Question: Who is the intended audience?
Answer: The target audiences are primarily those individuals who have an interest in the economy, finance and/or investing and are or may be personally financially impacted by the state of the economy. The secondary market includes those who would like to learn about the finance and investment world and/or are interested in pursuing entrepreneurial ventures within finance and/or real estate.

Q: What is the book about?
A: Standing in the Rain takes the complex subject of the economic crisis which has been experienced in both the United States and throughout the world and helps to explain the situation to the general public in layman’s terms.  It offers a well-rounded perspective from Thomas J. Powell, a seasoned financial authority.  The book takes a detailed, up-to-date (it will be updated again at the end of the Summer or when relevant when it becomes apparent in which direction the economy is moving at that time) snapshot of the current economic state in the country by addressing three specific areas:

1.      How did we get here?

2.      How do we get through this?

3.      What will the other side look like?

In addition, the book addresses each state and provides a snapshot of major economic issues occurring in them. We have already heard back from several business leaders and governors stating they found the information to be both relevant and appropriate.

Q: Why are you the best person to write this book?
A: Thomas J. Powell felt compelled to write this book not only because of the obvious financial crisis being felt by every business sector and individual, but also because it is a perfect marriage of his expertise in Economics, Finance and Real Estate.  He is an instructor in Real Estate Finance at Harvard University, has recently completed his MBA in Real Estate and is considering pursuing his Ph.D at Edinburgh University in Scotland.  More important, Thomas has real-life experience of more than 20 years belly to belly in the topic, not just within the academic world, which can often shelter individuals from the reality of what is occurring in the marketplace.

Because Thomas works everyday in the marketplace through his company, ELP Capital, Inc., and produces a weekly newsletter titled:  The Powell Perspective:  Observations on the Economy, Real Estate, Finance and Investing, he is able to easily update the content of the book as necessary to take it to market through a major publisher and still have it be fresh and relevant to the general public.

How is this book different from other books on this topic:  Examples of key competition and differences are as follows:

¨      Cooper, George, The Origin of Financial Crises (Vintage, 2008)

¨      Shiller, Robert, The Subprime Solution (Princeton Press, 2008)

¨      Soros, George, The New Paradigm for Financial Markets (Public Affairs, 2008)

¨      Zandi, Mark, Financial Shock (FT Press, 2009)

Standing in the Rain is unique from the examples listed above in that it takes the economic crisis and brings it to the individual’s level of understanding, application to one’s life and how to turn one’s personal financial challenges into success.  It is not just about understanding the market, it is about understanding how the market impacts the person and what he or she can do about it to help themselves both get through it and excel in the process.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about this book?
A: Thomas Powell has been a speaker on Economics and Finance for several years.  He speaks 10-15 times per year to groups of sizes ranging from 50-250 on the topic.  Tom’s speaking engagement list is included in this package which illustrates his various audiences and speaking locations, including a recent presentation in Buenos Aires in conjunction with one of his Harvard professors.  Tom has a weekly newsletter and podcast, The Powell Perspective, which can be found at www.thepowellperspective.com.  The current distribution is approximately 10,000 since its inception in March 2009; the goal is to have the distribution up to 100,000 by the end of the year.

Both Thomas and his wife, Tonya, have significant business circles that extend throughout the country and world.  In addition to Tom’s multitude of Harvard contacts throughout the world, he serves as a National Trustee for Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA), which has many Fortune 100 CEOs on its Board of Directors and Board of Governors.  Tonya is also heavily involved with BGCA and has built a very solid sphere of business owners and directors from her time with AT&T and her numerous wealthy and noted clients within the Powell’s financial investment company, ELP Capital, Inc.

Please see www.standingintherain.com or www.thepowellperspective.com for further information!

Question: Who is the intended audience?
Answer: This book is for people in the business and corporate world who are unsure about how best to introduce and implement social responsibility in their businesses.

It is also for everyone and anyone who is interested in being socially responsible and making the world a better place.

Q: What is the book about?
A: This is a powerful workbook for being socially responsible in business, and contains powerful questions that will change business people and their businesses forever.

The book has been described as the hard nosed business person’s guide to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), to do good in the world AND make a profit. Since the world today faces huge challenges such as economic meltdown, world recession, climate change, poverty, sustainability and social injustice, more than ever before we need world changing answers and we need them fast. This book asks the right questions to enable the reader to find his or her own answers.

Q: Why are you the best person to write this book?
A: Having worked in a number of different organisations and businesses and having coached many business people, I am seeing a huge desire everywhere to do the right thing for the world and for themselves. I have enabled 100’s of people to find their own “right” thing and have brought my learnings into this book.

I am on a mission to help business people and their companies find some right answers before it is too late. I hope to do this through my book.

Q: How is this book different from other books on this topic?
A: There are lots of “heavy” books out there which explain in depth how and why companies should adopt CSR principles and they are much needed. However there is very little out there that will take individuals on their own emotional journey of self-discovery; to discover their values and what motivates them. Knowing themselves better allows them to work out for themselves just what the right thing to do is.

Q: Is there anything else we should know about this book?
A: It is time for individual responsibility – even President Obama has talked at length about how he hopes to usher in “a return to an ethic of personal responsibility”.

As we increasingly question the way we live our lives, this timely book forces business people to ask themselves powerful questions to convert their good intentions into positive actions. It is all about not just doing things right, but doing the right thing.

As I say to my readers - “Come from a place of being socially responsible – you owe it to our future generations.”

To learn more visit www.PersonalSocialResponsibility.com