Jackson Free Press

Farrah Gray's book "Reallionaire" (HCI, 2005, $12.95) starts off with a powerful couple of sentences: "I'm a nineteen-year-old African American male who grew up in a single-parent household. And if you believe in statistics, I'm supposed to be either in jail or dead."

Instead, Gray, now 20, sold body lotion door-to-door at 6, began his speaking career at 12, and at 14 reached $1.5 million in sales with his Farr-Out Foods company, then he sold it for $1 million at age 15. Gray learned from the poor people he grew up with, the ones rich from the inside out, that there's more to success than making money. He feels compelled to share with others how to become a reallionaire, too.

Here's how you end the Acknowledgments at the front of the book: "Last and least, thanks to those who made promises they never intended to keep. You helped me learn that my word is my bond; it represents the content of my character." Where did you get the hutzpah to pen those words?

I have a responsibility. I didn't make a million dollars at such a young age and decide to be out there to not tell the raw truth. I have to let you know everyone is not positive, some will mess you up and mess you over.

What is the advice you give to individuals to help them recognize and actualize their unique gifts?

To find your area of excellence, I believe you should ask yourself three questions: What is easy for me but harder for others? What would I do in work for years and years and never have to get paid for it? How can I be of service, how can I give back? You find those answers and the world opens up into a marketplace. … I believe the richest place in the world is the cemetery. People die with not having used their gifts and talents.

You say you mother believed that it's better to be respected than rich. How did she impart that belief to you and your siblings?

For me, my plan was to be both respected and rich. Growing up I've seen many multi-billionaires on TV who were miserable. They had the best that money could buy, but they'd not paid any attention to their inner world. They weren't happy. … You have to balance the parts.

How can others who may not have that love and support at home find it for themselves?

If you don't go within, you will go without. I believe you need to ask yourself three questions, a different three questions: Who am I becoming? Am I happy with who I am? Who do I want to be? If you can't answer these for yourself, something is wrong. … I believe it's spiritual. What we put into our bodies makes our inner wealth. Also your thoughts and imagination—Einstein said your imagination is more powerful than knowledge. It's amazing what you can do when you don't know what you can't do.

What advice do you give parents about creating an environment filled with "can-do" conversation like you had at home?

Parents, lots of times, they add to the "you can't do it" in the home. Parents, I've seen this all over the country, push their children to what they think success is. They don't focus on what their child is doing. They don't notice what is easy for their child, their child's natural gifts and talents. Even if they only have a little bit of money, they can find a class for their child to take, to magnify their confidence.

What have you discovered through live interaction with your audiences that you want to include in, for lack of a better title, "Reallionaire II"?

What I'd like to do is a book that focuses specifically on teens.

If readers could have only one page of "Reallionaire," what is the most important one?

The Table of Contents—(laughing)—no, I'm being funny. There is no one page. There are nine steps. It's a process of discovery—everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die—you need to read all nine steps to take yourself along the process.