Road to Success

Road to Success 

Wanda Wade

If the road to success is paved with failures then my dad has succeeded far beyond its measure. He grew up in a time when the world wasn't so kind to anyone of African American descent.  Raised in a rural area, about thirty minutes outside of New Orleans, called St. Rose, my dad like his father faced many adversities.  Though the Civil Rights Movement had begun blacks in the south still faced segregation.  A black man trying to support a large family on a minimal labor wage proved to be difficult and quite often my grandfather found himself working long hours in order to be able to provide for his wife and children.  The backdrop of my father's upbringing was a traditional one, my grandfather worked outside of the home, while my grandmother made sure their home and children were cared for. 

My dad's family was big in comparison to many families of today.  He had fifteen brothers and sisters, one of whom died shortly after birth, from SIDS and five others have since passed away. His parents are gone now too, but together what they instilled in him and his siblings from childhood is as true for him today as it was back then.  In a town whose population was dense and dreams were somewhat of a rare commodity, an eleven year old boy dared to dream big with thoughts of one day owning his own business. 

Growing up in a family that size sometimes made it hard to be heard, yet my dad never felt like he didn't get enough of his parents attention.  Though he will admit, it was quite a juggling act for them to divide their time among all fifteen children. The small house was overcrowded but it was filled with lots of love, and it was there that my dad learned the value of family and hard work. He marveled at his father's ability to divide his time between work and making sure that his sons grew into respectable men.  My dad took those lessons that he learned and passed them down to his own children. 

In one of many conversations I had with my dad I asked him what was one of the most valuable lessons he had learned from his father.  He said that my grandfather had always told him "regardless of what other people say you can do whatever you want and no matter what, follow your dreams."  It  was those encouraging words that he had heard so long ago that my dad finally made the decision to start his own company.  Equipped with his knowledge for the business and his strong desire to succeed he walked away from the only job he had known for over twenty years. 

His decision proved to be a good one and transitioning from employer to business owner shows that all dreams; big, small, or even those from childhood can still be achieved.  Enroute to success he was met with obstacles and challenges but through it all, for himself and our family it was well worth it.   

Looking back over the last thirty years my dad says following his dreams has been the best decision he's made and for him the true success has been in showing his children that they too can do the same.    

Define your own road to success - wanda wade