We finally have our logo finished and are very happy with the outcome. We had 4 different choices and a majority of our audience liked this logo. In this case you can see how the different logos progressed. The last logo was the final version. As you can see, we added a girl character to make our books appealing to both girls and boys. This hasn’t been posted on our website yet because we are still finishing the books and solidifying our corporate sponsorship.

Winner!

A great plus that we have going for us is that Angela currently goes to Harvard grad school.  She has a lot of contacts that she’s currently building up and tons of brain power to go around.  Angela is submitting our business plan, with the help from a few of her classmates, for a contest and also to get additional financing.  I’ve been pretty lax on the business plan so it’s good that she looked it over, revised and added more content for it to be legitimate.  I think it will also go to a Harvard review for it’s sustainability and social impact. Very neat, our stuff being reviewed by Harvard.  Impressive!

I just finished re-working our website.  I’ve changed lots of things and added new stuff.  You can check out the changes here http://www.imreadybooks.com/ or http://www.imreadyforbooks.com/ . 

Here’s a sample illustration from I’m Ready For . . . The Dentist

Angela and I have decided that we want to create a Non-Profit side entity for our business.  This entity will allow corporations and individuals tax write offs for their donations to help low income families.  The donations will give low income families free I’m Ready For . . . book series and will fund lifestyle programs parents and kids.  The programs will be in the form of camps which help kids develop a strong self-esteem and teach them life skills (finance, fitness, responsibility, entrepreneurship).  On the parenting side, the programs will focus on developing positive and practical parenting skills. 

 That’s what we are aiming for after the books get released and become very successful.  I feel it’s a great way not only to give back, but to develop a stronger future for the younger generation.  With teens today having the highest rates of pregnancy, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, this is an epidemic that needs to be stopped.  It starts with kids and family.

If you’re a business owner or individual that would like to contribute to the well being of our children’s future, this is an excellent opportunity that will be available within 1-2 years.  Angela, being experienced in non-profits, said that would be a reasonable time to have it completed.  Hopefully we can get more support and momentum to have it done sooner.

I thought a long time about what the purpose or goal is for writing the I’m Ready For . . . books.  In it’s simplest forms, I want to make the lives of our children better throughout the world.  Here in the US, we are facing an epidemic amongst teens.  Today, our teens have the highest rates of depression, suicide, drug/alcohol abuse and murder.  Why?  It’s a combination of many things and when these teens were interviewed, the #1 reason was: low self-esteem.  I know the effects of low self-esteem and depression personally because my brother Rob had committed suicide.  At the time, no one would have guessed or had a clue that he fought these demons, especially me because I was really close to him.  Deep, deep down I know this how I unconsciously had the urge to write children’s books . . . a very special genre of children’s books that I had not seen in the marketplace.  I also did it for my daughter, son, nephews, nieces, and godchildren.

Here’s the rub.  I realized that the children who needed my books the most, usually came from low income, single parent families.  BUT, these families mostly DO NOT buy books -especially for their children because they cannot afford them.  Realizing this fact really made me uncomfortable.  That those children who truly needed my help the most, didn’t have the resources (money) to attain it.  And I feel, down to my core, that I was put on this earth to help MILLIONS of children through my books.  I know that my books are the one thing that can get them off the road off low self-esteem (and ultimately something worse seen by today’s teens) and on the road of positivity, high self-esteem and integrity.  So what’s my solution?  My ultimate goal or Golden Hoop?

To have my books FREE for underprivileged families throughout the world.  Don’t ask me how I’m going to do it - I do have some ideas coming to me.   I’m going to make it happen somehow and in some way.  I firmly believe I will.  We live in a loving and supportive universe and the universe will help me along the way.  It could be in the form of an idea, person, company . . . anything.  I’m open to receiving all the help I can get in achieving my Golden Hoop.  I’m expecting it, I’m allowing it and I’m praying for it.  That is my intention.

Here’s the copy that I just wrote for our books, I love it!

Thousands of Parents Now Have Confident Children

Who Never Thought They Could

Do you remember how you felt as a kid going to school, the dentist or the doctor for the first time? Were you scared, confused or anxious because you didn’t know what to expect? Do you still remember these agonizing firsts as though it happened yesterday?

If you said yes to any of these questions, then you know exactly what your child may be feeling. Unfortunately, many children still experience their firsts the same way their parents did – with fear, anxiety, and apprehension.

Now your child can be ready for all these firsts and live the I’m Ready For …® way.

If You Don’t Handle Your Child’s Fears Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later

My five year old daughter is a happy, confident and smart child. She is the envy of her class, but I confess she was not always like that. She used to be afraid, attached and coy. The hardest week of my life was dropping her off to daycare for the first time. I remember her helpless in my arms as she cried on my shoulder begging “Papa don’t leave me.” 

I searched for books to read to her that would ease her pain. They just reinforced her separation anxiety. I tried explaining to her that “everything will be OK,” but that false confidence never worked. It was only when I accidentally learned some simple, yet powerful parenting techniques, used throughout I’m Ready For …® books, that everything started to change. And I’m going to share some of them with you.

Have A Child You Can Be Proud Of

Many children are never prepared or taught what to expect when they go to school, the doctor or the dentist for the first time. The unknown is the main cause of their fears. I’m Ready For …® illustrated book series dispels those fears and has your child primed and ready. Preparation, familiarity and fun are secrets that make facing these firsts easy.

Imagine reading a story to your child where the main character is excited, prepared and looking forward to going to school. Your child’s eyes will open wide to the vibrant illustrations of kid characters, each with a superhero inside waiting to explode and conquer the day. See how quickly and easily your child’s self-confidence will grow. 

Who Else Desires Happier Children?

Our I’m Ready For …® illustrated book series gets your child prepared, confident and excited for their firsts. Here’s just a part of what your child will learn from our books:

• Why familiarity of surroundings, people, and the event puts your child at ease
• How preparation before the event leads to ultra confident kids
• 5 simple secret easy to implement anchors used to boost inner strength
• How to focus on hidden positives in every new situation
• How important daily habits guarantee a happier, healthy and fulfilled life

To pre-order our books, please visit our www.imreadybooks.com and use promotional code PEAK1 when ordering. Or call (301) 789-7813.

As an added bonus to ordering one of our books, we are including an absolutely free 3 month trial to our exclusive member site. In it you and your child will be able to:

• Download games, coloring pages, calendars, and certificates for each book
• Unlimited access to message boards to chat with other parents about anything
• Ask our expert Parent, Doctor, Dentist, Teacher and Coach advice columns
• Monthly contests, personal success blogs, audio transcripts and more
• Exclusive discount offers from our corporate sponsors

Plus your child will receive a free unique personalized book on his birthday, filled with a story of your choice and pictures starring your child ($75 value)! Pre-order yours!

I just hired the illustrator last Friday for our first project I’m Ready For … The Dentist.  I’m so proud of her work so far that I have to give her a lot of credit.  Her name is Gaye Meyer and she is mother of 2 college kids and she teaches at Montgomery College.  Gaye has also been helping with the flow of the text and her input is surprisingly great.

Because this book is just centered on the a child’s first visit to the Dentist, I tried to see if we could use the ADA seal of approval.  What I found out is that the ADA only uses their seal on consumer products such as toothpaste, floss or mouthwash and not books.  BUT, the ADA has it’s seal on some activity books that they sell through their website because those books are published by the ADA.  Maybe we’ll find some way to license our books to the ADA and have them sell it on their site.

One important thing about the book is that I had an actual Dentist read the book.  She made some important revisions and suggestions, and overall she thought it was great.  One of the lines in the book was “I eat healthy foods that are good for me.  Bread, milk and apples are my favorite three.”  The dentist had me take out bread and change it to carrots because breads are complex carbohydrates that convert to sugars and cause the most cavities.  I did not know that!  So I’m glad I had her input.

We are on track to have the I’m Ready For … The Dentist book finished before Feb. 22, 2008.  I don’t know how soon we’ll put in on sale, but it will be through the website www.imreadybooks.com.  Which reminds me that our web-designer is going to do a complete overhaul of the website.  Sweet!

Rigo and I (Angela Lagdameo, Co-Founder) are having our annual meeting. It is amazing how time flies.  I remember all our company’s firsts from this past year and I keep looking forward. 

Since I have had a background in activism, teaching, and non-profit management, I feel at peace that everything seems to be culminating at the healm.  We are excited to continue writing these books.  I watch my nieces and nephew grow and I truly believe that they will have tools to cultivate their confidence.  It is tough to be a parent these days! Get Ready! We’re coming onto the scene! Check out our website: www.imreadybooks.com

I finally finished the final copy of I’m Ready For … The Dentist and I am absolutely thrilled. I have an excerpt for the book here on our website. It took some revisions from our editor Ange and will probably need a few minor ones, but for the most part it is well done. I April (dentist and mom) read the copy and she liked it a lot. So now we are on to step two.

Tomorrow I am meeting with our illustrator to start this book. Out of all the illustrator I met and interviewed, her work was by far the best. I think she captured the essence of our concept and hopefully she will be able to do many of our books.

Our website www.imreadybooks.com is really an accumulation of 1 hour of work.  I’ve been too busy with other clients websites in order to work on my own.  I will have it redone by the middle of May.

I was lucky enough to bump into and speak with Dave Chappelle in Georgetown on last night after taking my wife out to dinner.  Our conversation lasted a few minutes but it read like a cliff notes version of what Hollywood really is, a pure disguise.  In Oprah’s interview in Feb, Dave explained why he left Hollywood which opened my eyes to his humanity.  For his reasons to willingly vanish, I admire him greatly.  Now, how does this relate to business?

Will there be a time when I have to choose between millions of dollars and sacrificing my reputation?  Hopefully not, hopefully I can have both a solid reputation and tons of money.  But in Dave’s situation he was confronted with that very situation,  a duffel bag full of cash for his identity.  Many would have taken the money and lived their lives without any regrets.  True to himself, his upbringing and his family, Dave took the high road and left Hollywood.  So last night in the brisk cool air on the streets of Georgetown, the infamous renegade who grew up in DC and went to Duke Ellington just down the corner from M street was reconnecting with his roots, mingling with passerbys and enjoying life.