“Patrick Turns His Play Into
Pay” is the 1st book in a series of children’s books authored by
husband and wife writing partners, Shani and Patrick Muhammad. The idea for the
book was created one night while trying to explain the reason there was a
gigantic, neon, pink and orange food-truck, now sitting in their front yard to
their then 4 year-old Qadeer. Patrick
and his wife came up with the idea that they would write a keepsake item for
all their children, detailing the road they took to becoming
entrepreneurs. The primary message is
simple. By tapping into your passion early in life you can turn your playdays
into paydays. Once the book was published they both realized that the story could not only
inspire their own children to entrepreneurship, but others as well. Shani
figured out how to self-publish it and Patrick would take it to different youth
groups in his community. “I began
shopping the book around to childcare centers and non-profits that served young
people in the projects and the adults loved it.
“They really loved the idea that it was based on a true story and that
the message was coming from a black male perspective. A story their children could
relate to. The images were brown like
them and I just always got a positive response.
We took that book everywhere with us, and the response was this is a
message that’s needed. Children can’t be
what they can’t see.”
Patrick currently lives in South Florida
with his wife and three of his youngest five children. He has a passion for planting the seed of
entrepreneurship and carving out wealth building opportunities for his
children’s generation. When he’s not writing books he’s on tour, speaking to
groups of young people about basic principles of financial literacy and the
benefits of early investing using cryptocurrency as a vehicle to establish
future financial goals. When he’s not doing that…he’s on a creek with a fishing
pole in his hand.
Shani Muhammad has been married
to Patrick for 17 years now. Together
they have 5 children and 3 grandchildren.
Shani has spent the past 15 years in a classroom as a teacher. She too
is a serial entrepreneur and has in the past owned a one-price shoe store,
group homes and several online businesses. When she’s not working on the next
children’s book in their series, she too enjoys researching and investing in
crypto currencies and planning her family’s next “staycation.”
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About the Book:
The first book in a series,
"Patrick Turns His Play Into Pay", details the journey of an
entrepreneur,
through the eyes of a child. The book uses vivid illustrations
and lively words, to explain the road little Patrick took into the world of
entrepreneurship. It demonstrates the
benefits of tapping into your passion early in life. “Patrick” tapped into his passion of baking to
help solve a money problem. This book
also shows the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur. You witness a 9-year old take the power and
control of his future into his own hands. You also see what happens when
“Patrick” finds help in a friend, to help grow his business. Above all, this
book motivates both young and young at heart and serves as a reminder that we
all have the ability to turn our playdays into paydays.
ORDER YOUR COPY:
Thank you for this interview! I’d
like to know more about you as a person first.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I’m on a fresh water creek, fishing...somewhere.
When did you start writing?
I wrote my 1st book at the age of 48.
As a published author, what would you say was the most pivotal point of
your writing life?
When I held the final, published copy of my book in my hands. I guess
primarily because I’ve been a janitor for the past 25 years and never really
saw it getting to this point and coming to fruition.
If you could go anywhere in the world to start writing your next book,
where would that be and why?
Savannah, Georgia. My wife and I traveled there for a family reunion a
few years ago and fell in love with the city.
It has a lot of rich history. A lot of it, I felt really personally
connected to. We have plans at some
point to actually live there. My wife’s side has land that’s been in their
family for at least 5 generations. It’s
in a rural area with a nice lake attached. We plan to do something with
it. Even if it’s just to build a place
for our family, I think we owe that to her ancestors.
If you had 4 hours of extra time today, what would you do?
Go fishing.
Where would you like to set a story that you haven’t done yet?
The next one will be in Savannah, Georgia.
Back to your present book, Patrick Turns His Play Into Pay, how
did you publish it?
Self-publish.
In writing your book, did you travel anywhere for research?
No
Why was writing Patrick Turns His Play Into Pay so important to
you?
Because it was for my family.
Where do you get your best ideas and why do you think that is?
When I’m on the creek. It’s just me and nature.
Any final words?
Passion has no age requirement, and has no limit on how many you can
have. I started out as a janitor, then became a baker now I am into
motivational speaking. With passion and guidance, anything is possible.
Nicely implanted.
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