit the incredible gift: a slab of concrete I had found at a construction

Read More »
December 5, 2017 6 Comments
Business

The Promise of The Descent

  My Friend,  You have had an incredible year.   Perhaps the greatest year of your life and career.   You stand proud on the top of the mountain, able to see your great accomplishments surrounding you, joyously lifting you up, to know you gave your all in a most harrowing ascent is your reward.   Where do you go from here?   Do you remain on the peak, savoring the goodness and awaiting the inevitable storm that will roll in?   Or do you safely descend, to the valley of home, and return to your loved ones, whole, well, different, and transformed?   As this calendar year comes to a close, we are just over a month away, I have found it most important to remind myself, as well as those that are high level performers and achievers, to make sure and have a safe descent.   If you try to remain on the peak you will be knocked off, either by lack of resources, failed health, lost relationships, or abandoned faith.  We must descend in order to return to humility, gratitude, solace and peace.  We must descend in order to return home to our family, embrace those we love, nurture the relationships that give us

Read More »
November 13, 2017 4 Comments

Want to receive inspiration and laughs weekly from Jason?

Recent Post

October 2026
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
Archives
Categories