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GRIT GRIND GROW!

Alexis (Lex) Brown, II, MBA

A Guide To Conquering Career Transition

Grit Grind Grow! is about recognizing your professional purpose, taking meaningful strategic action, and achieving desired career results, regardless of circumstance or current employment status.

  Business & Money    Career; Self-Help   55,000 words   75% complete   2 publishers interested
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Synopsis

Want to know how to combat the dark forces of career uncertainty and unemployment? Don't fear the enemies of your livelihood and success - they can be conquered. You just need the winning battle plan to implement - and this is exactly that. Consider this book your career light saber: a proverbial weapon used to cut through jargon, propaganda, and competition. Using the information in this book, along with your intrinsic force, you'll be able to anticipate disruptions and opportunities alike.

"Grit Grind Grow! A Guide to Conquering Career Transition" is authored by Lex R. Brown II, a Military Veteran, Business Operations Leader and Change Agent regularly sought after for challenging initiatives. For several years ongoing he functions as a primary decision maker in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and developing talent in various industries, including telecommunications, information technology,  and logistics. He also drafts highly effective resumes and provides in depth career counseling to fellow military veterans, industry peers, college students, and anyone seeking expert guidance on conquering their own career transitions.

Not only will this book help readers develop more potent content for their resumes and professional social media profiles, it will also guide readers through the processes of converting their personality, aptitude, and experience into effective personal brand materials that garner multiple job offers, drive boosts in compensation, build and expand thriving networks, and attract unexpected unique opportunities.


Outline

FORWARD

INTRODUCTION

GRIT:

1-You Are NOT Your Circumstances

2-Embrace the Suck

3-Do What You Can With What You Have

4-Gas and Groceries

5-Get Organized

GRIND:

6-Strategic G.R.I.N.D. Planning

7-Self Inventory

8-Self Improvement

9-Quantify & Storify

10-Enhance Resume & Social Media Presence

11-Jump on the N.I.C.E. Campaign Trail

GROW:

12-Level Set

13-Once You're Hired...

14-Stay Connected

15-Keep Adding Value

16-S.E.W.

EPILOGUE

RESOURCES

Audience

I have four target audiences for this book project:

  1. Transitioning Military Veterans: Every year over 250,000 armed forces members leave the military to rejoin the civilian workforce. Nearly 90 percent of them relocate to another area; many of them also take a long-delayed vacation to celebrate joining the civilian world and give careful consideration to what chapter is next in their lives - which also gives them plenty of time to read a good book(http://www.mjscom.com/marketing-to-military.htm)
  2. Military Spouses: Over 93 percent of all military spouses are female. Military families are continually moving from base to base, so spouses are frequently having to transfer jobs or seek new employment opportunities (http://www.mjscom.com/marketing-to-military.htm)
  3. Unemployed Citizens: According to World Bank and BLS, the US Unemployment Rate in 2017 was 4.9% - this is a captive audience awaiting great content such as Grit Grind Grow to motivate, inspire, and guide them on their journeys to achieving gainful employment
  4. Recent College Graduates: This segment is part of the coveted 18- to 30-year-old market, and most are still assessing their professional and personal directions for life, seeking to convert from a mostly dependent student status to an independent professional and young adult (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217344)

Promotion

Promotion for Grit Grind Grow will start with building early buzz prior to release and follow the step-by-step guidance of Kirkus Reviews to: establish credibility; leverage endorsements; and develop a loyal following to be dubbed as a "tribe" or "village" of supporters and readers. Here's a snapshot of my social media presence and a list of a few of the actions I plan to implement to accomplish great results:

LinkedIn Followers: 3,639+ | Twitter Followers: 1,727+

Facebook Friends: 591+ | Medium: 325+ | Email: 1,000+

WordPress Readers: 3,747+ | Google Plus, Instagram, etc.

Other Targeted Platforms/Potential Alignments: American Dream U (americandreamu.org); Vets Who Code (vetswhocode.io); HirePatriots (hirepatriots.com); BooksGoSocial; CushCity;

*Acquire at least 10 Endorsements from well respected sources

*Ship review copies of the book to "the trades" pre-publication to build buzz in the industry

*Reach out directly to a contact at the New York Times for a review (my previous Editor at Task & Purpose where several of my articles have been published freelance)

*Request a review by Kirkus Indie Reviews, and have it distributed to their licensees including Google, BN.com, Ingram, Baker & Taylor, and more - ultimately want to have the review published in Kirkus Reviews Magazine, which is distributed to more than 50,000 industry professionals and consumers

*Reach 100+ book reviews on Amazon.com and other distribution platforms that will help generate sales

*Use #Slack and #MailChimp to engage campaign supporters on a weekly basis from launch through publishing and ongoing thereafter

*Launch a Podcast in Summer 2018, which will add a dimension to my branding/marketing efforts and long-term strategy

Competition

  1. Get Back to Work - Smart & Savvy Real-World Strategies to Make Your Next Career Move (by: Melissa Washington/published in 2014/Independently published)



    1. This book focuses much of its tips/advice/strategies on the LinkedIn platform specifically - my book is different because I am developing my own templates/tools/resources that bode well across various platforms
  2. Lose the Resume, Land the Job - Almost Everyone Gets It Wrong. This Is How You Can Get It Right (by: Gary Burnison/published 2018)
    1. Description: Gone are the days of polishing up your resume and sending it out at random. At every level today, you need to “lose the resume” in order to land the right job. In other words, you have to learn to tell a story about yourself that speaks to your competencies, purpose, passion, and values. Lose the Resume, Land the Job shares the new rules of engagement: How you must think, act, and present yourself so you can win.
    2. My back is different because I still treat the resume as an asset and door opener vs. how this book condones abandoning the concept of the resume
  3. Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type (by: Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron, and Kelly Tieger/5th edition published 2014 at Little, Brown and Company)
    1. Description: Do What You Are -- the time-honored classic that has already helped more than a million people find truly satisfying work -- is now updated to include jobs in today's hottest markets, including health services, education, and communications technology
    2. My book is different because I focus on adaptability and finding different ways to align with varying opportunities vs. this book's approach of trying to find the perfect job to fit your unique personality
  4. Discover Your True North (by: Bill George/2nd edition published 2015 at Jossey-Bass)
    1. Description: Being a leader is about much more than title and management skills—it's fundamentally a question of who we are as human beings. Discover Your True North offers a concrete and comprehensive program for becoming an authentic leader, and shows how to chart your path to leadership success
  5. The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do (by: Jeff Goins/published 2015 at Thomas Nelson)
    1. Description: The path to your life's work is difficult and risky, even scary, which is why few finish the journey. This is a book about discovering your life's work, that treasure of immeasurable worth we all long for. It's about the task you were born to do

Alexis (Lex) Brown, II, MBA

About the author

Lex is the Owner-Operator of Brave City Military Maintenance Professionals in Atlanta, Georgia (www.bravecity.co), Co-Founder of Vets Who Code (www.vetswhocode.io), and a Freelance Writer published on platforms such as Task & Purpose and UDACITY Business Blog. Prior to becoming a US Military Maintenance business owner, Lex was employed as a Regional Operations Manager for an industry-leading telecommunications company. Now he has the great pleasure of employing fellow veterans and military spouses and paying them good wages. At Brave City Military Maintenance Professionals, they eliminate dust, dirt, defects, and disorganization, as they work hard collaboratively to get their clients’ facilities “Inspection-Ready” clean. As also a patron and representative for PatrioticHearts.org and HirePatriots.com, Lex is preparing to host the first HirePatriots Job Fair in the state of Georgia in Spring 2017. He has also made it a priority to educate his local veteran community about the unique One-Day Jobs Board available at HirePatriots.com.

http://www.solutionsbylex.com
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Atmosphere Press

250 copies • Partial manuscript.
Atmosphere Press is an independent publisher dedicated to author rights. We publish in all genres and have an exceptional editorial, design, and promotional staff. We stand for Honesty, Transparency, Professionalism, and Kindness. We want our authors and their readers to be blown away when they first hold that book in their hands. It needs to look good inside and out, and feel good to the touch. And, of course, the words need to be top-notch, and our editors are devoted to making that the case.

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eBooks2go

100 copies • Completed manuscript.
eBooks2go, Inc. was founded in 2011 to provide the missing link for all your publishing needs. Our end-to-end solutions provide the guidance and support that enable publishers and independent authors to pursue their passions. To date, we have helped more than 750 authors and 100 publishers worldwide. We offer an array of simple and affordable solutions to assist self-publishing authors at every stage of the book publishing process. Our comprehensive service offering includes editing, print and eBook production, book marketing, cover designs, ISBN registration, and even website designs. We are a single source for all of your publishing needs.

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CHAPTER 1: YOU ARE NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES


You might be reading this book at a time of personal adversity, onset by involuntary change. Or maybe you chose change, but are not yet seeing the positive results. If so, I hope you understand that you are NOT your circumstances. We all endure hurdles and hardships throughout our lifetimes. Loss of employment, medical setbacks, car repossessions, evictions, bankruptcies, etc. – these are all too common unfortunate occurrences across society.


Although challenging, inconvenient, and often frustrating, your transition journey can and should strengthen you, humble you, grow you, and prepare you for the new roles, responsibilities, relationships, and rewards that lay ahead. You must persevere. You can and will recover, and any material possessions you may have lost can be restored to you.


One particular concept that will help awaken your force within is resilience. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), resilience is defined as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress. It is essentially “bouncing back” from difficult experiences. In such a volatile, unrelenting, ambiguous economic climate, no asset is more vital than resilience.
What’s great about resilience is that you can continue to build it up and strengthen it. It’s something you’ve got to work on consistently, just like hitting the gym and working out to stay in shape. Sometimes resilience requires some renewing and refreshing. Maintaining great resilience can help protect us from depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. It can also offset physical illness and injury. With that said, before we go any further, here are four simple ways to build and maintain resilience on your transition journey:


1. Keep Things in Proper Perspective. Always remember that life goes in cycles. This means that any negative experience you may have can and should be only temporary. During those times of adversity, count your blessings. Look at everything and everyone positive around you, and appreciate the little things. This should help keep you balanced and hope-filled.


2. Make Meaningful Connections. As much as it is within your control, maintain a strong support system. This is your base for survival in life, and it requires as much from you as you demand from it. Bond with family, friends, and close associates on a regular basis. Make frequent phone calls and write thoughtful emails. Get out and about for a shared breakfast, lunch, or coffee. Whatever it takes, just keep nurturing those key relationships. Try never to isolate yourself, at least not completely. You need others, and others need you. Beyond your support system, build bridges through new connections to get where you aspire to be.


3. Take Care of Yourself. It is wise to maintain an active physical fitness routine, to care for your one and only body. Just as important is the state of your mind and spirit, which can benefit from active prayer, meditation, yoga, or whatever form of inner-exercise you deem best for you (to me, prayer is the most powerful of all). Although it takes a lot of effort to conquer transition, it’s also very necessary to relax on occasion. Finishing a good book or an intriguing series on Netflix can provide a much needed mental escape from the day-to-day hustle and grind. Allowing yourself to relax will help prevent you from feeling burned out.


4. Volunteer. Volunteering will keep you humble, grateful, grounded, and level-headed, regardless of any struggles you might experience during times of transition. As the old saying goes, “do unto others as you want done unto you”. Give, and your hand is open to receive. But that’s beside the point. Helping others is great for the heart and soul. You can even pickup new and valuable skills through volunteering. And, you never know who you might run into that shares a passion for the same causes you volunteer for.


You’re reading this book, so to me that means your resilience is already evident, because you’re actively seeking ways to persevere in life, in spite of any setbacks. In fact, “resilient” should be listed as a keyword on your resume, and you should absolutely talk it up as one of your core strengths during interviews.

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  • Sarah Thompasionas
    on June 27, 2018, 8:24 a.m.

    Can't wait to get into the Great Book. I know it will be a blessing to me. Congrats Bruh!!

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