Interview with Vicky Therese Davis, William R. Patterson, and D. Marques Patton

What is unique about The Baron Son that sets it apart from the majority of books out there?

The text we have written addresses how to deal with those around you that hesitate to embrace change while you improve your circumstances. By combining elements found in business, personal finance, philosophy, psychology, and self-improvement, we have succeeded at standing out against the backdrop of motivational books available today.

You say that you can improve anyone’s position. How is this possible?

We help you to identify the characteristics worth replicating of the successful people in your field. We focus your behavior on the actions that have the greatest impact on your desired outcome.

Getting your team of associates to perform at a higher level is always a challenge. What have you learned that today’s business owners and their managers need to know when it comes to maximizing human resources?

Above all else, hire superior talent, expect the best of your staff, give them the resources and constant training necessary, and they will perform at any level you wish. When they do, reward them often.

What qualifies you as authorities in the field of business motivation?

Our experience and rigorous study for well over a decade now, of the psychology of fellow entrepreneurs and investors during both an expanding as well as contracting economy.

Your book identifies eleven “Supreme Principles” that govern the responsible acquisition and use of wealth, power, and influence. How did you develop some of these principles?

We spoke with Fortune 100 executives and the one commonality we found was the need for a resolution that would balance the demands of work and personal life. From our research, we have discovered more of the same; people need help. They lack the keys to assist in making wiser investments, increasing sales, and influencing others to attain success. We felt obligated to fill that void.

Give me one of the “Supreme Principles” and share with our audience how one would utilize it?

One of our favorites is “Supreme Principle Third: The Seedlings of Empires,” in which we explain how to create value for the largest number of people by supplying them with whatever they need to be successful. By doing so, one is able to better the position of all involved.

Who were some of your influences?

The barons: Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Warren Buffet, Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, and Bob Johnson. They were/are all people who were able to change industry and the way we live our lives. We took the best of their strategies and learned to apply them in our dealings.

How did the collaborative effort come to pass?

After sharing in a period of prosperity over a number of years, we decided over dinner one evening to combine our efforts and write a book. It was to be the definitive self-improvement manual, and as such, seemed a daunting task for one individual. By combining our unique experiences, especially since we come from such diverse backgrounds, we felt we could create three times the value for readers in this genre.

What defining moment gave you the vision you are now realizing?

WRP: 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 levied by the local corner store on the neighborhood kids. 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.

DMP: I dared not ask my mother, a single parent of two, for an allowance. I could not have been more than ten years old when the game of jacks hit the children on my school bus. Finding the inexpensive toys in a nearby “mom and pop” store, and after a lengthy negotiation to procure the goods on consignment, I was able to supply this demand and experience the perks associated with being the sole supplier of CPS Bus #306.

VTD: After my first jewelry sale in high school, and making subsequent sales thereafter, I realized I was earning more money than with my steady jobs, and I was having more fun. I had no one to answer to, nor did I have to share my time or profits with anyone. That created in me a strong yearning to have a future business where I worked for myself and my money worked for me.

What’s the one thing you think hinders the average person from improving their position in life?

We find that as a collective, people are blinded by the societal norms imposed upon them throughout their formative years. Our approach is about highlighting frames of reference that empower our audience to become top performers in their chosen fields. By helping others expand their belief systems, ideas that never would have come to them otherwise are revealed.

In your research, what key elements have you discovered that differentiate peak performers from the rest?

Vision, persistence, influence. It begins with that one great idea. The one that keeps you up every night, bordering on monomania. The one you know will change the world, or at least make you a few dollars in the process. Then you work on that vision forever. Nothing stops you, naysayers—lack of funds, momentary failure—they all crumble under the weight of a persistent force. It’s Bud Fox’s calls 60 days in a row that finally got Gordon Gecko to pick up the phone. It’s Michael Jordan’s two thousand jumpers a day back when they said he could only dunk. It’s Earl Woods when Tiger was a child. Once your vision is clear and drive firmly in place, you need to be persuasive. Your support staff must be secured. The need to foster strategic partnerships will arise. Finally, the decision makers of the world must buy your product or service. Those individuals at the highest levels of success have all understood and possessed these traits.

What do you want your audience to take away from your work?

That anything you need to know to realize your goal can be found in a book or by consulting a knowledgeable individual. That one does not have to settle for conventional wisdom; thinking “big” should be encouraged rather than suppressed. Also, we hope they will have a pleasurable experience when finding their renewed sense of self.

What was the greatest challenge you faced as writers?

Getting people to comprehend our vision and support it.

What advice do you have for the opportunity seekers of today?

Be informed. We’re not talking about compiling data, we mean strategic partnerships. You have to be connected to the people doing the types of deals that you want to do. When you get there, you need to bring something to the table. Your biggest task is figuring out how you can provide a benefit.

So what can we expect from you moving forward?

Right now, we are negotiating the rights to our screenplay, CUFFLINKS ®, a financial drama. We’re also in the process of writing the next installment in our series which will be geared toward women. We’d love to do some collaborative works like TBS Meets the One Minute Manager, TBS Meets the Fool, Rich Dad, Machiavelli, etcetera.