Biography

Hailed by a New York Times reporter as “someone who has quietly become one of the most influential people in America,” Andy Andrews is an internationally known speaker and author. Among his New York Times bestsellers are the classic novels, The Traveler’s Gift and The Noticer. Leaders from the world’s top organizations—including four U.S. presidents—regularly seek him out as a trusted resource for unlocking extraordinary results.

With a quick glance at his track record, it’s easy to see why.

Companies have more than doubled their results after hiring Andy as a consultant.

“In the first year of our relationship with Andy Andrews, Fairway doubled its business volume—from $5.4 billion to $11.2 billion. Presently, we are ahead of that year’s pace by 57 percent. Andy proves what he teaches.”
– Steve Jacobson
Founder and CEO — Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

The U.S. Special Operations community and those in command of America’s most elite military personnel and intelligence agencies trust Andy for ongoing guidance.

“Andrews understands the challenges faced in today’s world. His astounding ability to identify tiny, yet critical components of a larger picture makes him invaluable to any organization struggling through change in a complex environment.”
– Lt. General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb
Commander — Air Force Special Operations; Former Commander — NATO Special Operations

His bestselling books—including his latest release, The Little Things—have been translated into over 40 languages and transformed millions of readers’ lives worldwide.

“Andy Andrews is a Life Whisperer. He has a way of taking life’s most confusing issues and simplifying them, allowing us to harness principles and reach our fullest potential.”
– Dave Ramsey
Nationally Syndicated Radio Host and Bestselling Author

Andy lived a relatively normal life until the age of 19, when both his parents died just months apart—his mother from cancer, his father in an automobile accident. “I took a bad situation and made it much worse,” he says, reflecting on the series of poor financial decisions he made during this tragic period of his life. Within a few years, he found himself literally homeless, sleeping occasionally under a pier on the Gulf Coast.

It was then that Andy asked the question that sparked a search for what would ultimately affect millions of people:

Is life just a lottery ticket, or are there choices one can make to direct his future?

To find the answer, he went to the library. Over time, he read more than 200 biographies of great men and women—from George Washington Carver to Anne Frank—and discovered one common thread that existed between all of them: They had each made a handful of decisions at critical junctures in their lives that ultimately determined their success. Life was not a lottery ticket—they had chosen their fate.

The “Seven Decisions” (as he calls them) became the engines Andy used to carry his life in a dramatically different direction. Eventually, they became the outline for The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions That Determine Personal Success, which was featured on ABC’s Good Morning America as a book-of-the-month selection and remained on the New York Times bestseller list for more than four months. This stunning story of one man’s time-traveling search for meaning and fulfillment has since been translated into over 40 languages.

His subsequent releases—including the New York Times bestsellers The Noticer and How Do You Kill 11 Million People?—have continued to earn Andy praise for his ability to weave subtle yet life-changing lessons into riveting tales of adventure and intrigue.

An In-Demand Speaker, Consultant, and Coach

But Andrews is more than just a successful author. He is in such demand for personal appearances that he occasionally speaks to multiple audiences in the same city—on the same day! And still, his personal schedule requires that he decline more engagements than he accepts.

Corporations, associations, civic groups—even entire cities—have invited Andy Andrews to address their executive teams, employees, clients, or members. According to those who have witnessed what he accomplishes on stage, there are three things that differentiate him from any other consultant or speaker they have seen.

1) He is “one of a kind”.

Andy is that extremely rare communicator who can hold an audience spellbound for as long as he remains with them—whether on stage in front of thousands of employees, or in the boardroom strategizing with executive leadership.

2) He logically proves principles that produce results.

Corporations insist that, “Andy is not a motivational speaker! He is a teacher.” And the story-driven principles he teaches dramatically affect people’s climate, culture…and revenue.

3) He produces real, lasting change.

While many speakers will leave your organization feeling inspired for a few days, the evidence of Andy’s guidance remains visible long after he exits the stage.

Did you know the past 9 college football national championship teams—Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Florida State, Auburn, and Florida—have all used Andy’s books and/or personal strategies to maximize their performance?

As SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey puts it, “Andy Andrews has a knack for detecting the little things that are the difference between winning and losing. Frankly, it’s why Andy has become recognizable to ‘football people.’ Our officials have studied his material, the coaches listen carefully to what he says, and direct their players to read his books.”

As you read earlier, Andy is consistently getting these kinds of results with businesses, teams, non-profit organizations, cities, and leaders…and he’s doing it again and again!

Arguably, there is no single person on the planet better at using the power of storytelling to reveal life’s most powerful principles.

Andy By The Numbers

4 U.S. presidents have requested him to speak

3 New York Times bestsellers: How Do You Kill 11 Million People? (2012); The Noticer (2009); and The Traveler’s Gift (2002)

29 books written, including  Just Jones, released in September, 2020.

40+ languages in which his books have been published

51 publishers turned down the manuscript for Andy’s runaway bestseller The Traveler’s Gift.

Every 60 seconds a book by Andy Andrews is sold somewhere in the world

20+ million books sold worldwide

34 years married to the love of his life, Polly

2 sons that he loves to spend time with, Austin, 24, and Adam, 21

7 Decisions (The Seven Decisions) that became the foundation of Andrews’ career and first New York Times bestseller:

• The buck stops here; adversity is preparation for greatness.
• I will seek wisdom; I will choose my friends with care.
• I am a person of action; I can make a decision and I can make it now.
• I have a decided heart; my destiny is assured.
• Today I will choose to be happy; I am the possessor of a grateful heart.
• I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit; I will forgive myself.
• I will persist without exception; I will find a way where there is no way.

8 children’s books: Pink Ernie and Blue Fred in The Big Prank (2023); Henry Hodges Needs a Friend (2015), The Kid Who Changed the World (2010); The Young Traveler’s Gift (2004); and The Go For it! Series (2002)

Andrews spent 2 years homeless following the deaths of his parents when he was 19

Andrews read 200 biographies of historic figures while he was homeless, allowing him to discover the 7 decisions for personal success