Fired at 50: A Survivor’s Guide to Prosperity

“Turning Fifty and losing my recognizable career and identity was terrifying.” After a 30-year career climb to the top, Phyllis Green fell victim to corporate downsizing. Fired from her lucrative marketing position at ABC-TV, Green took a risk and forged her own advertising agency in South Florida. Packed with decades of her knowledge and experience, Fired at 50 is a testament to the proverbial silver lining.

Today, Green is CEO of three companies, lending credence to a book marketed as a “guide to prosperity.” Men and women of any age trying to survive layoffs, individuals seeking to become their own boss, college graduates, and just about anyone looking for a kick-start to their dreams will benefit from Green’s insights, inspiration, and intensity.

Snappy titles like “No Office, No Desk, No Problem,” and “I’ll Never Forget Bill Clinton’s Blue Eyes,” combined with short chapters that get to the point, capture the reader’s interest from start to finish. Amusing personal stories and brushes with the rich and famous add entertainment value.

Green’s professional journey is laid out in logical sections beginning with “The Career Track,” which traces her ascent from promotional writer and fill-in for the weather girl at a Miami TV station, to her breakthrough into the male-dominated sales division at ABC-TV in New York City. The chapter “Build More than a Career: Build a Brand,” alone, is worth the read, but the heart of her story is the section titled “The Entrepreneur,” where Green shares tips (and some tricks) to building a small business. Acquiring clients, dealing with difficult clients, making wise personnel decisions, weathering an economic downturn, and much more makes this a valuable section for small business owners.

A guide to prosperity, a winning playbook, a wealth of wit and wisdom, Fired at 50 is one of those rare books worth reading a second time.