The book is about building a career and a business while being honest and treating people fairly and still being successful. It says the average person can succeed in life with a plan. The book follows my 40+ year business career that culminated in me starting my own business from scratch and building it into a $5-million firm within 12 years and surviving and thriving in the very tough economic times of 2008 and 2009. The book shares the lessons I learned in my 40+ year business career that will help anyone building their career and business. there are many humorous and funny anecdotes that bring the book to life and are entertaining. But, I do speak honestly about some of the negative lessons learned along the way many from people who did not follow my code of honest and ethics. Can we be honest and succeed? Absolutely! I share how we fired our largest clients/customers three years in a row and yet managed year to year growth until 2008. The importance of planning and life-long learning is critical to success. I share what I learned -both good and bad - from some of the mentors and people I worked with that will help readers see that doing what is right, and being honest, is the ONLY policy. I talk about my years as providing public relations services to The Stroh Brewery Company and have a 50 page history entitled: The Rise and Fall of Stroh's beer as a major brand, 1975 - 1999. It is a history of Stroh's beer during those years. I also share some of the major business experiences such as chairing the national effort for drivers in America to wear safety belts while driving. This effort was named by one publication: The most significant change in American attitudes of the 20th century. The book also shares the story of getting the state of Michigan to be a "Smoke Free" state to eliminate smoking in public places. At my company, John Bailey & Associates Public Relations, not once did a woman make less money than a man in the same or similar position. The Power of Ownership is about not just owning a business but owning yourself. You own yourself so go out and make YOU the best you can be. It is up to you but, The Power of Ownership: How to Build a Career and a Business will help.
About the Author: John J. Bailey, author of The Power of Ownership: How to Build a Career and a Business had a successful 40+ year business career. He formed his company, John Bailey & Associates Public Relations (JB&A) in 1996 from scratch - and built it into one of the largest and most respected firms in Michigan reaching the $5million level in 11 years. The main point of his book is: the average person can be successful in a business career and be honest and treat people fairly. The book follows Bailey's career and the lessons he learned along the way that will help anyone starting her or his own business. Not one time in the 14 year history of JB&A did a woman make less money than a man in a comparable position. Bailey won numerous awards including Communicator of the Year and was inducted into the Public Relations Society of America - Detroit Chapter's Hall of Fame in 2006. Bailey tells how his network served him well throughout his career and talks about how others should build and maintain theirs. Bailey sold his firm in 2009 and retired in 2012. He explains how his network even helped him find a buyer for JB&A even in a very tough economic time. Bailey was honored by President George W. Bush in a 2005 speech for his ethics and entrepreneurism. Who should read the book? Anyone who feels stuck in a career and or is considering starting her/his own business. Bailey is considered a small business and public relations guru and spends his time writing and speaking on the those subjects. Bailey is also contemplating another book.