Straight Browsing from the Library: The Cobbler by Steve Madden

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Steve Madden will be awarding $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the othe stops on the tour.

READ THE BLURB

On a clear day, I can see from my apartment over the bridge to Queens, New York, where I was born. My family soon moved a stone’s throw away to the Five Towns of Long Island, a place that is still very much a part of me, from my accent to my style (or lack thereof ) to my lingering sense of being just slightly left of center.

The Five Towns is where I found my two great loves: shoes and golf. I’m not a very good athlete, but I have always loved sports. In high school, I didn’t make the school’s basketball team, so I played on an intramural team just for fun. I was probably the worst player on the team, but I enjoyed it, and it gave me an outlet for my restless energy. When I was growing up, the Five Towns was a prototypical Jewish suburb. But one of those five towns, Inwood, was home to mostly black, Italian, and Irish Catholic families. The neighborhoods were essentially segregated, as much of the country was back then, but our high school was mixed. Before basketball season started, I heard that a group of black guys had been kicked off of the varsity team for smoking weed or some other bullshit reason. I’d been friends with those guys since we were kids. They were unbelievably talented athletes who worked hard. Watching them play basketball was like seeing Mikhail Baryshnikov dance. Beautiful. It was a no-brainer to ask them to join the intramural team.

With the help of our new teammates, we dominated throughout the season and went from one of the worst teams in the league to facing off in the championship game. It was obvious that, for us to win, those guys needed as much play time as possible. So, I benched myself and watched with excitement, cheering them on as they masterfully won the game.

When it was time to announce the MVP, I wondered which of our star players would be named. They were all so good, it would be hard to choose. Instead, they called my name. My first thought was that it had to be a mistake. How could I be the most valuable player when I hadn’t even played in the game?

As I accepted the trophy in a state of shock, I realized that they were giving me credit for seeing the potential in others and giving their talents a platform. I was the most valuable member because I had put the team together and then stayed out of the way, allowing them to shine.

MEET THE AUTHOR

A man who wears many hats-and shoes-Steve Madden cannot be described in one word. He is an entrepreneur, an award-winning designer, and a business titan whose eponymous company is currently worth 3 billion dollars. On the flip side, he is an ex-con, a recovering addict, and a devoted family man. Over the past thirty years, the provocative shoe designer built a booming brand and nearly lost it all to The Wolf of Wall Street, only to rebound by giving back and creating a global empire. Through it all, he hasn't forgotten his humble beginnings or his core consumer, resulting in millions of adoring fans worldwide. Considered the fashion footwear mogul of the twenty-first century, Madden has an innate sense of what's hot, what's next, what's exciting, and more importantly, how this will translate to the customer. He is also an active philanthropist and mentor who supports a number of organizations that help those in need of a second chance.

Website: https://www.getthecobbler.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Cobbler-Disrupted-Industry-Grace-Stronger/dp/B0BLC2BT86/

a Rafflecopter giveaway