Walt Grassl interviews Eldonna Lewis Fernandez – Say Yes To Opportunity

Eldonna Lewis Fernandez has some fascinating stories to tell, illustrating what happens when you say YES to opportunities. As CEO of Dynamic Vision International Inc., Eldonna Lewis Fernandez dispenses leadership, negotiation and communication training to corporate clients and small business owners internationally. Her business is built on a 23-year career as a contract specialist in the Air Force, where she negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of domestic and international contracts – everything from pens and paper to office machines, automotive parts and aircraft maintenance. After retiring from the Air Force, Eldonna spent 10 years as a contracts administrator, negotiator and systems analyst for aerospace companies such as Raytheon, Sparta and Parsons. She worked with Raytheon and the U.S. Navy on the F-18 Radar program, and with Sparta and Parsons on satellite launch programs for the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base. Today, her corporate workshops and keynotes cover a variety of topics – everything from negotiating skills to leading effective meetings and becoming a self-leader, which she defines as “asking for what you want, and owning the power to stand up for yourself.” The award-winning speaker and author is one of 69 Toastmaster Accredited Speakers worldwide. She enlivens every keynote, workshop or breakout session with games or simulations. “You remember it because you are experiencing the information rather than passively listening to it,” she says. Eldonna has written two books: Think Like A Negotiator, 50 Ways to Create Win Win Results by Understanding the Pitfalls to Avoid and GoPINK Rules of Engagement: 5 Foundational Principles for Taking Control of the Handlebars of Your Life. She also co-authored Heart of a Military Woman, a compilation of stories by, for and about military women. Among her many media credits, she has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox Business, Fox News and CNN, and been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Forbes and The Huffington Post.