In the book Why Chinese Women Are Not Broke, Giovanna Pang Garcia tracked down 100 of the most successful and influential Chinese women in America, convincing them to share their secrets of success. Garcia’s book explains how their core values and commonsense practices can be utilized by anyone willing to invest in hard work and persistence. These women became successful not because they were lucky, but because they found the balance between the Chinese core values they were raised with and the freedom and opportunities that America provides. They persevered, were driven by an indefatigable work ethic, possessed an unstoppable desire for success and never quit pursuing their dreams. I wanted to leave my reader with a real blueprint for success, says Garcia, characterizing the book as Chicken Soup for the Soul meets The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Garcia emphasizes that the keys to success are applicable to all people. While I interviewed Chinese women, because that is my heritage, these same values have been brought to America by immigrants from all over the world. For hundreds of years people have come to the United States with suitcases of hopes and dreams. They also brought a willingness to work hard, take risks, persevere in the face of setbacks and live with integrity she said. As she collected her stories, Garcia discovered a common thread and in her book writes that, despite adversity, limited opportunities, modest backgrounds and gender stereotyping, every single one of these women succeeded by combining their Chinese values with the freedom and abundance of opportunities here in America. The key to success, she added, is the ability to balance - to keep a close connection with what our forefathers taught us, while we continually move ahead with innovation and ingenuity. Among the women featured in the book are presidents, vice presidents, and top executives at Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, IBM, AT&T, QVC, Allergen Inc., State Farm Insurance, Bank of American, Citi, Merrill Lynch, State Street, and United Commercial Bank. Others are highly respected educators at top-notch universities, including Harvard, USC, Cal Tech, and Columbia. Leaders in the political and legal fields, such as ambassadors, congresswomen, U.S. attorneys, and a police chief, round out the list of remarkable women who have discovered the balance for success. This book is a must-read for anyone who is looking to reach success, happiness or merely get out of a rut.
