Meet Mike Rothmiller | Former Detective, TV reporter, ESPN host, adventurer, Corporate President, and Bestselling author.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike Rothmiller and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I learned at an early age that everyday life presents risks. Some risks are minor, and others life-threatening, but all provide a valuable life lesson. Confronting risks strengthens you, hopefully makes you wiser, and alters who you are.
As a child, I took many risks, but at the time, I didn’t understand the danger involved. I’d catch tarantulas and all varieties of snakes by hand. I quickly learned there was an associated risk of a snake biting or the tarantula embedding its fangs into my hand. It only took one painful incident, and I quickly learned to handle them safely.

I climbed tall trees, explored caves, and learned to snorkel at age seven under an ocean pier in Long Beach, California. I attempt to fly like Superman at six by jumping off our garage roof. My makeshift cape fluttered as gravity taught me a valuable lesson. I didn’t say I was an intelligent kid.

At 21, I became a Los Angeles police officer and faced daily risks. I was trained to handle most of the dangers on the street, but there was always the unknown that could take your life. I instantly fell back on my life experiences and Army training at those times. Fortunately, in the majority of instances, it worked out. Occasionally, it didn’t, and I was injured. But I learned from each experience. That’s why I always tell friends to learn from their experiences. Repeat the good, but never forget the bad.
After a decade, I left police work to pursue a creative career. I became a TV reporter. Changing careers to become a reporter was a significant risk. I had no experience in news reporting, but I was always willing to take a “calculated risk” and learn from others.

Eventually, I hosted and produced an adventure series for ESPN called The Gamesman. The show provided some great adventures. I flew with the Blue Angels, scuba-dived caves in Mexico, skydived, drove in a demolition derby, fished in Alaska, swam with sharks, camped in the Amazon, fire walked in Tahiti, and much more.

Simultaneously, I was in business with country superstar Kenny Rogers and his brother Roy. Again, it was a risk worth taking, and it worked out fabulously. I ended my corporate career by directing three divisions of Sony Electronics EMCS-America.
After producing the Gamesman series, I thought about writing a book. I knew nothing about the publishing industry or how to write a book. Besides, I hated writing in school. However, I thought I had an interesting story, so I approached a literary agent in Los Angeles. The agent could have told me it was a terrible idea, but I was willing to take that risk by pitching it to him. As with everything in life, you already know the answer if you don’t try or ask.

I convinced him to pitch the idea to publishers, and a month later, I had a book contract with a major publishing house. That book became a New York Times Bestseller. Now, 20 plus books later, three of my recent books have had the Movie/TV rights optioned. They are “Bombshell. The Night Bobby Kennedy Killed Marilyn Monroe,” “Frank Sinatra and the Mafia Murders,” and “Reckless. Sex, Lies and JFK.” and I’m under contract for another major book due out in mid-2025. My most recent book, “True Stories of the Paranormal and Unexplained,” was released in August. All are available on Amazon.

I’ve known for years that “risk” represents the fear of failure to most. That real or imagined fear stops them from taking on a new challenge, adventure, or career. During my writing seminars, I always tell my audience to evaluate the risks and rewards when an “open door” presents itself. That “door” could represent a career change or a true adventure. Don’t be afraid to walk through if the risks are not catastrophic. Since we only live once, I strongly advocate the ancient Roman saying, “Carpe Diem” or Seize the Day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My career path has been diverse, including being a cop, a TV host, and a bestselling author. I also played a detective in a few movies. Naturally, the career transitions presented unique challenges I had to overcome. Some were far more daunting than I imagined. But I was not willing to quit. I learned and worked through them. Sometimes with advice from others and sometimes drawing on my previous life lessons. My willingness to take “calculated risks” and overcome the fear of failure has been a significant part of my success.

I viewed the opportunity to become a TV reporter, host, and successful author as an “open door.” They presented a chance I could not turn down. But, they offered a great deal of anxiety coupled with the risk of failure. Would I succeed or fail? I didn’t know. But I’d never know if I didn’t try.

Becoming a bestselling nonfiction author is not easy. The story you’re telling must be gripping, coupled with luck. Yes, luck. Writing a book is not easy. It takes a great deal of time, research, and effort. Having a good publisher and good marketing is a must. However, if the public isn’t interested in the story, it won’t sell. You’ll need it all, plus word of mouth, for your book to be successful. And remember, only you can determine your books’ success. If you consider completing a book project a success. That’s fine if completion was your goal. If becoming a New York Times Bestselling author is your goal, don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen. There’s a lot of luck involved in achieving that goal.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We moved from the beach in Southern California to Prescott, Arizona. I play golf
in Prescott, Sedona, and Williams when friends visit. We hike the granite deals and
kayak on Watson, Willow, or Lynx Lakes. We’ll have some great pizza at Bill’s,
great Italian food at Ciao Bella in Prescott Valley, or terrific Mexican food in town.
We may take them to the courthouse plaza or Yavapai College for a concert. I also
serve as an archaeological site steward for Arizona and will occasionally take them
to visit truly unique native American ruins from the 1300s. Prescott is an ideal
location for outdoor activities.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I thank my mother for teaching me to overcome the fear of failure in any endeavor. She said, “You never know what you can accomplish unless you try.” I always remember her words. Success or failure is always possible, but trying is the most important lesson.

Image Credits
I think the personal photo should be my wife and I with friend Kenny Rogers.

The following adventure photos were taken during taping of my TV series the
Gamesman.
1. Flying with the Navy’s Blue Angels
2. Archery practice with Amazon villagers
3. In the Amazon basin.
4. Mako Shark fishing.
5. On the bridge of the carrier USS Kitty Hawk during flight operations
6. Driving in a demolition derby
7. Flying air combat with friend Ethan Wayne. Son of actor John Wayne
8. Exploring lava tubes
9. Firewalking in Tahiti
10. With two playful chimps for the Gamesman series
11. Doing the news at KGTV
12. Using a Marine Corps Cobra simulator prior to flying.
13. Getting geared up to fly in a Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopter
14. Playing with a baby river otter in the Amazon

Other photos
1. After I briefed President Clinton
2. With friend Charlton Heston
3. I produced a PSA video with Garth Brooks
4. My wife Nancy and I with business associate and friend, Kenny Rogers.
5. Exploring a cliff dwelling as an Arizona site steward.
6. Discussing one of my books on the Geraldo show
7. With Arnold Schwarzenegger. I served on his non-profit board of directors
8. Me in uniform. LAPD sergeant
9. Book covers of my most recent bestselling books. Bombshell, Frank Sinatra,
Reckless JFK, and True stories of the paranormal and unexplained