Philip Martin Author of Tails From Tibet & Founder of Global Synergistics LLC
Mar 20, 2024
Alimond Studio
Who said 'Every dog has its day'? Not just a furry friend, a dog can inspire, teach, and lead the way. That's what we've found with our guest today, the author of "Tails from Tibet". Born out of the deep sorrow of losing his beloved pet, the author has crafted a riveting journey of leadership, bravery, and resilience, aimed to influence the young minds aged between 7 to 12. As we converse with him, we unravel the heartwarming inspiration behind this impactful book, and also get a sneak-peek into its future - a trilogy, maybe even a movie. We sure are excited, and hope you are too.
Our episode continues on a powerful note - the role of positive leadership. With us is a respected author and expert on the subject, who brings to light the importance of fostering a nurturing environment filled with positivity. Together, we emphasize the importance of instilling leadership skills from an early age and the need for its continuous honing. We also discuss how this strong leadership can bring about a transformative change in our communities and why its growth is more crucial than ever for our nation. So join us, as we traverse through tales and truths, all in the name of leadership.
Who said 'Every dog has its day'? Not just a furry friend, a dog can inspire, teach, and lead the way. That's what we've found with our guest today, the author of "Tails from Tibet". Born out of the deep sorrow of losing his beloved pet, the author has crafted a riveting journey of leadership, bravery, and resilience, aimed to influence the young minds aged between 7 to 12. As we converse with him, we unravel the heartwarming inspiration behind this impactful book, and also get a sneak-peek into its future - a trilogy, maybe even a movie. We sure are excited, and hope you are too.
Our episode continues on a powerful note - the role of positive leadership. With us is a respected author and expert on the subject, who brings to light the importance of fostering a nurturing environment filled with positivity. Together, we emphasize the importance of instilling leadership skills from an early age and the need for its continuous honing. We also discuss how this strong leadership can bring about a transformative change in our communities and why its growth is more crucial than ever for our nation. So join us, as we traverse through tales and truths, all in the name of leadership.
Speaker 1:
The reason I wanted to be today with you is to describe a book that I wrote recently, and it's entitled Tales from Tibet, and today I have with me. This is Tashi. She's a three-year-old Tibetan terrier, and about two and a half years ago we had a Tibetan terrier named Sashi, and she was eight years old and the breed lived about 19 years in life, so it's one of the longest living breeds, and Sashi got sick, and so when she got cancer and died, we were pretty heartbroken and in part of my healing Aliyah, I was asked to sort of write down what Sashi had meant to me as a man, and so I kept a journal of what she had meant to me, and then we found a new one, a little eight-week-old. This is Tashi.
Speaker 1:
So Tashi came into our life shortly after we lost Sashi, and it dawned on me that what an eight-week-old could learn from an eight-year-old is a lot of what I think a young boy or girl could learn from an older sibling or a parent. So I started writing it down and it grew into a book entitled Tales from Tibet. So Tashi wonders where she, where they come from, and she hears about what a family tree is, and so what happens, is she a golden eagle from Tibet, hears them and picks them up on his wings and takes them off to Tibet. So for the next 10 chapters, the two are looking for the lost valley of Tibet and, almost like in the lost horizon, the valley of the lost valley of Tibet. And throughout the 10 chapters they encounter issues. They learn about issues of trust and loyalty and kindness and standing up for what's right, and bravery and perseverance and a lot of good qualities that I feel a young boy or girl can can learn too to propel them in life.
Speaker 2:
That's amazing. Now, how does this create it? Who is this written for?
Speaker 1:
Is this? The target audience is really seven to 12 years old. Okay, so it came out on Amazon in May and it's breaking all kinds of records on Amazon.
Speaker 2:
Can you walk through the pages? I want to see the Well.
Speaker 1:
I wanted to show you more than that is. I was able to find a young woman in Poland, did 61 watercolor illustrations and it's just been phenomenal. So the people are sort of interested in the wine. We've got posters and jigsaw puzzles made from the different illustrations, but it's this is an example of the two of them where Lil Tashi's wondering you know where she came from and how the story begins. And then, while they're on their way up in Tibet, they encounter a temple and they learn a lot from the holy men there as they're going on their journey to the Lost Valley. And it's really, it's broken a lot of records already, touched a lot of lives, and it's people in 19 countries. I've already bought the book, so it's really become a pretty big deal, tell me about that experience of writing a book.
Speaker 2:
Have you written anything before?
Speaker 1:
Never written anything. I've written. A lot of people that followed me on Facebook and they've told me that they, like my posts are sort of positive, a lot of full of positive thoughts and leadership and I love history. So a few of my friends, upon learning when we lost Sashi, they said you ought to write a book about your leadership, your interest in leadership and history and tied in with their dogs, and that's sort of how it all came together. So I really had a passion for leadership development for 40 years and and a love of history and then when the dogs came into our lives, it really it was all came together.
Speaker 2:
That's great. That's great Now in terms of marketing this book. I know you said you had a Facebook following and then you've got it on Amazon and it's already organically getting a lot of traction. Is there any other tips or strategies that you've done?
Speaker 1:
Well, yes, we've. We've, like I said, it's just in five months we've had probably 12 different events where we've been in classrooms and libraries, festivals, so reading to the children has been wonderful. There is a website of the Tashi Chronicles, and so there's a separate Facebook and a separate website for the Tashi Chronicles, because my publisher is tremendous life books and they're encouraging me to make this into a trilogy. So there's there's a lot of interest in this being the first of three books of the story of the two dogs. So it's, there's actually talk of a movie and there's some interest already in some animated short films and maybe even a feature movie.
Speaker 2:
You know anything that involves dogs, and that whole theme just always takes off Well.
Speaker 1:
I'm glad to hear you feel that way, because you remind me so much of my conversations with Tracy Jones as my publisher, and she said that this age group of seven to 12 is sort of overlooked. At the 12 years old they sort of get interested in other things and get distracted. But from seven to 12 is a pretty sort of ripe audience for instilling in them some leadership lessons. And then when you add to it that they're learning about Tibet, which is sort of the colors are so beautiful and it's sort of an enchanting part of the world, and when you combine that and then learning from the dogs, they thought it was a pretty winning formula for a successful book.
Speaker 2:
I love that. And now? So what is the impact that you're hoping that your book is going to make?
Speaker 1:
Well, just getting some kids getting these lessons ingrained in their lives early and I think it's we're already seeing that hundreds and hundreds already have been touched. So just in six months we're seeing that if they can get them started in that direction and enjoying learning what it means to persevere and overcome problems and standing up for what's right, I think there's some pretty basic principles that we're seeing already that they're getting them sort of worked into their lives.
Speaker 2:
Now did something happen. I know you said that you have a background in leadership and development and then it all kind of tied together.
Speaker 1:
Was there anything specific that happened that you feel like that seven to 12-year-old age group and Well it really when I was describing about losing Sashi and how grief-stricken I was and the counselor and therapist that I worked with encouraging me to write it down when little Tashi came along. It did remind me so much of my years in the Boy Scouts. So that age group of about eight to twelve paralleled with what I was thinking about for writing. So it's tied really to the twelve tenets of the Scout Law and each chapter is picked up on those same principles that had really come into my life during the same years as a Boy Scout.
Speaker 2:
I love that Now, so you're involved in the community in a lot of other ways, right yeah, can you tell me a little bit about that?
Speaker 1:
Well, just really care a lot about Loudoun County, care a lot about all the activities here. Stay involved both politically. Was involved for twelve years with the Rotary Club here. Stayed still involved with so many activities, very involved with our church as a Christian Fellowship Church. So it's just trying to find a lot of places to volunteer and places to really provide some service.
Speaker 2:
Why is that important to you?
Speaker 1:
I think it's all important. I think that's sort of a chapter or a season in my life where giving back is so critical. I sort of believe in sort of the adage of Mother Teresa and some of the great football coaches about just sort of leaving it all on the field and sort of there's a little more oil in my lamp and I think I just want it all spent when it's all said and done. So I feel blessed that a lot has come to me and I think in turn there's a lot that I need to be doing to pass that on. So the book is a little bit about passing it on to another generation or two more generations after me to keep it going. But the idea of figuring out places that I can serve now and give back to the community is, I think, very important.
Speaker 2:
What's some advice that you'd give to other leaders in our community that are wanting to be more involved and spend a little more of that oil?
Speaker 1:
Very question. Just do it, just get involved. It's never about time. You'll make time for what's important to you, and so we're all busy. It's really carrying your card here in Northern Virginia to say how busy we all are, but that doesn't move the dial at all with me.
Speaker 1:
My mother always said that she passed away at 96 and she always told me, if you want something done, you give it to a busy man or a woman, but you give it to a busy person because they know how to manage their time. We all have 1,440 minutes in every day, so it's how we use them and you'll make time for those things that are important to you. And I always was told that if you want to find out what's really important in a person's life, look at their calendar. And so that's what I would say to the future leaders, the young 40 age group of leaders that are taking over of all the Loudoun County and beyond. Just make time for what's important.
Speaker 1:
Figure out what's important to you, figure out what. Begin working on your legacy now, and you've done a lot of it in your work. So you just do it. You plug in, you get involved, you stay busy. You figure out where you can be making an impact, where you can be living a life of purpose. There's a lot of emphasis on that now and I think a lot of us are trying to make sure that we are trying to make a difference, so just it has to be intentional would be what I would say to the leaders.
Speaker 2:
And how do you figure that out? Because I know there are so many different places you can get involved in. You just need to know like five different places that you're involved in. How do you know, like, if you don't feel like you're pulled to something right now? How do you figure that out?
Speaker 1:
Well, just keep looking, You'll know when you'll pray is important to me. I think you'll seek the counsel of a close circle of friends. Try a few things out. Attend a few meetings, attend a few groups, see where they've been, see where they want to be going, see how your gifts can maybe help them. And if there's not a good fit, if the chemistry doesn't seem right, try something else or swing back around another time if the timing's not quite right. But just keep looking. There's so many areas, so many places and so many places that need strong leaders, and that's what I every inscription of hundreds and hundreds of books that I've inscribed right now to parents, to grandparents, to young children is. We are desperately in need of strong leaders and leaders at all levels. So it's not about a title, it's not about a business card. You can be a leader wherever you are and get plugged in and volunteer and see where you can help, and I think it'll come back to you fourfold.
Speaker 2:
I agree. So what is Philip doing outside of writing books, bestselling books, as well as leading all the different local community organizations and having fun with?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it's 2023 was consumed pretty much by the book and the marketing of the book when it came out in the spring. So the past six, seven, eight months have all been about launching and putting in place a pretty serious marketing effort for the book. As I looked at 2024, I am trying to be a little more judicious in some of the where I'm spending my time. The book will remain very important and concentrating on quality time with my wife, donna, and, as I said, our church has been very important to me. I hope to get be involved on the board of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. It'll be another area that I'll be involved in in the new year, but it's again trying to figure out where and where I can make the most difference and make the biggest impact. But that's, that's how the what the new year sort of holds for me.
Speaker 2:
No crazy hobbies or.
Speaker 1:
Not really Live on a beautiful golf course where I'm blessed to live over here in Belmont Country Club. I live on the on the golf course but not a golfer, but but still love it. I guess the hobby again is just trying to live a good life with Donna and Tashi and me and and and again the book is taken on the life of itself. Really it's, it's opened up a variety of ways that I believe that God is leading me in through this book to make a bigger impact. So I think I'm, I think I'm being led toward helping build a new generation of leaders and I think this book will be the catalyst for that.
Speaker 2:
And how can people buy it? Is it just on Amazon?
Speaker 1:
No, they can go to Amazon clearly type in tails from Tibet T-A-I-L-S. Tails from Tibet. Take it right to the book hardbound, paperback or ebook. But you can come to the Tashi Chronicles and I'll sign and personalize one and send it to you so you can get them through thetashichroniclescom and I'll be honored. And Tashi's got a stamp made of her front left paw, so she and I will both sign it and we'll scribe it and personalize it for someone who makes a wonderful Christmas gift.
Speaker 2:
That's so sweet. I love that. Now, is there any other just to kind of wrap it up, any messages or any, any special?
Speaker 1:
No, I think, like I said, the book. The book is a foundation on being positive, surrounding yourself with good, positive folks, learning what you can to become a more effective leader, starting young to develop strong leadership qualities and then just keep honing them over the years. I think is what we need as a country.
Speaker 2:
I love that. Thank you so much for spending time with me.
Speaker 1:
Thank you for inviting me, and sharing this. Thank you so much.
