UK Happenings

Thomas W. Lewis to Hold Book Release, Signing at Lewis Honors College

photo of Thomas W. Lewis
Lewis Honors College benefactor Thomas W. Lewis' new book, "Solid Ground: A Foundation for Winning in Life," details his personal success story and offers advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on how to write their own.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 11, 2020) — University of Kentucky alumnus and Honors College benefactor, Thomas. W. Lewis, will be releasing his self-published book, "Solid Ground: A Foundation for Winning in Life" today on campus.

The release and book signing will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, in the Lewis Honors College Scholars Lounge.

"Solid Ground" details Lewis’ personal success story and offers advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on how to write their own. During the release at the Lewis Honors College, he will speak to students about the book and share some highlights before signing copies of the book, which will be provided to students at no extra cost.

Lewis, founder of T.W. Lewis Company, an award-winning Scottsdale, Arizona, based real estate and investment company, wrote "Solid Ground" to provide a roadmap of what he believes to be the keys to building a successful career and life. Lewis believes that through dedication to personal character, hard work, goal-setting and helping others, readers can build a solid foundation for life. Through sharing his own personal journey, including his mistakes and his achievements, Lewis demonstrates how these ideas went from life lessons to guiding principles.

Lewis also shares the wisdom of many others that have guided him through the ups and downs of life.

“These lessons have come from my own experience as well as the writings and teachings of many of our best thinkers — from Socrates to contemporary philosophers, and from successful people in all walks of life,” Lewis said.

Lewis hopes this book will serve as a practical guide to young adults especially, recognizing the world they live in today is much different than the one he knew as a college student. He hopes his honest account of finding his purpose in life and building resiliency through the challenges he faced while building a company from the ground up, will help young people block out the noise of gimmicky ideas on the internet and mixed messages about core values.

“Having interviewed hundreds of high school seniors for college scholarships, and followed them through college and their early careers, I understand the concerns, anxieties and even fears of the millennial generation,” Lewis said. “Trying to sort through your life choices while constantly being reminded by parents, teachers and the popular media to ‘follow your dreams, do what you love, find your passion, and sell your personal brand’ can be pretty intimidating for a 20-year-old or even a 30-year-old.”

Lewis is aware that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to success, which is why he put such a strong emphasis on personal values and character in the book. As a builder, Lewis believes that your foundation must be strong, and that extends far beyond business. Although he has achieved great success as an entrepreneur, Lewis does not define his own worth through dollars and cents, and he discourages readers from doing that as well. His book reminds readers that the only promises in life are the ones you make to yourself.

“Many people have shared their prescriptions for a successful life, but few have done it with the insight, honesty and completeness that Tom offers in 'Solid Ground,'" Doug Ducey, governor of Arizona, stated in the foreword.

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