We had the good fortune of connecting with Troy Gathers and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Troy, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has served as a constant source of grounding for me over the years. I have encountered numerous individuals who prioritize attention and wealth over purpose, but I’ve felt fortunate to have been guided by this quote from the outset. A man should be judged by his works not his worth.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The name of my publishing company is B. E Y.O.U PUBLISHING. Everything materialized with my books in 2015, but I’ve been writing quotes and poems my entire life. Currently, I’ve published 10 book projects under my B.E Y.O.U imprint my latest title, Break The Cycle Part 3: From the PJS to the PhD will be released after the completion of my Doctoral program.

Throughout my life, I’ve always wanted to leave a positive impression through my works. To further my message, I’ve spoken at Schools K-12, Universities, Prisons and Churches. Many libraries across the country have added my books to their shelves and my quotes/story has been publicized in memes and used for content, worldwide. I appreciate all of it. I understand that there’s ambitious people all over the World, it’s always great for people to acknowledge your hard work. What sets me apart from others is my passion and dedication. I’m one of the few people still on their Plan A. I don’t believe in quitting or giving up no matter what the circumstances. In entrepreneurship there will be setbacks and challenges but you must embrace these moments to sharpen your skills and get better. If all it takes are a few trials and tribulations to change your path, it may not have been your passion to start with. I love a good season of test. Bring it on.

My greatest moments have been being blessed to meet and interview some of my favorite people while working on my book titles. One of my bestselling titles, Systematic Female Ratchet: It’s not the Sistas, It’s the System is my focus right now. This book speaks on how important women are in our life but most importantly, how she’s unvalued due to propaganda. Systematic Female Ratchet will soon be a documentary. I’ve interviewed the New York Times bestselling author, Zane and have a few more interviews I’m scheduling. I want to bring awareness to how we treat each other, it needs to change. I always believed in putting out good fruit. I don’t care what sells fast, if it’s not helping people grow. If you stay true to who you are and stand on your moral compass, I believe the World is your oyster. Yet, we must always remember that those tough moments will present themselves, just don’t fold under the pressure. A major lesson I learned is, it’s always You vs. You. Don’t let outside noise trick you into losing your essence. Keep the battle between who you were and who you are becoming, everything else is just noise. That’s what I want the World to know about my brand and I, we are battle tested and stood the test of time. 100 years from now, I want children to still be reading about the resilience of Dr. Troy Gathers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is definitely the home of a great time. First thing first, we have to visit Trap Cafe w/DJ Greg Street, Slutty Vegan, Suite Lounge and other landmarks Downtown. It’s a must to visit Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s former home and monument. Next, I would definitely take them to all the malls including Stonecrest, Lenox and Perimeter Mall. I would try to get them over to the Southside to visit Lost in the Souse Kitchen and Big Daddy’s Soul food. If it’s a weekend, we’ll check out a sporting event. It’s so much to do in Atlanta. I take good care of all my guest when in town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Absolutely. On your path to your desired destination, there will always be people, places and things that will assist you. In my case, it’s my Great-Grandmother and Grandmother. I was divinely blessed to have both Grandparents in my early adolescence years. Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” There are so many memories, I still hold on to til this day. I remember so many moments. As I reminisce, I think about when my Uncle Lee had the cable black box. This was a back in the day, so the youngsters might not relate. Unlike today, television channels were hard to come by at the time. This black box gave us over 100 channels. Unfortunately, my Great-Grandmother didn’t necessarily like that for me and seemingly only me. When the Mike Tyson fight or WWF WrestleMania would be the talk of the neighborhood, guess who couldn’t watch it? Granny made sure she told my cousins to set up the black and white TV/VCR, so we could watch “The Greatest Story Ever Told” or “The Ten Commandments” together. At the time, I didn’t understand the logic. I wondered, was I too young or did she want to stop my fun? As an adult, I realized she was simply molding me to not be a follower. The Lesson: The sun still came out the next day and I got familiar with missing the big event to give God my full attention. Today, I am still the same way. I don’t need a crowd to validate me and I don’t do what’s popular, I do what’s right. I may get distracted at times, but I’ll snap out of it and get back to the mission everytime. I would not be the man I am today without Harriet Ladson and Lavinia Green. I also want to give a special Thank You to all my loving family as well. Every book project I’ve ever released, I gave thanks to those that have assisted me along the way. Although many of them are no longer with us, I still acknowledge them in all my works. Never forget where you came from.

Website: https://www.troygathers.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drtroygathers

Other: www.beyoupublishing.com

www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07CZPKY4S

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