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 â€œSupreme Principlesâ€? that will guide one and all in their journey to success.
BSN: Mr. William R. Patterson, I just had the opportunity to read your book The Baron Son, and I really enjoyed it.Â 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 fatherâ€™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 MecumÂ®, means something useful that one constantly carries about, such as a guidebook for ready reference. Literally translated from Latin, it means â€œgo with me.â€? 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 â€œSupreme Principlesâ€? 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 â€“ 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.Â Did you know your book would become a classic that would be cherished for many years to come?
BSN:Â 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?
BSN:Â 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:Â 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:Â 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 Johnsonâ€™s vision represents one of the key concepts in the book, the â€œSupreme Principleâ€? called â€œThe Seedlings of Empires.â€? This principle illustrates how success is built around one creating value for others by serving a particular â€œneedâ€? 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 â€œSupreme Principle: Requital.â€? 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, itâ€™s clear that in the long run itâ€™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:Â 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. Sheâ€™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.Â Together weâ€™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:Â William, what is the background of the Co-Authors?
William:Â 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 Chicagoâ€™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:Â Â 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 â€œHow to Succeed When You Are in Massive Debt,â€? â€œStrategies for Sound Money Management and Investing,â€? and â€œBuilding Wealth by Starting Your Own Business.â€? Weâ€™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. Weâ€™re now in the process of completing the next installment in our series which will be geared toward women. Additionally, weâ€™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.
BSN:Â Â 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 oneâ€™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 â€œSupreme Principle,â€? but each page of the book. While each â€œSupreme Principleâ€? 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:Â 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. Itâ€™s been truly a pleasure, and I look forward to our next interview. Until then, I wish you and yours continued success!