CHASING THE DREAM - “WHY SHOULD GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN?"

>> GOOD EVENING.

I'M JACK FORD.

WHY SHOULD GUYS HAVE ALL THE FUN WHEN WOMEN CAN BE JUST AS SUCCESSFUL?

THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT CELEBRATED LAWYER, PHILANTHROPIST AND AUTHOR LOIDA LEWIS ASKS IN HER NEW MEMOIR.

BORN IN THE PHILIPPINES, THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, SHE WENT ON TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL, PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY.

HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE WIDE RANGING, FROM BECOMING THE FIRST ASIAN WOMAN TO PASS THE BAR EXAM WITHOUT EVER ATTENDING A U.S. LAW SCHOOL, TO SHEPHERDING A MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION TO RECORD EARNINGS.

AFTER HER HUSBAND, FAMED BUSINESSMAN REGINALD LEWIS PASSED AWAY.

JOINING US IN HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IS ONE OF AMERICA'S LEADING FEMALE EXECUTIVES AND THE AUTHOR OF FUN: AN ASIAN AMERICAN STORY OF LOVE, MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND RUNNING A BILLION DOLLAR EMPIRE."

LOIDA LEWIS JOINS US AS PART OF OUR CHASING THE DREAM INITIATIVE ON POVERTY, JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, JACK, FOR HAVING ME.

>> IT'S A VERY INTERESTING AND COMPELLING STORY THAT YOU TELL HERE.

I MENTIONED TO YOU, I HAD MET YOUR HUSBAND BEFORE HE SADLY PASSED AWAY AT AN EARLY AGE, AND SEEING YOUR PARALLEL LIVES AND HOW THEY JOIN TOGETHER, IT'S A FASCINATING STORY.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE QUESTION WE ASK JUST ABOUT ALL AUTHORS, AND THAT IS, WHY TELL YOUR STORY AND WHY DID YOU WANT TO TELL IT NOW?

>> WELL, SINCE MR. LEWIS DIED 30 YEARS AGO, I HAVE BEEN PROMOTING HIS BOOK, IT HAS INSPIRED A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN, TO REACH HEIGHT OF WHATEVER IS THEIR DREAM.

AFTER 30 YEARS, I WAS CHAPTER SIX IN HIS BOOK.

I SAID, I MIGHT AS WELL TELL MY STORY, BECAUSE I WAS APPROACHING THE BIG 80.

YES?

I TURNED 80 LAST YEAR.

THAT'S WHY I DECIDED TO CALL HIS CO-AUTHOR BLAIR WALKER AND SAY, YOU KNOW HALF OF MY STORY, LET'S TELL THE OTHER HALF.

THAT'S WHY I DECIDED, LET'S DO IT.

>> I DO WANT TO MENTION, THE BOOK IS BEING RELEASED THE END OF THIS MONTH, END OF MARCH.

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU THAT THIS BOOK BE RELEASED?

MARCH IS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.

MARCH 8th IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY.

WHY WAS IT SO IMPORTANT TO YOU TO HAVE THOSE JOINED TOGETHER?

>> YES.

THE TITLE IS HAVE ALL THE FUN: AN ASIAN AMERICAN STORY OF LOVE, MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND RUNNING A BILLION DOLLAR EMPIRE," BECAUSE I WANT WOMEN ESPECIALLY TO READ THE BOOK AND SEE THAT WE WOMEN HAVE INNER POWERS THAT MEN DO NOT HAVE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BE A MAN.

WE REMAIN WOMEN.

BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO.

WHAT'S THE STORY?

WHAT'S THAT SONG?

WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, I CAN DO BETTER.

WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY.

SO I DON'T WANT WOMEN TO BE AGHAST AND AFRAID AND -- I CAN'T DO IT.

THINK POSITIVE.

WHATEVER IS THE CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF YOU, TAKE IT.

WE CAN DO IT.

>> THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE.

I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS A CANCER SURGEON.

I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT AS A WOMAN, AS A CANCER SURGEON DEALING WITH WOMEN'S CANCERS, SHE BRINGS SOMETHING -- IT'S NOT THAT OTHER MALE SURGEONS WOULDN'T, BUT SHE BRINGS SOMETHING AS YOU SAID THAT WOMEN BRING, THAT IS DIFFERENT.

WHY DID YOU FIND?

I'M GOING TO JUMP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT, THEN I WILL TALK ABOUT SOME OF YOUR PERSONAL STORY.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF YOUR HUSBAND, REGINALD LEWIS, AT THE AGE OF 50.

HE HAD BEEN HERALDED AS THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO OWN A COMPANY WORTH A BILLION DOLLARS.

AFTER HE PASSED AWAY, THERE WAS A PERIOD WHEN HIS BROTHER TOOK OVER THE COMPANY AND THEN YOU DID.

YOU HAVE A CHAPTER IN YOUR BOOK.

THE CHAPTER IS TITLED, "FROM MRS. LEWIS TO MADAM CHAIR."

TALK ABOUT THAT TRANSITION.

WHAT YOU HAD TO DO AND HOW YOU FELT YOU WERE CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.

>> YES.

WELL FIRST OF ALL, MR. LEWIS HAD A PLAN THAT HIS BROTHER WOULD TAKE OVER AND THEY WOULD ELECT A CEO.

SO AFTER A YEAR -- BASICALLY IT TOOK A YEAR -- SIX MONTHS TO REALLY JUST GET MYSELF TOGETHER, BECAUSE IT WAS CATACLYSMIC HE DIED AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GROW OLD TOGETHER.

SO I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL TO GENE, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW.

IN SPITE OF HIS GRIEF, HE TOOK OVER AS CEO.

IT WAS ALWAYS THE PLAN TO ELECT OR TO CHOOSE AN EXPERIENCED CEO.

WE WERE INTERVIEWING.

ALL OF THEM ARE WHITE.

NOT THAT I HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST CAUCASIANS.

THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE SOMETHING BIG.

WHEN I ASK THEM, CAN YOU MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL?

THE ANSWER WAS, I WILL TRY MY BEST.

IN MY MIND, TRY YOUR BEST?

WHAT IF IT FAILS?

WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

IN THE END, AFTER -- BEFORE THE AFTER PRAYER, IT WAS VERY CLEAR.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.

TAKE IT OVER SO IF IT FAILS, IT'S MY FAULT.

NOT POINTING TO ANYBODY.

THREE FINGERS POINT AT ME.

IT'S BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WISE ENOUGH TO CHOOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN ME AND RUN IT TO MR. LEWIS' AIM.

THAT'S WHY I TOOK OVER.

>> YOU HAD GREAT SUCCESS.

YOU GREW ITS EARNINGS.

YOU DECIDED AS THE COMPANY DID TO NAVIGATE A SALE OF THE COMPANY.

CERTAINLY, IT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY SUCCESSFUL.

MY QUESTION TO YOU -- THIS TIES INTO WHY YOU WROTE THIS BOOK.

LET'S HAVE WOMEN HAVE THE SAME KIND OF SUCCESS.

AS YOU LOOK BACK ON IT, WITH THE CLARITY OF HINDSIGHT, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU BROUGHT TO THAT POSITION AS A WOMAN THAT ALLOWED YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR SHEPHERDING OF THE COMPANY THROUGH THAT PERIOD OF TIME?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS MARRIED TO MR. LEWIS FOR 24 YEARS.

I HAVE BEEN A GOOD LISTENER.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T SAY MUCH, BUT I LISTEN.

>> THAT'S SUCH A GREAT SKILL, BY THE WAY.

I THINK AN UNDERRATED SKILL.

THE ABILITY TO LISTEN.

RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE TALKING WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND TALKING TO MEN AND WOMEN.

YOU ARE A TEAM.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER.

YOU WILL SURELY FAIL.

A SPOUSE TO ONE ANOTHER, YOU ARE A TEAM.

I KNOW MY ROLE, BECAUSE HE IS THE ROCKET SHIP.

I HAVE TO LISTEN ELOQUENTLY SO IF THERE'S SOMETHING I COULD ADD, I COULD SAY SOMETHING.

I KNEW MORE OR LESS HIS GOALS.

NUMBER THREE, WHY WAS I SUCCESSFUL?

BECAUSE I USED COMMON SENSE.

WHEN I TOOK OVER, WE WERE CLOSE TO BANKRUPTCY.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO?

YOUR INCOME IS DOWN.

IT WAS THE WORST RECESSION IN EUROPE.

YOUR EXPENSES ARE SO HIGH.

COMMON SENSE, CUT EXPENSES, INCREASE INCOME.

FOR EXPENSES, I HAD TO LAY OFF HALF OF OUR CORPORATE STAFF.

FOR OUR GROWTH, I HIRED McKENZIE, BECAUSE I KNEW IT ANYWAY, ONE ASPECT OF THE GROCERY BUSINESS IN FRANCE WAS GROWING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS.

SO YOU ENCOURAGE THAT.

YOU SELL THOSE THAT ARE NOT PERFORMING.

USING COMMON SENSE.

>> I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING IS SOMETIMES WHAT WE REALIZE IS COMMON SENSE IS NOT AS COMMON AS IT SHOULD BE.

WE OFTEN TIMES SEE THAT.

I WANT TO JUMP IN.

THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT YOU PUT IN THE END OF THE BOOK -- YOU HAVE FIVE INSIGHTS THAT YOU OFFER FOR PEOPLE.

I WON'T HAVE TIME TO GET TO ALL OF THEM.

I THINK THEY'RE IMPORTANT.

INSIGHTS YOU OFFER TO OTHER WOMEN, USING YOU AS A MODEL.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT IS THAT WOMEN CAN BE POWERFUL WITHOUT EMULATING THE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR OF MEN.

HOW DO WOMEN -- HOW SHOULD WOMEN BE DOING THAT?

>> I DON'T -- I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL WOMEN.

I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT MYSELF.

OKAY?

I WAS SUCCESSFUL.

I DON'T CURSE.

I DON'T HAVE TO SAY BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEP WORDS.

WHY?

BECAUSE IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE.

YOU ACT ON WHAT IS EFFECTIVE.

I DON'T THINK CURSING IS EFFECTIVE.

ANYWAY, THAT'S WHAT I DID.

NUMBER TWO, YOU TREAT PEOPLE AS YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

ALL RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T -- YOU DON'T FIRE SOMEBODY WITH AN EMAIL.

WHEN I STARTED TO LAY OFF PEOPLE, I TALKED TO EACH ONE OF THEM.

I SAW TO IT THEY ARE IN A GOOD PLACE.

I GAVE THEM VERY GOOD SEPARATION PAY.

FOR OUR SUPPORT STAFF, I SAW TO IT THAT THEY ARE TRANSFERRED TO OTHER PLACES THAT NEED THEIR SKILLS.

IN OTHER WORDS, TO YOUR OWN SELF BE TRUE.

YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR GOAL IS.

SOMETIMES THE GOAL CHANGES.

BUT JUST KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

>> ONE OF YOUR INSIGHTS THAT TIES INTO THAT, YOU TALK ABOUT, BE FLEXIBLE IN SETTING YOUR GOALS.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

WE GOT ABOUT TWO MINUTES.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?

>> NOT ONLY RUNNING THE COMPANY, BUT YOU KNOW IN MY OWN LIFE, I WAS GOING TO BE A NUN.

I WAS RAISED BY NUNS.

I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH A NUN.

MY MOTHER WAS VERY INSTRUCTIVE.

LOIDA, YOU ARE SECOND YEAR LAW SCHOOL.

YOU HAVE TWO MORE YEARS TO GO.

WHY DON'T YOU FINISH?

THE NOTRE DAME ALLOWS YOU TO WORK ACCORDING TO YOUR CAREER.

YOU ARE IN THE CONVERT, YOU ARE A LAWYER.

IF YOU GO OUT OF THE CONVERT, YOU ARE STILL A LAWYER.

YOUR MERCHANDISE IS IN YOUR HAND.

THAT'S ONE RULE.

YOU START SOMETHING, BETTER FINISH IT.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING COMES ALONG, I FINISHED LAW, I WENT TO THE UNITED STATES.

THAT'S WHERE I MET MY HUSBAND, REGINALD LEWIS, ON A BLIND DATE.

YES, BE FLEXIBLE.

SEIZE THE MOMENT.

BE THERE AT THE PRESENT MOMENT.

USE YOUR HEAD, BUT FOLLOW YOUR HEART.

>> THAT'S ARE GREAT PIECES OF ADVICE THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN.

I GOT ABOUT A MINUTE HERE.

MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU IS, WHAT DO YOU WANT?

ONE PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO COME AWAY FROM -- COME AWAY WITH AFTER THEY READ YOUR BOOK, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

>> OKAY.

I THINK FOR US WOMEN -- WELL, MEN, TOO -- KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

IF YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE NO GOOD, HEY, TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY.

YOU CAN START.

OKAY?

BE THE PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO BE, THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF.

BECAUSE IN MY FAITH, WE ARE GOD'S CHILDREN.

WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

DAUGHTERS OF GOD.

WE SHOULD BE LIKE THAT.

IN TERMS OF DRESSING UP, YOU DON'T DRESS LIKE A [ BLEEP ].

COMPORT YOURSELF PROPERLY.

HAVE THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES.

THEN PROCEED, THREE THINGS, ON YOUR PERSONAL LEVEL.

ARE YOU EATING TOO MUCH?

ARE YOU OVERWEIGHT?

NUMBER TWO, ON YOUR POSITIVITY.

ARE YOU POSITIVE IN THINKING WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO SOMETHING?

YOU FAIL ALREADY.

ONCE YOU FAIL, YOU FAIL.

NUMBER THREE, SPIRITUALLY.

HAVE FAITH IN GOD.

>> THAT'S WONDERFUL ADVICE FOR ANYBODY DOING ANYTHING.

LOIDA, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ONCE AGAIN, IT'S A BOOK IS A WONDERFUL READ.

IT'S CALLED HAVE ALL THE FUN: AN ASIAN AMERICAN STORY OF LOVE, MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND RUNNING A BILLION DOLLAR EMPIRE."

LOIDA LEWIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

IT'S BEEN A DELIGHT TO TALK WITH YOU.

YOU BE WELL NOW.

>> THANK YOU.

IT'S ON AMAZON.COM.

>> TAKE CARE NOW.

>> THANK YOU, JACK.