| The Short Version: "Once upon a time, there was a Jamaican civil engineer living in New York who hated his job, followed his passion, started a sideline business publishing his own books, made enough money to quit his job, escaped the rat race, ran off to a tropical island in the South Pacific, and started a tourism business so he could give tours of the island to pretty girls every day....and live a nomadpreneur's dream life." |
The Long Version:
Hi! My name is Walt F.J. Goodridge.
Many years ago, after I graduated from Columbia University with my Bachelor of Science degree in civil
engineering, I was, like many people, destined for a career in my "chosen" profession. I say "chosen"
because I wasn't really the one who chose it. Like many people, I only ended up in engineering
because my counselor in high school said I should do it, and being a good student, I listened.
So, immediately after graduation, I accepted a job in the Design Division of the Port Authority
Engineering Department on the 73rd floor of World Trade Center One.
However, within the first fifteen minutes of my first job in corporate America, I realized, beyond
the shadow of a doubt, that I absolutely hated it! I saw the future, and the prospect of working
a monotonous and restrictive nine-to-five job for the rest of my life, scared me to the core!
So, from that moment, I did everything I could to create the freedom I desperately wanted and
to escape. But no one had ever asked me "what's your passion?" or "What do you love to do?"
I had to ask those questions of myself. While in college, I had
been a radio deejay on WKCR-FM, and I loved music. So I went in the direction of that
passion and first did some graphic design for an album, then became an artist manager, then record label owner,
until, by a stroke of chance, I found my true calling for sharing information and wrote
Change the Game. Through the success of that single book, I was able to match my civil engineering income, and
walk away from my career to become a full-time "passionpreneur." I then went on to write several more books on the music industry.
Based on the effectiveness of the information in my books, people asked me to consult them to start businesses and
launch their own passionpreneurial ventures. In time, I developed my life's mission ("I share what I know, so that others may grow!") ,
and when the internet came along, I took that mission online, providing "information, inspiration and ideas to help people succeed" through
my books, as well as my own brand of motivation I called "Life Rhymes. Every week, for nine years
I sent my emails to tens of thousands of subscribers.
Over the course of that time, as I developed my experience and expertise in website
development, internet marketing, and living
true to my self, and helping others do the same, I launched dozens of websites,
created more unique products and developed a unique "Passion Profit Philosophy and Formula"
and a coaching and seminar practice as the "Passion Prophet."
In 1999, I self-published the formula in my "how to"
Turn Your Passion into Profit which, with yearly updates,
has consistently sold in the top 50 in home-business books on Amazon.com.
(They say that imitation is the best form of flattery. So, I consider myself
flattered that several authors followed my lead with similarly-titled books of their own!)
(Also available as a six-CD audio.)
Once on the island, and wanting to be a part of the re-branding of Saipan's image,
I launched the WeLoveSaipan.com website, then
20 additional sites devoted to showing the world the often overlooked images
and impressions of Saipan and the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
I now write a weekly business column
for the Saipan Tribune entitled "The Saipanpreneur Project."
I've written Doing Business on Saipan
to further encourage entrepreneurial activity on the island, and....
...with former garment factory worker Chun Yu Wang, co-authored
Chicken Feathers and Garlic Skin:
Diary of a Chinese Garment Factory Girl on Saipan.
I also co-founded Destination Saipan Marketing, Inc., a tourism company
to help visitors experience the best of Saipan's accommodations and activities.
One of my proudest moments came when was recognized by
official CNMI Senate Resolution No. 15-54
for my contributions to Saipan, its residents and economy.
As you can tell from the title of my website, I'm originally from the beautiful island of Jamaica, and, you can read about my
first year and impressions of life on a different island paradise in the book
Jamaican on Saipan!
Over the course of the years since escaping
from corporate America, I've written a total of 16 books, over 400 articles and almost 500 motivational poems,
and have dozens of websites that I manage!
But wait! There's more!
Saipan was a great experience, but the urge to see more of the world keeps calling me! So, I set my sights on China!
And you can now follow my adventures in my "Jamaican In China!" updates!
Everything I do serves my purpose. The PassionProfit mix of products includes creations and guidance from my own journey
discovering, developing and turning my own passion into profit, as well as the products of others who are doing the same.
They contain "Information, inspiration and ideas to help you turn YOUR passion into profit!" Just the fact that a
Filipina nurse created a children's book based on her son's school assignment, or a Chinese garment factory worker
can write and share her experience with the world, (See "Best of Saipan" department) for example, represents an idea to
inspire you to do something similar.
Everything, including my fun adventures in China,
are offered to you to prove a point--to show that we can all make different choices--to show how and that it can be done, and encourage you to do the same.
Even so, I'm always humbled by just how much impact my own fun adventures has on others.
"Hey Walt, When I first heard your personal story of the experiences that led you to the path of the passion pursuit,
I knew you were achieving what many people think is out of their reach. You made me see that achievement had never been
out of the reach for me. After attending your seminar and purchasing your book, I knew that the passion within me could only
be profitable once I decided to take the necessary steps to success. I saw you as someone I was able to connect with and
it made me think, "If he can do it, so can I." I am currently turning the passion I have of creating artwork, photography
and dance to that next level. No longer are these just hobbies but a way of life that is invigorating, challenging and fulfilling.
I feel a deeper connection to the purpose of this life path I am on. By focusing on this passion of creation, I am liberating
myself from the limits of doing something I had no passion for. Getting Turn Your Passion into Profit was one of my first steps
to acknowledging my own purpose, power and freedom. Thank you! And this comes straight from the heart because that is where
passion truly lives. Peace and blessings!"--Nicole Woo, DC
My next book will be entitled
Living True To Your Self I hope my Jamaican in China adventure encourages you to do just that! Enjoy!
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"Your [Change the Game] book is great! It helped me sell my first 5,000 units!"--Fred Harmon, WA "Carry this book around and treat it like your Bible!"--Chuck D., Public Enemy and SlamJamz.com RE: Life Rhyme #106 ("With New Eyes")-"I printed out your Inspiration this morning to read on the train. I had to stop myself from crying after reading "With New Eyes." What was even more powerful was the information you shared after the poem. We all need to be in the habit of repeating the affirmation to ourselves . . . and teach our children to do the same."---Zelda "Thank you so much for writing Turn Your Passion into Profit. Like you said, you're never really happy until you're pursuing your passion. So I want you to know that I stepped out on faith, quit my job and wrote the novel I always wanted to write. Now I'm on tour all over the country and finally living my dream. I am very proud of me and you should be too!"--Hallema, author, Mass Deception "Walt, next to my Bible, your book, Turn Your Passion Into Profit is the book I reference the most in my house! It is the only other book that is constantly visible (it's on the dining room table right now!)..."--Karon Mason Etienne, Maryland. "...the book and all the efforts put into it were well overdue, and you and Chun did an amazing job. Chun is a very special person for standing up and telling her story." --P. Tulloch, Radio Labour Program, Canada Hi Walt! Incredible! I just read your Jamaican in China [ebook] cover to cover! You are a true inspiration to me. Wow--you are truly living your dreams! This arrived at a great time for me. You are my hero! Keep inspiring us -- we need you.--Esther, CA
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