Dream Big! A Roadmap for Facing Life's Challenges and Creating the Life You Deserve [Hardcover]

Deborah Rosado Shaw (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2001

From a difficult and often daunting childhood to the head of a multimillion-dollar business, Deborah Rosado Shaw is living proof that no matter how humble your beginnings or difficult your circumstances, you can defy the odds and build the life you deserve. In order to do so, you must Dream BIG!, and Deborah's book shows you how. Born to an impoverished Puerto Rican family, living in the poorest congressional district in the country -- New York's South Bronx -- Deborah never allowed the hand she was dealt to dictate the outcome of the game. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves, got to work, and became CEO of her own enterprise.

A gripping testimonial to the stamina of the human spirit, Dream BIG! tells you how to:

stop fighting fear

get focused

claim your power

create something from nothing

play beyond the rules and win

and why:

quitting is necessary

desperation is deadly

fighting is essential

gossip is good

suffering is optional

Deborah Rosado Shaw has been the recipient of the "Women of Enterprise Award" in 1996, the "Free Enterprise Legend Award" in 1997, was voted one of the "50 Most Influential Latinas" in 1998, and is a proud mother of three. Her success did not occur without a struggle. Using her own personal stories as well as intimate anecdotes from other women whose energy and courage are contagious, Deborah paints an invigorating and illuminating portrait of how to make life happen for you, instead of just letting it happen to you.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Born to a Puerto Rican family in the South Bronx, the author's childhood wasn't easy; her mother's health was poor, one of her brothers had a serious kidney disease, and the family's means were limited. In high school, challenged and inspired by an ambitious Harvard-bound boyfriend from her world but with "one foot planted firmly outside of it," Shaw (then Rosado) got a scholarship to Wellesley. After graduating, she ended up in business, first working for her father-in-law, then starting her own business, an umbrella-manufacturing company. At some point, despite her material success, Shaw realized that she was still gripped by fears stemming from her childhood: she worried about losing her business, the next step in her career and whether she was a good mother. After years of struggle, she and her husband divorced. She returned from San Francisco to the East Coast so her children could spend time with other family members, and she could be closer to the rest of her industry. There, in the midst of a nearly-crippling depression, she won an Avon Women of Enterprise Award, and began touring the country speaking to groups of women to inspire them to make something of their lives. Her message you can persevere and succeed, is vividly and compassionately conveyed in this book. What makes Shaw so inspiring is her honesty (she's forthcoming about her shortcomings and her insecurities) and her experience her struggles are similar to those of so many women. (Apr.)Forecast: With a national tour, this book should sell briskly if Shaw is as powerful and engaging a speaker as she is a writer.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

Raul Yzaguirre President & CEO, National Council of La Raza A "not for women only" book that not only dares us to succeed, but demolishes all those seemingly intractable obstacles that get in our path on our way towards fulfilling our dreams. A must-read book for anyone that yearns to make dreams come true. -- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 236 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; 1st edition (March 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684867990
• ISBN-13: 978-0684867991
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,318,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dream Big! is a must for read for all of us, February 25, 2001

By 

Edie Fraser (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dream Big! A Roadmap for Facing Life's Challenges and Creating the Life You Deserve (Hardcover)

There are so many passions one feels when they read Dream BIG! Congratulations to Deborah Rosado Shaw. You have shown commitment throughout your life despite significant adversity. You have demonstrated an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. Your messages are for all ages and all genders on keeping the eye on the ball. Think BIG! is a big help to every entrepreneur. Nobody has a clear path to overnight business success. Deborah Rosado Shaw has shared with us the joys and pains of succeeding, the highs and lows along the way, the passion to never stop Think ing BIG! Rosado Shaw reminds us to focus on the end result as you overcome obstacles. Maria Sobrino, Toni Novello, Linda Novey White and so many more are profiled as they each embody the BIG Dream and the shooting for the stars. All continue to help as many other women all the way as possible. Giving back to help others as in micro-loans for women through Count-Me-In is precisely what we all need to do. As Deborah gives advice to make bold moves and build a powerful network, she is so right. Deborah, proud to know you. Proud that you have written the book for all to renew our entrepreneurial spirit. Hope that you continue to sell millions of umbrellas with Umbrellas Plus and we are always there to salute and support one another. Hope all read Dream Big! and never stop making the dreams happen.

Edie Fraser, president of Business Women's Network(BWN)

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! A Feast of Hope!, March 6, 2001

By 

LINDA NOVEY-WHITE - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dream Big! A Roadmap for Facing Life's Challenges and Creating the Life You Deserve (Hardcover)

This book is a shot of energy! Just when I've had a blasting day at the office and two late flights and no dinner, I pick up this dessert of a book! I lost myself in these stories of hope, courage and triumphs. Unlike CHICKEN SOUP OR SIMPLE ABUNDANCE, these stories are missing the syrup and "heartstrings" aspects. They depict the joy that comes from meeting and greeting the challenges and then soaring on to new successes! Buy this book today! You won't be sorry.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading!!, July 19, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dream Big! A Roadmap for Facing Life's Challenges and Creating the Life You Deserve (Hardcover)

Using experiences from her own life, Shaw shows you how to chart a course of personal and professional success. Actually, the book is part autobiography, part "how to." Including her early setbacks and how she overcame them is what gives the book "meat." She's also a risk taker. I loved reading about how she mustered the guts to do something nobody thought she could do. She does this quite a bit! Some books just give you empty platitudes about "positive thinking," but neglect to include examples of how to handle unexpected problems. Not Shaw. She tells it all!