Patterson’s The Baron Son

The Baron Son was written as the ethical road map to wealth, power, and success. It is the story of a young boy who loses everything and through struggle finds the secret to become the richest, most powerful person the world has ever known. The reader learns alongside three scholars as the Baron recounts his story of detriment and triumph while conveying “Supreme Principles� that will guide one and all in their journey to success.

Black Star News Columnist, Phil Andrews’ Q & A with Mr. William Patterson Author of the Baron Son:
 
BSN: Mr. William R. Patterson, I just had the opportunity to read your book The Baron Son, and I really enjoyed it.  How did you choose the title of the book and what does it mean?
 
William: Thank you. Well, the story is about a son who feels compelled to live out his slain father’s vision to empower the people of the world with the keys to financial success. In doing so, he becomes the wealthiest of men. When heard, the title imparts a play on words, as the young man happens upon seemingly desolate, barren conditions, and rises to become a trade baron of unmatched influence. The subtitle, Vade Mecum®, means something useful that one constantly carries about, such as a guidebook for ready reference. Literally translated from Latin, it means “go with me.� And that is what the book was intended to be, something that you could always take with you and rely on to provide insight on various financial and business situations.

BSN: Can you tell us a little about the book and why anyone looking to go into business should read this book?

William: The Baron Son was written as the ethical road map to wealth, power, and success. It is the story of a young boy who loses everything and through struggle finds the secret to become the richest, most powerful person the world has ever known. The reader learns alongside three scholars as the Baron recounts his story of detriment and triumph while conveying “Supreme Principles� that will guide one and all in their journey to success. Each chapter of the book details how some of the most prominent individuals are able to ethically establish and maintain their positions. It is an important work because it puts the main character in the position of many readers who are forced to find a way to change the condition of their lives when they have absolutely nothing – no money, no resources, and no idea of where to start. It answers the fundamental question of how money and human nature really work.

BSN: William, I have not read such an interesting business book in many years since the Richest Man in Babylon.  Did you know your book would become a classic that would be cherished for many years to come?
 
William: The Baron Son was something we wrote from the heart with empathy and compassion as we looked at statistics that showed 37 million Americans lived in poverty, there was negative savings rate in the U.S., 1 in 5 individuals had no assets or a negative net worth, and personal bankruptcies were at an all time high. We also knew there were a large number of people who were experiencing unprecedented wealth, so we felt compelled to help close that gap. We certainly hoped the book would have an impact, but I don’t think any of us were prepared to see it so widely embraced by thousands of people across the country and translated around the world. We are extremely grateful that so many of our colleagues and other wonderful people have championed the message of this book. Next up, Oprah! (laughs)
 
BSN:  William, is it a central theme of the book that we have to go through life experiences to learn how to secure wealth and manage our resources?
 
William: That’s a great question. I think it is more the idea that we must learn from life experiences, but they don’t always have to be our experiences. It is often more efficient and less painful to learn from the experiences of others who have already walked the path we seek to follow. There is no need to reinvent wheel when you don’t have to, which is what the three students in the story who seek out the Baron so aptly recognize. Life is a very effective teacher to a perceptive student. It points out our character flaws and weaknesses by presenting us with situations that will expose them so that we might recognize them and improve. 
 
BSN:  William, at what age did you get your first exposure to the business world?
 
William: I often tell the story about when I was eight years old: I asked my father for an allowance. He refused. Instead, he gave me the idea to purchase candy in bulk from a nearby wholesaler and undercut the prices charged to the neighborhood kids by the local corner store. The profit I generated confirmed that I could create value for my peers by delivering the same, and in some cases a superior product, at a lower price. This was my first real taste of business.
 
BSN:  William could you please share with our reading audience individuals on the current business scene who would fit the profile of The Baron Son and why they would fit that profile?
 
William:  One great example is media mogul, Bob Johnson, who also endorsed the book. He is Founder of Black Entertainment Television and the first African-American billionaire. Additionally, he was the first African-American majority owner of a major professional sports franchise. Bob Johnson’s vision represents one of the key concepts in the book, the “Supreme Principle� called “The Seedlings of Empires.� This principle illustrates how success is built around one creating value for others by serving a particular “need� in the marketplace, and by having the foresight to recognize exceptional ideas that have the potential to blossom into greatness and the courage to act on those ideas. While many television networks were competing unsuccessfully for the same market, Bob Johnson created a niche network that served a demographic that had largely gone ignored by mainstream media. In the process, his success, both directly and indirectly, helped generate billions of dollars for companies and individuals, and pressured several industries to transform their marketing strategies and the way they do business. True Barons not only create wealth for themselves and others, but also leave a lasting impact on their industries. Bob Johnson was able to do just that.
 
BSN: William, one principle covered in the book is the “Supreme Principle: Requital.� Could you elaborate on that principle and why it is so important?
 
William: With all of the recent corporate and political scandals, that is one principle that has particularly resonated with the business community. It brings home the importance of ethical leadership and the idea that at some point each individual will be confronted with the consequences of his or her actions, be they good or bad. As we look at the recent improprieties from companies such as WorldCom and Enron which have been estimated to have cost the American economy over $35 billion dollars and created a crisis of confidence in the investing community, it’s clear that in the long run it’s more profitable to embrace ethical business principles, such as those outlined in The Baron Son, than to take the short-term path of ill gotten gains.
 
BSN:  William, you have two Co-Authors. What are their names, and what did they contribute to the book?
 
William: Yes, Vicky Therese Davis and D. Marques Patton. Vicky and I are former classmates and have done quite a bit of work together on the professional lecture circuit. Vicky brought a unique female perspective to the book and the concept development of the larger series. I think Vicky is absolutely brilliant. She’s one of the smartest people I know. Marques has led a life of entrepreneurship. Before the age of ten he had a business selling toys on his school bus. Marques brought hard-won lessons taught in real life business and personal scenarios. Marques understands how to succeed when you only have the shirt on your back, because at one point he had to.  Together we’ve worked on a number of writing and training projects throughout the U.S. and abroad, helping children and adults to develop entrepreneurial and investing skills, which became the inspiration for The Baron Son.
 
BSN:  William, what is the background of the Co-Authors?
 
William:  Both Vicky and Marques have backgrounds in finance. Vicky worked briefly in the financial arena and later founded Indulgence Jewelry Corp. where she serves as Chief Executive Officer. She also has business interests abroad. Marques is a retired Options Principal.
He negotiated a strategic alliance with a brokerage firm in Chicago’s financial district and was responsible for the actions of his brokerage team. Marques and I later co-founded The Warcoffer Capital Group, LLC, where he now serves as President and Chief Operating Officer.
  
BSN:   William, there are offshoots of the book The Baron Son. Could you tell us some of the new directions which were created by publishing this book?
 
William: We have a complimentary adult workshop series where we tackle topics such as “How to Succeed When You Are in Massive Debt,� “Strategies for Sound Money Management and Investing,� and “Building Wealth by Starting Your Own Business.� We’ve also launched a pro bono youth workshop series where we make a special effort to reach out to universities, high schools, and various youth organizations because that is where it starts. A teenager needs to understand simple things like if they invest $25 a month from the time they are 15, they are likely to have over $650,000 by the time they retire. We’re now in the process of completing the next installment in our series which will be geared toward women. Additionally, we’d love to do some collaborative works like TBS Meets the One Minute Manager; TBS Meets the Fool, Rich Dad, Machiavelli, etcetera.
 
BSN: William, I forgot to ask where the book can be purchased.
 
William: The Baron Son is available from our website www.baronseries.com and wherever books are sold. In the spirit of our “Supreme Principal,� “Allied Effort,� and our desire to always give people much more than they pay for, my co-authors and I have teamed up with over 20 other renowned experts and international bestselling authors to give away more than $3,600 in free bonus gifts to anyone who purchases the book from our website. 
  
BSN:   I could not put down the book once I started to read it! William, what makes the book so interesting?
 
William: We wrote the book with a layered approach, so that each principle would be relevant to the reader regardless of one’s perspective. So, no matter if he or she were an established business leader, aspiring entrepreneur, seasoned investor, or merely a casual reader looking for an inspiring story, readers would be able to take something away, not just from each “Supreme Principle,� but each page of the book. While each “Supreme Principle� holds its own relevance and power, it is really the synergy of implementing them all at once that allows an individual or group to maximize their efforts and achieve their desired level of success.

BSN:  I would like to thank Mr. William Patterson Author of The Baron Son for sharing information about a great book that has timeless principles and will impact many generations.

William: Thank you for the opportunity to share our message with your readers. It’s been truly a pleasure, and I look forward to our next interview. Until then, I wish you and yours continued success!

Phil Andrews is the host of the Power Networking Series located at www.powernetworkingseries.com and a weekly business columnist for The Black Star News

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