When the Tough Get Going
“There is no plan B for passion,†Chris Gardner ÂÂÂwrites in his new book, Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in the Pursuit of Happyness (Amistad; $26.99). It’s more than a slogan or positive affirmation. For Gardner it’s been the driving force by which he has defied the social imprint set by an absentee father and an abusive, alcoholic step-father and lifted himself out of homelessness. “I knew I was going to be world-class at something,†he often says. Gardner discovered that his calling was in the world of finance. After perfecting his skills at two major financial services firms, first at Dean Witter Reynolds in a low-paying training program, and then at Bear Stearns, Gardner used $10,000 to launch his own brokerage firm, Gardner Rich L.L.C., and operated out of his home in Chicago. Today, some 22 years later, he’s a smash success. Combined revenues for his ventures, including book sales and speaking engagements, are expected to exceed $10 million for 2009.
