Rolling out caught up with Gardner on Wednesday, Sept. 29, exhausted and resting his eyes behind dark sunglasses between early morning interviews on a couch at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta. The jovial Gardener sprang to action when we arrived with our cameras and began his discourse about how anyone can achieve success. “How [are] you going to live the rest of your life? What do you need to do? Some hard choices need to be made right here right now. Some commitments need to be made right here, right now,” said an instantly intense founder and CEO of Gardner Inc.
Gardner’s intimate experiences with — and ultimate triumph over — destitution and disappointment are outlined in his latest book Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be. His message is clear and unchanging; throw off your limitations and break through to realize your full potential. “So many folks are having some challenges that they never dreamed would happen to them. We have seen the creation of a whole new class of homelessness in this nation. Something that I call the ‘white collar homeless.’ These are people who went to school, worked hard played by the rules, and guess what — the world changed. … A lot of folks thought rough was just a skin condition,” Gardner adds smilingly.
The confident and introspective capitalist offers five essential keys to business success. “We call it the C5 Complex. You have to be clear, concise, consistent, compelling and committed.” he says authoritatively. “You have to be committed to something you are passionate about. It can’t just be about money. It’s bigger than that, it’s about creating the life that you want. … It’s time to come home baby, to what’s really important to you,” advises Gardner. “Ain’t but one step [to success] — passion. You have to find that thing that turns you on so much that you can’t wait for the sun to come up in the morning because you want to go do your thing … and ain’t nobody gotta dig it but you.” –roz edward
