About the Book

     Shy and burdened with thick glasses and dotted with freckles, growing up in an alcoholic home on the wrong side of the tracks—life holds surprises for those who don’t give up on their dreams, and for one little lady, dreams were all she had. From a very real-life crisis, compassion was planted in the heart of a young girl whose dark past did not promise a bright future. Come along on a journey of tragedy and healing, self-discovery, and success in Little Lady, BIG DREAM. From overcoming feelings of rejection and unworthiness, accompanied by paralyzing fear, author Debbie Griffiths blazes her own trail as she brings her dreams to life while becoming an amazingly successful female entrepreneur. From working at the local ice cream shop to building a multimillion-dollar retirement community, a small-town girl turns tragedy into triumph as she leads her company to the very top!

     From Chapter 20 - "Million-Dollar Dream" (page 165)
     I have magnificent dreams-the kind that start small and grow fast in no time. That's exactly what happened when I finally stepped out in faith.
     Those who knew me understood my passion. They saw it in my daily walk. If they were around long enough, they heard me talk about it almost incessantly. Those who watched me recognized it wasn't just a fantasy but a burning desire, deep down in my soul.
     In my head I pictured the inside of the building as well as the beautifully landscaped grounds. In my imagination, I had already named it Southern Pines Retirement Inn. Having the word "Inn" as part of the name reminded me that my residents were really my guests. That's how I expected each one to be treated - with utmost respect. To me, "Older Americans Are Our Greatest Natural Resource."
     True to my vision, I carefully designed the stately Victorian style brick home. The interior décor represented the Rose City - my hometown.

     From Chapter 21 - "Multi-Million Dollar Dream" (page 175)
     It was midnight. I couldn't sleep so I climbed out of bed and made my way to my home office, a four-by-seven room adjacent to the kitchen. Then I sat down at my computer desk and began to type.
     Out of the blue, I envisioned a second big building on the back undeveloped property of Southern Pines. I could easily see a minimum of thirty apartments with beautiful garden windows in each one. A dozen or so freestanding duplexes were arranged in a semi-circle that faced the larger building. In the wee hours of the morning, I designed the entire complex complete with the charming Mainstreet Mall. Just one more building project, I thought with a sigh.