The Nations Premier Book Review Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Proclaims Its a Jungle in There by Steven Schussler A Bright Pep Talk for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Minneapolis, MN (Vocus) August 25, 2010

Its a challenge to stand out from the crowd, much less to garner an outstanding review from the nations premier book review journal, Kirkus Reviews. Its a Jungle in There Inspiring Lessons, Hard-Won Insights, and Other Acts of Entrepreneurial Daring published by Sterling, a subsidiary of Barnes and Noble, endorsed by Donald Trump, Lee Iacocca, Dr. Stephen Covey, Harvey Mackay, Songwriter Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul & Mary), Comedian Louie Anderson and many others. The book was written by first-time author Steven Schussler (the creative genius who founded the hit chain of theme restaurants, Rainforest Cafe) to inspire entrepreneurs, managers, students and anyone with a dream (http://www.itsajungleintherebook.com).

Schussler shares his strategies to help readers become winners in business and in life by pinpointing the Five Ps of entrepreneurial success Personality, Product, Persistence, People, and Philanthropy. Schussler is self taught and street smart without a college degree, he created a company twice named by Fortune Magazine as one of the top 100 fastest growing companies in America. His brainchild, Rainforest Cafe, holds the record as one of the top-grossing restaurant chains in the world and was the first restaurant concept to be featured at every Disney theme park worldwide. Step by step, Schussler provides the tools and insights in Its a Jungle in There to help entrepreneurs jumpstart their creative thinking and teaches them how to turn their ideas into reality.

The chapters are short, snappy and easy-to-read. Woven throughout Its a Jungle in There are personal stories and hard-earned business lessons that illustrate how anyone can take their dreams and achieve success through creativity and persistence. In the 1980s when Schussler couldnt convince anyone to invest in his vision of the tropical rainforest-themed restaurant, he transformed his suburban home into a rainforest setting, complete with live exotic birds, mists and cascading waterfalls to persuade potential investors. This is just one of many humorous and insightful stories he shares about creativity, passion and ambition. The book provides critical self-examination questions to assess the readers chances for achieving entrepreneurial success.

Chapter 28, The Importance of Philanthropy, focuses on giving back to the community. 100% of Schusslers profits from each book sale will be donated to Smile Network International, http://www.smilenetwork.org. As one of the founding members of Smile Network International, and a lifetime member of the board of advisors, Schussler strongly supports Smile Network Internationals amazing mission of surgically repairing cleft lips and palates of impoverished children and young adults.

Its a Jungle in There will be released October 5th and will be available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com and other retailers nationwide. Pre-orders are being taken at http://www.itsajungleintherebook.com. Prior to September 15, those who place an order at http://www.itsajungleintherebook.com and sign up for the email newsletter can win a trip to Walt Disney World

Guy Beatty, One of the Nations Leading Philanthropists, to be Honored at Fork Union Military Academy

Fork Union, VA (PRWEB) June 11, 2006

Guy Beatty, one of the nations leading educational philanthropists, will be honored at Fork Union Military Academy on the evening of Thursday, June 15, 2006 when the Academy will present him with the Colonel R. L. Pulliam Leadership Award, the schools highest honor. This special presentation, to be held during FUMAs Sports Hall of Fame banquet, will recognize Guy Beatty and his wife Betty for their decades of support for the Academy and their leadership in providing scholarship funding for students. Mr. Beatty has served on the Academys Board of Trustees since 1976.

One of the Nations Leading Education Philanthropists

Mr. and Mrs. Beatty made one of the largest charitable gifts in the nation in recent years when they established a $ 60 million charitable lead trust to provide need-based scholarships for students at the Academy. This trust is expected to provide the Academy $ 2 million in scholarship aid each year for 30 years from the Beattys' estate. In addition to this gift made through estate planning, the Beattys have funded current scholarships that have aided dozens of students in recent years. They have also underwritten multiple building projects on campus.

The Beattys' philanthropy has not been limited just to Fork Union Military Academy, either. In 2002, the Beattys established a $ 40 million charitable trust to aid the Virginia College Fund. Their generosity places them in the forefront of the nations philanthropists supporting education.

For Guy Beatty, however, his interest is in creating educational opportunities, not in attracting attention. He will use his money and prominence when it will aid a public cause, as in 1987 when he helped Jeannie Baliles (then the First Lady of Virginia, wife of Governor Gerald Baliles) create the Virginia Literacy Foundation; but he is just as likely to work quietly and personally to help others, when it will attract little attention.

Many years ago, he happened to notice one of his employees in the painting company he owned cashing a check, observing that he signed his check with an X making his mark because he did not know how to sign his name. The employee saw Beatty near by and appeared to be very embarrassed. Thats the problem with illiteracy, Beatty explains. People dont want you to know that they cant read or write so its very difficult to get their attention. Beatty told the man to come by his house and see him before he cashed his next check. Beatty spent three hours that next week teaching him how to write his name, telling him Tomorrow when you get in that line to cash your check, I want you to sign your name.

It felt wonderful to do that, Beatty explains. He went on and married a schoolteacher, and he became very literate. It was a turning point in his life.

Leading By Example

Guy Beatty came to visit the Fork Union campus for the first time in 1976, at the request of his friend Jack Jones, who was then the Chairman of FUMAs Board of Trustees. Beatty so loved what he saw at Fork Union Military Academy that he became a member of the Board of Trustees. Soon, he was identifying ways he could make the Academy an even better place.

Beattys first project was building a new infirmary in 1978. As Beatty matter-of-factly described it, We needed a new infirmary, so I helped to create it. In keeping, with Beattys unassuming manner, the infirmary was named after the Academys longtime physician, Dr. Yeatman.

In the fall of 1983, Beatty told Colonel Kenneth Whitescarver, then school president, I dont know whether you realize this or not, but we need a new library. Col. Whitescarver told Beatty that hed known that for years, and Beatty replied, Well, Im going to give you one. The new library, which the Academy named to honor Beatty, was completed in only ninety-three days.

A new addition to the library, funded by the Beattys, was completed this year, nearly doubling its size. On May 5, 2006, Guy and Betty Beatty helped cut the ribbon at the dedication ceremony for the new addition that provides more space for Middle School book stacks, state-of-the-art multimedia classrooms, a computer lab, and conference room facilities.

The wonderful thing about having Guy Beatty as a Trustee, school President Lt. General John E. Jackson, Jr. says, is that he doesnt just point out the things that need to be done, he steps forward to do it, leading by example.

A New Century, and a New Benefactor Arises

Schools ranging from Fork Union Military Academy to the nations major universities could not exist without the support of benefactors who give donations, both large and small.

In 1898, ten families in the small village of Fork Union pledged $ 50 each to hire a teacher for their children, and a school for 19 students was founded in a rented house. At the turn of the twentieth century, Fork Union Military Academy received an unexpected gift from the estate of a wealthy benefactor named Thomas Bowles. Mr. Bowles had grown up in Fluvanna County and went on to make a fortune in successful business ventures. The remarkable thing was that Bowles only connection to the Academy was that his cousin, Julia Seay Snead, was one of the original sponsors who had pledged $ 50 to start the school. Mr. Bowles sizable bequest to the school was instrumental in helping the school survive those early lean years.

Now, at the turn of the twenty-first century, another benefactor has stepped forward to help underwrite the schools future. His only connection to the Academy was the invitation of a friend and the desire to help educate young people; but Guy Beattys legacy of leadership by example and generosity of spirit will live on through the young men he has helped achieve to their own educational success.

My grandfather had a great philosophy, says Beatty, with characteristic modesty. Take a little, and leave a little.

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