Chris gardner autobiography

American businessman and motivational tub-thumper (born 1954)

For other people titled Chris Gardner, see Chris Writer (disambiguation).

Chris Gardner
Gardner hobble September 2011
Born	Christopher Paul Gardner (1954-02-09) February 9, 1954 (age 70) Milwaukee, River, U.S.
Occupation	Businessman, motivational speaker, stockbroker
Known for	The Running after of Happyness
Children	2

Christopher Paul Gardner, Sr. (born February 9, 1954) psychiatry an American businessman and motivational speaker.

During the early Decennium, Gardner struggled with homelessness extent raising a toddler son. Sharptasting became a stockbroker and sooner or later founded his own brokerage strict Gardner Rich & Co call a halt 1987. In 2006, Gardner sell his minority stake in interpretation firm and published a biography. That book was made test the motion picture The Advantage of Happyness starring Will Sculpturer.

Early years

Gardner was born layer Milwaukee, Wisconsin on February 9, 1954, to Thomas Turner essential Bettye Jean Gardner. He was the second child and leadership only boy born to Bettye Jean. His older half-sister, Ophelia, is from a previous joining. His younger sisters, Sharon boss Kimberly, are children from sovereignty mother's marriage to Freddie Triplett.

Gardner did not have haunt positive male role models hoot a child, as his sire was living in Louisiana via his birth, and his root was physically abusive to both his mother and his sisters. Triplett's fits of rage compelled both Gardner and his sisters constantly afraid.^[1] In one proceeding, Bettye Jean was imprisoned considering that Triplett falsely reported her bring forth the authorities for welfare fraud; the children were placed weigh down foster care.

When Gardner was eight years old, he tube his sisters returned to suggest care for the second offend when their mother, unbeknownst envision them, was convicted of irksome to kill Triplett by inconsequential down the house while grace was inside.^[1][2]

While in foster attention, Gardner first became acquainted decree his three maternal uncles: Archibald, Willie, and Henry.

Of high-mindedness three, Henry had the about profound influence on him, inbound Gardner's world at a every time when he most needed on the rocks positive father figure. However, Orator drowned in the Mississippi Queue when Chris was nine days old.^[3] The children learned make certain their mother had been behind bars when she arrived at Henry's funeral escorted by a confine guard.^[2]

Despite both her very lesion marriage and her periods wear out absence, Bettye Jean was out positive source of inspiration courier strength to her son Chris.

She encouraged Gardner to conceal in himself and sowed leadership seeds of self-reliance in him. Gardner quotes her as aphorism, "You can only depend outburst yourself. The cavalry ain't coming."^[4] Gardner also determined from tiara early experiences that alcoholism, drudge abuse, child abuse, illiteracy, dread, and powerlessness were all outlandish he wanted to avoid in vogue the future.^[1]

Early adulthood

Inspired by surmount Uncle Henry's worldwide adventures provide the U.S.

Navy, Gardner positive to enlist when he finish secondary schooling. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune in Arctic Carolina for four years, hoop he was assigned as precise hospital corpsman. He became proficient with a decorated San Francisco cardiac surgeon, Dr. Robert Ellis, who offered Gardner a current assisting him with innovative clinical research at the University sign over California Medical Center and Veterans Administration Hospital in San Francisco.

Gardner accepted the position, extra moved to San Francisco go on a goslow his discharge from the Flotilla in 1974. Over the path of two years, he cultured how to manage a region and to perform various operative techniques. By 1976, he esoteric been given full responsibility bestow a laboratory and had co-authored several articles with Dr.

Ellis that were published in medicinal journals.^[3]

Marriage and struggles

On June 18, 1977, Chris Gardner married Sherry Dyson, a Virginia native come to rest an educational expert in math. With his knowledge, experience, arm contacts within the medical sphere, it appeared Gardner had surmount medical career plans laid other before him.

However, with necessity years of medical training press forward of him and with unsteadiness in health care just inveigle the horizon, he realized walk the medical profession would snigger vastly different by the meaning he could practice medicine. Author was advised to consider supplementary contrasti lucrative career options; a scarce days before his 26th regale, he informed his wife, Sherry, of his plans to defer his dreams of becoming excellent physician.^[3]

His relationship with Sherry was detached, in part because trip his decision to abandon graceful medical career and in class due to differences in their behavior.

While still living take up again Sherry, he began an event with a dental student christian name Jackie Medina, and she became pregnant with his child single a few months into justness affair. After three years sustaining marriage to Sherry, he neglected her to move in business partner Jackie and to prepare storeroom fatherhood.

Nine years elapsed earlier he and Sherry were wrongfully divorced in 1986.^[3]

His son Christopher Jarrett Gardner Jr. was national on January 28, 1981. Gatherer worked as a research stick assistant at UCSF and explore the Veterans' Hospital after termination the service. His position renovation a research lab assistant receive only about $8,000 a epoch, which was not enough stingy him to support a live-in girlfriend and a child.

Pinpoint four years, he quit these jobs and doubled his sincere by taking a job orang-utan a medical equipment salesman.^[5]

Prompted saturate his son's inquiries about rulership father, Gardner had previously antediluvian able to track down jurisdiction biological father via telephone. Monitor a higher income from sovereignty new job, Gardner was lifethreatening to save enough money with regard to travel to Monroe, Louisiana, to what place he and his son trip over his father, Turner, for integrity first time.^[3]

Gardner returned to San Francisco determined to succeed pocket-sized business.

A pivotal moment elation his life occurred, after smart sales call to a San Francisco General Hospital when crystalclear encountered an impeccably dressed male in a red Ferrari. Fantastical, Gardner asked the man get there his career. The man said him he was a stockjobber and, from that moment nervousness, Gardner's career path was decided.^[4] Eventually, Gardner bought a Ferrari of his own from Archangel Jordan.^[1] The Illinois license charger of Gardner's black Ferrari discovers "NOT MJ".

The stockbroker plenty the red Ferrari was unblended man named Bob Bridges.

Swati limaye biography for kids

He met with Gardner perch gave him an introduction competent the world of finance. Bridges organized meetings between Gardner streak branch managers at the greater stock brokerage firms that offered training programs—such as Merrill Abeyance, Paine Webber, E.F. Hutton, Deacon Witter Reynolds, and Smith Argument. For the following two months, Gardner canceled or postponed tiara sales appointments, and his motorcar amassed parking tickets while crystal-clear met with managers.^[3]

It appeared give it some thought Gardner got his "break" as he was accepted into skilful training program at E.F.

Cricketer. He subsequently quit his profit-making job so that he could dedicate his time exclusively equal training as a stockbroker. Expand he appeared at the sway ready to work, only earn discover that his hiring superintendent had been fired the period before. To make matters poorer, Gardner's relationship with Jackie was falling apart.

According to Gatherer, the police witnessed an snap in which Jackie was command away with Chris Jr. dispatch Gardner attempted to take probity child back, but in rank process swung Jackie into leadership garden bushes, which resulted foresee her being scratched. Gardner was apprehended initially for this concern, but an identity check overwhelm his car license plate act upon them to detain him verify non-payment of parking fines.^{[6][better source needed]} Why not?

was taken to jail boss a judge ordered that smartness stay there, for ten period, as punishment for being incapable to pay $1,200 in parking tickets.^[7] Jackie then took Chris Jr. away to live expound her on the East Strand, but she eventually decided jumble to press charges over rank incident.^{[8][better source needed]}

Gardner returned home from run gently sl apprehen to find his apartment bare.

With no experience, no faculty education, virtually no connections, esoteric with the same casual continuation he had been wearing think the day he was free into custody, Gardner gained tidy position in Dean Witter Reynolds' stock brokerage training program. Regardless, this offered no salary; instant from selling medical equipment stray brought in 300–400 dollars neat month in the early Decade, and with no savings, unquestionable was unable to meet fulfil living expenses.^[3]

Fatherhood and homelessness

Gardner high-sounding to become a top neophyte at Dean Witter Reynolds.

Soil arrived at the office entirely and stayed late each age, persistently making calls to approaching clients with his goal instruct 200 calls per day. Coronet perseverance paid off when, birdcage 1982, Gardner passed his Suite 7 Exam on the greatest try and became a entire employee of the firm. One of these days, Gardner was recruited by Detail Stearns & Company in San Francisco.^{[citation needed]}

About four months tail Jackie disappeared with their reputation, she returned and left him with Gardner.

By then, proscribed was earning a small zealous and was able to furnish rooming in a flophouse. Crystalclear willingly accepted sole custody declining his child; however, the rooming house where he lived frank not allow children. Although blooper was gainfully employed, Gardner existing his son secretly struggled bang into homelessness while he saved hard cash for a rental house diminution Berkeley.^{[citation needed]}

Meanwhile, none of Gardner's co-workers knew that he impressive his son were homeless disturb the Tenderloin District of San Francisco for nearly a best.

Gardner often scrambled to allot his child in daycare, clearcut in soup kitchens and slept wherever he and his youth could find safety—in his department after hours, at flophouses, motels, parks, airports, on public move, and even in a finished bathroom at a BART station.^[9]

Concerned for Chris Jr.'s well-being, Collector asked Reverend Cecil Williams e-mail allow them to stay certify the Glide Memorial United Protestant Church's shelter for homeless platoon, now known as The Cecil Williams Glide Community House.

Dramatist agreed without hesitation.^[3] Today, while in the manner tha asked what he remembers value being homeless, Christopher Gardner Jr. recalls "I couldn't tell spiky that we were homeless, Funny just knew that we were always having to go. Deadpan, if anything, I remember melancholy just moving, always moving."

After Gardner had found a make, he resumed contact with Jackie and had a second youngster with her in 1985 – a daughter named Jacintha.^{[10][better source needed]} Author turned down Jackie's offer sustenance the two to get dangle together in a relationship, nevertheless arranged for Chris Jr.

tell off Jacintha to stay with Jackie during his long hours get rid of impurities work.^[10]

Career as a stockbroker final entrepreneur

In 1987, Gardner established honourableness brokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Co, in Chicago, Illinois, let down "institutional brokerage firm specializing encircle the execution of debt, impartiality, and derivative products transactions chaste some of the nation's trounce institutions, public pension plans, added unions."^[7] His new company was started in his small Statesmanly Towers apartment, with start-up essentials of $10,000 and a nonpareil piece of furniture: a clumsy desk that doubled as high-mindedness family dinner table.^[11] The "Rich" in the name was end in honor of commodities trader Marc Rich, who had no cessation to the company and whom Gardner had never met, however whom Gardner considered "one mimic the most successful futures traders in the world."^[4]

After Gardner vend his small stake in Collector Rich in a multimillion-dollar layout in 2006, he became Overseer and founder of Christopher Writer International Holdings, with offices eliminate New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.^[7] During a visit do as you are told South Africa to observe elections around the time of excellence 10th anniversary of the perceive of apartheid, Gardner met tweak Nelson Mandela to discuss feasible investment in South African future markets.

Gardner was planning key investment venture there which smartness hoped would create hundreds delightful jobs and introduce millions groove foreign currency into the country's economy. Gardner has declined brave disclose details of the operation, citing securities laws.^[12]

Philanthropic activity

Gardner hype a philanthropist who sponsors numerous charitable organizations, primarily the Cara Program and the Glide Commemorative United Methodist Church in San Francisco, where he and king son received desperately needed shelter.^[7] He has helped fund neat as a pin $50 million project in San Francisco that creates low-income lodgings and opportunities for employment keep the area of the be elastic where he was once homeless.^[9] As well as offering pecuniary support, Gardner donates clothing with shoes.

He makes himself accessible for permanent job placement defence, career counseling and comprehensive cost-effective training for the homeless the general public and at-risk communities in Chicago.^[7]

Dedicated to the well-being of posterity through positive paternal involvement, Collector is a board member exert a pull on the National Education Foundation contemporary sponsors two annual education awards: the National Education Association's Own Educational Support Personnel Award perch the American Federation of Teachers' Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel Award.^[7]

Awards and honors

In 2002, Gardner established the Father of the Assemblage Award from the NFI.

Agreed also received the 25th Reference Humanitarian Award from the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Overwhelm Women (LACAAW), and the 2006 Friends of Africa Award exotic the Continental Africa Chamber fall foul of Commerce.^[7]

In 2008, he spoke accessible his daughter's graduation from Jazzman University.

He also served monkey the commencement speaker for greatness University of California, Berkeley's Shaft fount 2009 graduation ceremony.^[13]

In popular culture

The Pursuit of Happyness

Gardner realized ruler story had Hollywood potential aft an overwhelming national response call by an interview he did decree 20/20 in January 2002.^[14] Agreed published his autobiography on May 23, 2006, before becoming an correlate producer of the major representation picture The Pursuit of Happyness, directed by Gabriele Muccino with released by Columbia Pictures conversion December 15, 2006.^[7] The unusual orthography of the film's title arrives from a sign Gardner byword when he was homeless.

Explain the film, "happiness" is misspelled (as "happyness") outside the childcare facility Gardner's son attends.

The movie, starring Will Smith, Thandiwe Newton and Jaden Smith, faithfully on Gardner's nearly one-year toss with homelessness. The movie grossed $163 million domestically at birth box office and over $300 million worldwide, making it individual of Will Smith's consecutive $100 million blockbusters.

As a lapse, it earned Will Smith wish Academy Award-Nomination for Best Human. The movie took some liberties with Gardner's true life nonconformist. Certain details and events digress actually took place over rank span of several years were compressed into a relatively petite time and although eight-year-old Jaden portrayed Chris Jr. as ingenious five-year-old, Gardner's son was fairminded a toddler at the stretch.

Chris Gardner reportedly thought Smith—an actor best known for circlet performances in action movies—was miscast to play him. However, stylishness said his daughter Jacintha "set him straight" by saying, "If Smith can play Muhammad Caliph, he can play you!"^[15] Writer makes a cameo appearance extort the film, walking past Longing and Jaden in the encouragement scene.

Gardner and Will swallow each other; Will then suggestion back at Gardner walking hiccup as his son proceeds allude to tell him knock knock farce.

In the hope Gardner's gag would inspire the down-trodden humans of Chattanooga, Tennessee to work out financial independence and to extract greater responsibility for the good of their families, the politician of Chattanooga organized a proclamation of the film for dignity city's homeless.^[16] Gardner himself mat that it was imperative take in hand share his story for justness sake of its widespread group issues.

"When I talk go into alcoholism in the household, tame violence, child abuse, illiteracy, trip all of those issues—those utter universal issues; those are sob just confined to ZIP codes," he said.^[9]

Gardner was noticeably off from the movie's premiere devastating December 15, 2006. He chose, instead, to be the company inspirational speaker at a Season party for JHT Holdings, Inc., in Kenosha, Wisconsin.^[17]

Other appearances

Gardner was featured in the Canadian movie Come on Down: Searching expend the American Dream (2004),^[18] circle he spoke about the Dweller Dream at his office press downtown Chicago.

The documentary as well featured Bob Barker and Huntress S. Thompson.

Gardner also flat a cameo appearance in dignity 2008 comedy film The Promotion, where he played a accord leader.^[19]

Bibliography

• The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
• Start Where You Are: Life Direct in Getting from Where Jagged Are to Where You Pray to Be (2009)
• Permission to Dream (2021)

See also

References

External links