"Millionaire Upgrade" Book Now Available As A Free MP3 Download

Over 2 years ago, when I first started my own business, I read a book called "Millionaire Upgrade" by Richard Parkes Cordock. It was an easy to read piece of fiction based on a true story, but with a strong message, that has stuck with me ever since.

I can honestly say that reading that book and becoming an associate of Richard was the trigger to many valuable contacts I have throughout the World since.

Richard has now issued the following press release announcing that his book is now available as a free MP3 download. I'd strongly recommend it to you.

Richard Parkes Cordock is making his best-selling book 'Millionaire Upgrade - Lessons in Success From Those Who Travel at the Sharp End of the Plane' available for free as a spoken word MP3 download.

Millionaire Upgrade delves deep into the mindset of self-made millionaires, and was inspired by a true story when passenger Jason Murphy was upgraded on a flight and found himself sitting next to Sir Richard Branson.

Author Richard Parkes Cordock spent many years interviewing self-made millionaires and took inspiration from the story of Jason and Sir Richard Branson to write a business novel, and used the same setting to tell the tale of a lucky passenger who is upgraded and sits next to a self-made millionaire.

For Jason, who was given the golden ticket next to Branson, this proved a pivotal day in his own life and entrepreneurial career, leading to him launching a new business which already has revenues of over AU$25m.

The full story of Jason and Sir Richard Branson can be read at www.FreeMillionaireUpgradeBook.com.

For tens of thousands of people who have already read or listened to Millionaire Upgrade, the book has been instrumental, with many making life and career changing decisions as a result of the advice and inspiration contained in it.

Author Richard Parkes Cordock said, "I want every business owner, aspiring entrepreneur or frustrated employee to listen to Millionaire Upgrade. If you are determined to make a change in your life or business, then the advice and wisdom included in Millionaire Upgrade could be the ticket you are looking for, just as the chance meeting with Richard Branson was for Jason."

When asked why he is making the MP3 audio book available for free, Parkes Cordock responded, "Books offer no value unless they are read, or in this case, listened to. Although Millionaire Upgrade has already been read by many tens of thousands of people, I know it can make a difference to millions, but first they have to listen to it! Making it available for free as an MP3 download gives the book the greatest chance of making a difference to people's lives."
Millionaire Upgrade has been translated into over 10 languages and the spoken word audio version is now available as a free MP3 download at www.FreeMillionaireUpgradeBook.com.

The Emotions of Being Disabled in South Shields

I like South Shields! It has a beautiful beach and long level promenade and pier, which for a wheelchair user like me is ideal. Much of the town is fairly flat too, as you move from the seafront towards the town centre. For other less mobile visitors, there is an excellent ShopMobility service, where you can hire scooters and much more besides.

Yesterday, I went for a “saunter” to South Shields and I was emotionally disturbed by my visit!

I travelled by Metro and set off along Ocean Road, which earns its fame from its numerous restaurants.

One of the things that emotionally affects disabled people, and not necessarily just wheelchair users, is “can you access a building”?

If it’s a restaurant and you may be staying there for couple of hours, “does it have suitably accessible toilet facilities?”

I counted eighteen restaurants in total on Ocean Road. Amongst these were thirteen Indian restaurants, two Italian as well as Colman’s famous Fish and Chip restaurant. They’ve been in the news recently after being invited to serve their award winning fish and chips at a party at the British Embassy in Guatemala to celebrate the Queen’s birthday. This was the only place open, so I stopped to enjoy a delicious plate of fish and chips and received excellent service.

Of those eighteen restaurants, only four had level or ramped access, while another three, including Colman’s, had a small step which was manageable for me.

How many had an accessible toilet? I don’t know! Sadly, Colman’s didn’t. While everyone displayed menus in the windows along with signs advising that you couldn’t smoke there (as if anyone didn’t know by now) not a single one displayed a sign advising that they had a wheelchair accessible toilet!

It really disappoints me that well over 3 years since the Disability Discrimination Act required that all premises must make alterations to enable disabled people to access their premises, and be able to use facilities like toilets, if provided for non-disabled people, such a high percentage don’t appear to be falling in line with this legislation.

This issue is widespread throughout the country, not just in South Shields, and I am emotionally disturbed by this general lack of concern and consideration for millions of disabled people.

It’s very reasonable to say that my “feelings were hurt”, which, according to the DDA, means I could sue each of the restaurants. But we all know that’s not realistic, which is why many businesses ignore their legal obligations.

In my opinion, they’re all missing a trick. Having said that South Shields is a great place for wheelchair users, any one of those restaurants advising that they had a wheelchair accessible toilet would have had my business, and no doubt many others, too.

Being accessible is commercially beneficial, and if anyone wants my help to show them how they can make improvements and promote themselves, I’d be delighted to hear from them via steve@wheelchairsteve.com.

I’d also like to hear from other disabled people about how they are emotionally affected when they encounter inaccessible places, as one day I would like to write a book called “The Emotions of Being Disabled”.

Victory for disabled people as ASDA impose parking abuse fines

I’m cautiously optimistic that Monday March 10th will be a very significant day for disabled motorists. After a successful trial at their supermarkets in Liverpool, ASDA are starting to roll out a programme nationally where they will fine drivers £60 for parking in disabled bays without a blue badge and also if they misuse parent and child bays.

This is great news for campaigners, primarily from the Mobilise organisation, who have been supported by the British Polio Fellowship and Disability Now magazine in their Baywatch campaign, which has monitored parking bay abuse in supermarkets. Sadly for many years, they have identified that as many as 1 in 5 bays are regularly occupied by non-badge holders.

I’ve heard the excuses myself; “I’ll only be two minutes”, they say, while others don’t care less and are likely to give you verbal abuse.

I really hope this initiative works and that ASDA both keep the pressure on and also benefit commercially from their efforts, as this will then encourage the likes of Tesco, Sainsburys and Morrisons to follow suit.

In my opinion, the key to this being a success is a change in attitude by members of the public who abuse the privilege afforded to wheelchair users and parents with push chairs who need wide bays to access their cars and to those with walking difficulties who need to be parked close to the store entrance.

I have had two experiences only in the last week that leave me sceptical that this attitude change will occur in the short term. Firstly, at the Royal Mail sorting office in Gosforth, a postman was using the only disabled parking bay to load his car with his deliveries, and I also noticed that 3 of the 7 wide disabled parking bays in a Newcastle city centre car park were occupied by cars without a badge.

I think it’s tragic in this day and age that organisations like ASDA have to revert to imposing fines, but if that’s the way the public want to treat disabled people, then that’s the way it has to be. Good luck to them as this is one positive move in the direction of making the World a better place for disabled people. There’s still a long way to go!

International Wheelchair Day

You’re probably aware that today, 1^st March, is St David’s Day. But did you know that it is also International Wheelchair Day?

Well, it isn’t officially. I’ve just decided to hold International Wheelchair Day on 1^st March as there doesn’t appear to be such a thing.

I don’t suppose it will be marked much this year, but in my capacity as Managing Director of my not-for-profit business, The WheelchairSteve Organisation (www.wheelchairsteve.com), by this time next year, if I can get more people involved, then there may be a lot more to celebrate.

For this year, I would like you to consider what a wheelchair is and how it impacts on your life, particularly if you are in business.

It’s actually quite a simple transportation device comprising of a chair with four wheels, one roughly in each corner.

Reputedly, there are over 130 million people in the World who need a wheelchair to be mobile. There are certainly nowhere near that many in existence, although a number of initiatives are in place to raise money to provide more. I’m looking to find ways as to how I can help.

To date, wheelchairs are primarily associated with disabled people. A little stick guy (it might be a girl!) sitting on half a circle has become well established as the international symbol of disability. That’s quite strange, really, as it’s reckoned that as few as 5% of all disabled people use a wheelchair!

So, what impact does a wheelchair have on your life?

If you are in business, I would maintain that wheelchairs have a positive or negative impact on almost every business, whether it relates to the employees, customers or a combination of both.

Whether your business is involved with transport or based in a building, which covers just about every business, I believe that if you can accept wheelchair users into your workforce or as customers, then it will have a positive impact.

So take a step back, look at what you do and decide for yourself whether you could be more accommodating to wheelchairs and their users. You may recognise that there are benefits to be had.