Interview with Adam Shepard, author of Scratch Beginnings

This week QuestionObama had the opportunity to sit down with Adam Shepard and talk to him about his book Scratch Beginnings. 

Not familiar with Scratch Beginnings? Feeling disillusioned by the apathy he saw around him and incensed after reading Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed and Bait and Switch, Adam set out to prove wrong Ehrenreich's theory that those who start at the bottom stay at the bottom, and to see if the American Dream can still be a reality.

Shepard's plan was simple. Carrying only a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 in cash, and restricted from using previous contacts or relying on his college education, he set out for a randomly selected city with one objective: work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success. His goal was to have, after one year, $2,500, a working automobile, and a furnished apartment.

The following is the transcript of our interview:

QO: When did the idea for this book come to you, and do you remember the moment in time when you decided, "I am really gonna do this!?"

AS: Ha. Yeah, when I returned from my (very short) professional basketball career in Europe, I knew that this was going to be my next step. After all, I didn’t have a better backup plan and I was pretty excited to see the possibilities on this.

QO: How did you determine the rules you would follow?

AS: The premise for this developed over a three-year period. A lot of people think I just got the idea on Monday and left on Tuesday, but that’s not how it happened. I would be walking to class and think, “Hey, I have a good idea, I won’t use any of my credit history, contacts, or education,” for example, and it just kind of sprang from there.

QO: Describe your most difficult day?

AS: Definitely the first night was the most difficult. I had my perception of Charleston, and to arrive where I did the first night (on the other side of the tracks) wasn’t what I expected. I’m thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?” I was a stranger in this new land, and strangers were coming up to me and asking for money and beer. It was a little frightening considering what I thought was going to happen.

QO: Who was the most interesting person you met?

AS: The guy who emerges as the hero in the book is Derrick Hale. He was fascinating to me, because here is a regular dude (5’8”, regular physical build, etc.), yet he was the best mover at the moving company just based on the attitude that he brought to work every day. Moreover, he comes from a broken home, high school dropout, has a felony on his record (etc. etc.), yet by age 25, he has purchased a house and is supporting his family.

QO: How did your parents and friends react to your decision to write the book?

AS: They thought I was nuts, but that wasn’t necessarily a new feeling. However, once they understood the themes behind this crazy premise, they begun to really appreciate it.

QO: Besides the $25 dollar in cash, what else did you have on your packing list?

AS: Sleeping bag, gym bag, tarp. I also took a copy of Nickel and Dimed.

QO: Which of your personal qualities did you find most useful and beneficial?

AS: My ability to budget. I don’t have any special skills, but I knew that once I was able to find a job—any job—I would be successful just because I understood the difference between eating out and cooking your own food or shopping at the Goodwill versus the mall, for example. And I think that’s the essence of this story, that I’m no better than the next guy…I just understand the value of budgeting.

QO: Do you feel the Federal Government's recent commitment to expanding welfare programs will primarily hamper or support the American Dream?

AS: Of course it’s going to hamper the American Dream. Expanded welfare always does. Listen, I’m definitely in favor of lending a hand, and I think we have some great welfare programs out there (certainly I used several while I was in Charleston). But the bigger those programs become, the less people appreciate self-reliance, and that’s when we start to see people looking for handouts rather than handups.

QO: What is one change or intervention you would like to see made by the Federal Government that would most effectively improve the environment for those starting out at the bottom??

AS: In the epilogue of Scratch Beginnings, I list 7 things I think the Federal Government could be working on to improve life for those working their way up from the bottom. In my opinion, the head of that list is education. No matter where you come from, who you are, or who your parents are, one should be able to receive a quality education (if they want to). We have some great initiatives at the Community College level here in my home state of North Carolina, and a lot of people are getting great benefits from this program.

QO: Did you experience both government delivered as well as privately delivered assistance, and if so, what conclusions did you draw on each?

AS: The shelter where I stayed—which was an invaluable resource for a lot of the people around me—was both privately and government-funded. The only conclusion I’m able to draw is that if somebody wants help (more than just a place to eat and sleep), that help is out there. This shelter had medical services, social services, career services…everything one needs to get out if they are willing to pull their own weight.

QO: In your opinion, what is the best way to cultivate the American spirit of hard work and determination in young people today?

AS: To me it starts with parenting, and that’s why you see a lack of appreciation for the American Dream across all economic streams. If a parent is giving their children everything (maybe because they went without when they were children themselves), that child does not grow to appreciate these value of hard work and determination. So, to me, the answer is that children must appreciate the sacrifice that it takes, and this is not limited to the upper classes or the lower classes. EVERYONE has to understand what it took for our grandparents to succeed, for example, and go out and create our own future.

QO: What is your response to critics who discredit your journey as unrealistic, citing your socio-economic background?

AS: There is certainly plenty of fair criticism for my story, no doubt about it. In some cases (my youth, lack of children to care for), it helped me. In others (my race), it hindered my progress. All I can say is that the emails I get today represent what the American Dream is all about. I get letters all the time from people across every demographic who are saying, “Hey Adam, great story, but, uh, let me tell YOU a story.” And that’s what this is all about. No matter where you come from or what your circumstance may be, you have the freedom, in this great country, to accelerate your life. Or not. The choice is yours, and that isn’t necessarily the case in many other countries throughout the world.

QO:  Do you feel that the likelihood of success in America is dependent upon any one quality and if so, how can that knowledge be shared?

AS: The one quality I see that is shared by every successful person is the ability to create a vision for where they want to be, and then take the necessary steps to making that vision a reality. That is to say that successful people know what they want and they make the sacrifice necessary to get there. Unsuccessful people flounder after one failed attempt.

QO: Has your definition of opportunity, success, failure or hard work changed as a result of writing the book? If so, how?

AS: For the most part, my idea of these values has remained the same, if not become stronger. I understood the ideas of opportunity, success, failure, and hard work, and I’m just fortunate to be able to share the stories of Derrick, BG, Easy E, Rico, Leo, and Marco, guys who are living this story of Scratch Beginnings more than I could have imagined.

QO: What did you find to be the biggest misconception people hold towards those that are less successful? What was the most accurate assumption?

AS: Of course we think that those who can’t make it out are lazy, and, in many cases, that is true. I met some of the laziest guys I’ve ever met in my life. But! I also met some of the hardest working guys I’ve ever met in my life. And, in general, from what I’ve seen, that hard work pays off. Indeed, circumstance can play a role…if you break your leg and are wiped out, that can wipe you out. But those who stick with it (and fight through failure time and time again) are the ones who are successful. Derrick spent over two years in prison, got out, and started saving money. His cousin never served time in prison and never saved money. One was a hard worker, the other was lazy. Whose fault is it?

QO: Were you ever cheated, robbed, or taken advantage of due to your economic situation?

AS: Nope. Fortunately, I was able to surround myself with people I knew I could trust and who had my back. I was lucky in that regard.

If you are interested in purchasing Scratch Beginnings, click here.

If you are interested in booking Adam for a speaking engagement, click here.