Christopher Gardner’s hard work and perseverance paved the way from him being a poor single parent living in a homeless shelter to a successful entrepreneur.  Gardner worked for several prestigious Wall Street firms before founding Gardner Rich & Company in 1987.  Gardner is the author of the best-selling autobiography, The Pursuit of Happyness, and the inspiration for the acclaimed movie The Pursuit of Happyness in which Will Smith starred as Gardner.

He recently published his second book Start Where You Are: Life Lessons in Getting From Where Your Are to Where You Want to Be.  Surmounting acute obstacles throughout his life, Gardner is an avid motivational speaker, addressing the keys to self-empowerment, beating odds, and breaking cycles.

Gardner Rich & Company is an institutional brokerage firm specializing in the execution of debt, equity and derivative products transactions for some of the nation’s largest institutions, public pension plans and unions.  The firm is currently working with organized labor and pension funds in America to help create a multibillion dollar private equity fund in South Africa.

Among his many philanthropic efforts, Gardner's commitment to public education is exemplified by his firm's donation of 10 percent of its profits to public education institutions in the communities where his company operates.  Gardner's business success has also allowed him to become a major benefactor to community organizations including public sector unions.

Click here to read more about Christopher's new book