«Not Far From the Tree» by Eric Otis Simmons

How does a child raised by a single-parent African American Mother go on to graduate in the “Top 10%” of his college class, walk-on and play college basketball, become President of his IBM sales training class, close sales of $1/2 million, $1 million, and $25 million in Paris, Brussels, and Hong Kong and self-publish a “Best Seller” book?  Fueled by his Mom’s mantra, “You can do anything if you put your mind to it,” and other “seeds of knowledge” ingrained in him by her, Eric Otis Simmons went on to accomplish all of the above and more!

In “Not Far From The Tree,” Simmons’ Memoir, he shares his life story through a series of smaller stories that range from shocking to calamitous to sorrowful to triumphing.  Eric takes you through how he stumbled across a court document revealing his Dad’s surname was actually Bailey and how off guard that caught him.  He jokes about the time his Grandmother caught him and his cousin peeing out of a window, and they both lived.  Simmons also opens up about the tragic loss of his daughter and the frightening night his Mother was assaulted at gunpoint and his ensuing years-long anger.  You'll walk down the hall with him through the secret tunnel underneath Alabama’s State Capitol where he meets Governor George Corley Wallace for the first time.  All he could think about was the Governor's infamous words, “Segregation now, segregation forever!”   Eric's insight into his remarkable career in Sales/Sales Management with Fortune 500 titans IBM, AT&T, GE, and MCI, reveals his strive for excellence centered around opening doors for other minorities.  Throughout his Memoir, Simmons masterfully ties together his Mother’s teachings with how he utilized them to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to achieve academic, athletic, and business success in Corporate America.

«If you love inspiration, heartfelt stories, and laughter, this book is right up your alley.» 

— Michael McCree (Best Selling Author — “Mind of a Superior Hitter: The Art, Science and Philosophy”)

“It’s a must-read for young and old who were or are being raised by a single parent. I give it 5 stars and plan to purchase more for sharing.”

— Linda F. Cunningham, MD

“It's a quick look into an accomplished man's life that will leave you inspired to be bold and go after the things you want in life.”

— Andrea Humpherys