Three Books in March

March is an excellent month for a few reasons. First, my son turned two years old, earlier in the month. His birthday is less than a month before mine. Another reason March is a good month, Spring officially starts in March, but there are some years we roll into April, and it is still cold. My birthday is April 4th, and when I was around 7 or 8 years old, I planned an outdoor birthday party, and it snowed a lot that day! I was standing at the screen door, watching the snow fall all over the sports activities I set up in the yard. Fast forward 20+ years, March & April still represent a change in weather, events, and peoples attitudes. This year, the transition into the Spring describes the shift from being in my 20's to now being 30 years old! I am excited to share with you, the last three books I read before turning 30 years old. Each book is extraordinary in its unique way because of the time, in which I have read them and the actual content as it relates personal and business growth opportunities. Here are the three books I read last month before ending my 20's!

The Dyslexic Advantage by Brock L. Eide & Fernette F. Eide

Seeking research on dyslexia, The Dyslexic Advantage fit the mold to end my last days in the 20's age bracket! When I was 9-years-old, I found out I had dyslexia. The primary reason I love business and I love collaborating with people is because I am dyslexic. I spent my entire childhood struggling with standardized testing and grammar, but I was always able to build strong relationships with people. Standardized testing interrupts the actual learning process while on the contrast, is also a metric of learning and knowledge. Lifelong education is not measured with standardized testing. I read a recent Forbes article by Susan Adams titled, A Dyslexic Entrepreneur Says His Disability Helped Him Build A $3.6M Company. The writer interviewed Stan Gloss, 60, a co-founder and CEO of BioTeam, a consulting firm that designs computer systems and networks for the life sciences market. During the interview, Stan referenced The Dyslexic Advantage, and a few weeks later, I began listening to the audiobook. For those who do not know, having dyslexia is labeled as a learning disability. Dyslexia is commonly viewed as negative, and as a nine-year-old, I cried at home the night me and my mom found out. The year was 1997 when we found out I had a "learning disability" and it took me over 15 years to recognize strengths that associated with having dyslexia. In the book, Brock L. Eide & Fernette F. Eide categorize four primary strengths found common in folks that have dyslexia, the author refers to these categories as "mind strengths." These strengths are material reasoning, interconnective reasoning, narrative reasoning, and dynamic reasoning. None of the mind strengths are exclusive to ALL people with dyslexia, but these four reasonings help better understand talent individuals with dyslexia possess. Each person with dyslexia is unique and will have different strengths. I recommend this book to any adult with dyslexia or any parent raising a child with dyslexia. Truly special, dyslexia is not a learning disability but rather a unique way of learning.

The Wealth Choice by Dennis Kimbro

"Wealth is of the heart and mind, not in the pocket." I have heard or found this quote mentioned by some of my favorite artists like Pharell Williams and A.$.A.P Rocky. Wealth starts in the mind, heart, body and spirit and The Wealth Choice by Dennis Kimbro add confirmation to the theory. I was referred to this book by online mentor and coach, Paul C. Brunson. After working a family business for 10+ years, obtaining multiple business degrees and gaining corporate experience, directing my actions towards financial wealth is the course from now to retirement age! The Wealth Choice studies the lives of successful people of color in America. Growing up, the wealthiest non-white people I know were my parents. My dad started a business while also employed by UPS while my mom was working as a nurse. Not only had they saved up enough to provide for me and my sisters but they have always been spiritual and shared passion for believing in god. Dennis Kimbro studied thousands of successful Blacks and recognized that race, sex, or rough beginnings would never stop those who believe in a divine purpose. Here are the 7 Laws of Wealth by Dennis Kimbro:

1st Law of Wealth: Wealth begins in mind but ends in the purse

2nd Law of Wealth: Decide that you will not be poor

3rd Law of Wealth: Believe in thyself when no one else will

4th Law of Wealth: To thine own self-be true; find your unique gifts

5th Law of Wealth: How may I serve thee?

6th Law of Wealth: Thou shall own thy own business

7th Law of Wealth: Make Thy Money Grow

Tribal Leadership by Dave Logan, John King, Halee Fischer-Wright

The last book I read.. before I turned 30! One of our directors recommended the read. I am new to the company, so I want to align with other leaders and overall the company core values. This book explains what tribal culture is and how organizations can benefit from theories that make tribal leadership success. Relevant to business, a tribe is a group of 20–150 people that make decisions on their own rather than through top-down management orders. Ultimately, a high performing tribe makes decisions together to maximize productivity and profit. The primary theory of the book is that culture determines a tribe. The authors expressed five tribal stages that display distinct types of communication within a culture. Each stage is a level-up from the previous one, and Stage Five being the most superior. People and groups and company culture have to maneuver through stages one at a time, where each stage leverages detail that will push people forward.

Stage One – ‘Life Sucks’

Stage Two – ‘My Life Sucks’

Stage Three – ‘ I am Great (and you are not)’

Stage Four – ‘We are Great’

Stage Five – ‘Life is Great’

In closing, my 20's have been amazing. I spent much time trying to find my way in the world while also supporting my family and maintaining lifelong friendships. As a business leader, it is beyond essential to surround yourself with wealthy people. Wealth starts in your mind and ends in your pocket! Weather 5 people or 500 people, I believe in learning from experience and sharing knowledge with others. Thank you for checking in, and I look forward to sharing more next month! Please feel free to reach out.