Steve Austin and Paul Heyman had worked together before in WCW, but it wouldn't be until they were re-united in the original ECW that Heyman would give the wrestler a piece of instruction so valuable that it would shape his career and change his life forever. Bitter and angry over how his tenure with WCW had ended, Austin couldn't believe that Eric Bischoff had fired him via FedEx, with the only phone call coming from his secretary in the WCW offices. Needless to say, Steve Austin was one wrestler who needed an outlet, and ECW would provide him with exactly that. Encouraging Austin to sit and vent at his cameras, Heyman said he wanted the grappler to speak from the heart about what had happened, and get it off his chest. By doing so, Austin stumbled upon a promo style which he wasn't really aware he had in his arsenal, and it would later be adapted into the 'Stone Cold' character which would make him millions. Paul Heyman saw something in Steve Austin that not even Austin could see, which is a brilliant thought, and exactly what giving positive advice is all about. Realising that the wrestler had much more to him than meets the eye, the boss of ECW provided the platform for Steve Austin to grow as a performer. What other pieces of career-making advice can you think of? What do you think of the entries on this list? Let us know down in the comments section!
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.