The Power Of Setbacks

What is the story behind The Power of Setbacks?

The Power of Setbacks is an inspirational journey highlighting our family’s struggle with cancer and how it unexpectedly led to an amazing new life. It’s all about the intersection of life and work, connecting with family, and redefining what really matters the most in life. The Power of Setbacks is filled with practical advice and insights on overcoming challenges, achieving your dreams, and creating your own successful online business.

Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

On our journey, we learned that success is just one dimension driving our happiness, but certainly not the most important one. In reality, the other and more significant dimension is fulfillment. You likely will not find fulfillment if you are constantly focused on making money or working harder. Time will inevitably pass you by, leaving you with little to show for it. To prevent that, it is essential to stop, reflect and ask different kinds of questions. Take the time to focus on figuring out what you really want.

What do you want your life to look like?  What is your true purpose and passion?

We learned that success really meant achieving a greater level of true fulfillment and leading a much more meaningful and happy life. We realized that success in its traditional form was just one of our lives’ dimensions, but one that had taken center stage and had served as a driving force for too many of our decisions. We were so worried about succeeding that we were absolutely failing in the meantime.

Fulfillment is creating the sense that your life has meaning and internal peace and happiness. It is a feeling that you are moving in the right direction, you are pursuing those things that matter to you, and you feel like you are making a real difference in the world.

We learned that most people are driven to seek success, but if that success is unfulfilling, they still feel hollow inside once the journey is over. In reality, people are actually looking for fulfillment. Success is traditionally defined by external measures—how much money you earn, your job title, the car you drive, the neighborhood in which you live, and your position in the community. Once you obtain these trappings, you find yourself thinking: “Is this it? There must be more!”

Success in itself is a worthy pursuit; it is just that success is only one piece of the equation. We often mistakenly believe that by being successful, we will achieve happiness and fulfillment. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We discovered there is no exact correlation between success and feelings of happiness and fulfillment. They may come hand in hand, but then again, they may not.

Why did you write this book?

Like many of us, we had a story inside us just waiting to get out.   We had experienced so much during our struggle with cancer and we really had the opportunity to reflect on the things that matter the most.  Success in itself is a worthy pursuit; it is just that success is only one piece of the equation. We often mistakenly believe that by being successful, we will achieve happiness and fulfillment. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We discovered there is no exact correlation between success and feelings of happiness and fulfillment. They may come hand in hand, but then again, they may not.

As Karen was building her business friends and family reached out to learn how she was doing it, friends and acquaintance would ask if we could talk to others who had been diagnosed with cancer so they could learn a bit what to expect from someone had been there.   We really enjoyed encouraging others and making a positive impact in people’s lives.   Resale Millionaires was an opportunity for us to make a difference on a much bigger scale.

Why is the time right for The Power of Setbacks?

Our health and wealth are challenges most of us face at some point in our lifetime. If we look at cancer alone, approximately 41 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime and about 21 percent will die from cancer.  About 56 million adults—more than 20 percent of the population between the ages of 19 and 64—will still struggle with health-care-related bills each year.

On the wealth front, research by the Pew Charitable Trust reveals that more than half of Americans are unprepared for financial emergencies. A third of the survey respondents said they have no savings, and more than half either spend more than they make or break even.

If we look at one hundred Americans and follow their financial path to age sixty-five, fewer than four will have income above $35,000, while five times that number will live below the poverty line.   More than 50 percent will be wholly dependent on relatives, Social Security, and welfare.   In America, the discrepancy between the haves and have-nots has never been so wide.    Unfortunately, most people’s closets are more organized than their lives.   It’s time for a change!

Why does it seem to take a major setback to get us to really think about our lives?

So many of us get caught up in our daily lives, paying the bills,  our jobs, family issues, health, deadlines, the kids, you name it.   We on this preverbal treadmill and most of us just feel trapped in this vicious circle of daily life.  We just don’t know how to break the pattern.   Setbacks step in and provide an interruption to our existing daily patterns, they shake us to the core and force us to take a step back, pause and evaluate what the heck is going on in our lives, what is really important.  You find yourself thinking, there must be a better way!

What are you trying to achieve with this book?

The Power of Setbacks is not just the story of our journey, but more importantly a blueprint for others to help them overcome their setbacks, pursue their passions, and achieve higher level of fulfillment. We also wanted to provide a practical guide anyone could use to take control of the finances and build their own small business.   A business that people could start part time that works around their current lives, a business they could start with virtually no capital, a business that worked with their current realities.   We want to empower people to take control of their lives and create their own financial freedom.

How did you come up with the title The Power of Setbacks?

We really wanted a titled that captured people attention, but that was also reflective of what we were doing.   We wanted something that was a bit of a head fake.   We wanted people to think about a setback as actually having power and leading to a better life, being the fuel to get us on our true path.

What is a Resale Millionaire?

A Resale Millionaire is anyone who lives their life in pursuit of their own passions and dreams. They are not focused on the size of their bank account, but instead on the size of their lives. With our book, our goal is to not only help create an environment and culture that connects people to what matters the most, but also shows them how to turn their current mess into their future success.

How did you get started with an Online Business?

Our journey began as a distraction.  After Karen was diagnosed with cancer, we turned to garage and estate sales as a way to distract us from our current reality.  Attending these sales brought smiles to our face, kept our mind from wavering with doubt, and over the course of our travels, infused our lives (and our house) with new and exciting objects that carried historical and personal meaning.  But as our house began to bust at its seams, we decided it was time to turn our collection into a business.  The next few years were welcomed with sale after sale.  And as we learned more, grew more, and dove deeper into the garage and estate sale world, we quickly realized we were onto something.

Where are you guys from?

Karen grew up just outside Santa Barbra, CA in the town of Santa Maria.  Dennis was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up on along the east coast living in Richmond, Virginia, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.   We currently split time between Seattle, WA and Myrtle Beach, SC.

How did you both meet?

We like to say we met at church, but there is a bit more to the story.    We actually met in May of 1990, in the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel located in Bella Vista, Arkansas.   The chapel was designed by E. Fay Jones and constructed in 1988 and the design recalls the Prairie School of architecture popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright, with whom Jones had apprenticed. Jones used steel and glass to create a series of Gothic arches that run the length of the chapel.  It was quite beautiful place to meet.  Karen’s roommate was marrying my college buddy and we both were in their wedding.   I was living in West Palm Beach, FL and Karen was still in Santa Maria, CA.  We did the whole distance relationship thing and were married a year later.

How do you guys balance your personal and business life?

For us we really enjoy spending time together both inside and outside the office.     After 25 years of marriage we are still deeply in love and are best friends.  That is not to say we don’t have our moments from time to time, but the key is to work on the things you enjoy and keep life in perspective.   After going through Karen’s bout with cancer, most things that seem to send other people off just don’t register on our radar.    We are truly thankful for the time we have and we believe an attitude of gratitude makes life a lot more enjoyable.     As they say don’t sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff!

Is there a message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

First, reflect on your perspective.   Perspectives can be a funny thing. I recall the day I was washing my hair and it all came out in my hands. Dennis’s response was sheer excitement because he knew the chemo was doing its job and killing the cancer. For me, it redefined the definition of a bad hair day. We all have things happen in our lives—moving mid school year, the death of a family member, or the loss of a job; but it is how we respond to these events that makes all the difference. Our reaction is what dictates our ultimate journey. At times, we have very little control over what is thrown our way. What we do have control over is our response to those inevitable challenges thrown at us.

Second, we don’t want you to have to go through cancer or some other life event before you take action to pursue your dreams. It does not have to be an all or nothing proposition to get started. The great thing about our book is that anyone who wants to make a little extra money, or who wants to significantly change their lives, can easily get started without taking significant risks.

We developed a model we will share with you that will allow you to not wait for the “Big C” to come knocking at your door for you to take action.

Lastly, step out of your comfort zone. We will show you the way. We will tell you where to go, what to buy, and how to sell it to turn a profit. This book is your blueprint to follow in order for you to become a Resale Millionaire. The steps we outline turned our mess into our success—it is now your turn! The treasures are out there, and if you don’t get them then who will?  What are you going to do the next time you see that garage sale sign? It’s your turn to create your own reality, achieve your dreams, and build a successful and non-traditional life.

What books have most influenced your life most?

A few books have made a significant impact in our lives including: The Millionaire Mindset by T. Harv Ecker, The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy, The E Myth by Michael E. Gerber, The Art of The Start by Guy Kawasaki, and Good to Great by Jim Collins.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

We spent a full year writing The Power of Setbacks so the time commitment was enormous.   Writing also requires an extremely high level of discipline and organization to ensure you strike the right balance between education, entertainment, and overall flow.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

The best way to be a writer is to actually write.    I know that sounds silly, but get that idea out of your head and onto the page.    Identify the core messages you want to convey to your reader and then identify a logical order in which to present your messages.   Develop an outline for potential chapters and then write a summary of the messages you will convey in each of those chapters.  Organize those chapters into a logical flow and then write chapter outlines for each.   Once you have your story organized in this manner, you will find you have created a roadmap to success.

 If you were writing a book about your lives, what would the title be?

Great question.   It would have to be a title that conveyed the message of the importance of process and persistence combined with passion, knowledge and hard work.

What’s the best thing about being best-selling authors?

It’s the scale of the platform that you have, the fact that you are able to share your message with thousands of people – that is really cool.  What question have you always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?

Are you concerned that cancer will come back?   I think people are concerned that it would be too politically incorrect to ask this question, but it is often the elephant in the room.   Sure we are, I think we both think about it at different times, and we both know it is a possibility, we certainly get especially anxious around the annual mammograms.

What are some of the most stressful setbacks people face?

There is actual something called the Holmes and Rahe scale which measures stressful events in our lives.  For adults, the top ten most stressful events and their “Life Change Unit” scores are as follows:

1. Death of a spouse: 100
2. Divorce: 73
3. Marital separation: 65
4. Imprisonment: 63
5. Death of a close family member: 63
6. Personal injury or illness: 53
7. Marriage: 50
8. Dismissal from work: 47
9. Marital reconciliation: 45
10. Retirement: 45

A score of 300 or higher puts a person at risk of illness, 150-299 shows a moderate risk of illness, and a score of less than 150 predicts only a slight risk of illness.

What’s next for you both? What are you working on now?

We are working on a project where people can get direct access to us and detail training in all areas discussed in The Power of Setbacks.  It will allow us to deep dive with people in the specific areas that matter the most to them.   We are excited to build a community of like mind people and engage in direct conversations with people.   We loved working on our book, but to have the opportunity to work with people directly, coach and mentor them, that’s really the next level for us.

How can people contact you?

Just head over to www.ThePowerOfSetbacks.com

How can people get the book?

The book is available at your favorite bookstore or online retailer.