Now What?: The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success

by Thomas B. Dowd III

Now what? You tossed your cap, you gave your hugs, and you’re ready to sprint into the real world. Some may call it the “school of hard knocks.” Your professional success won’t be easily attained. However, you can do more than survive—you can thrive. You can lead a happy, balanced, and successful professional life.

Social media, such as Twitter, have changed how we absorb information. Our busy lives are driven by headlines and we’re constantly searching for advice and meaning in an economy of words. Take a light-hearted, lyrical journey to find out how to get beyond mere potential and actually find success.

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2016

About the author

With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry in management and leadership roles, Tom runs his own business Thomas Dowd Professional Development & Coaching as a speaker, author, trainer, and coach. Tom developed a series of management presentations into a speaking program called "Powerful Professional Transformation: Unleashing Leadership." The speaking engagements turned into "The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World", a book detailing Tom's own professional growth based on lessons learned in his career. "Transformation" (honorable mention in business 2012 New England Book Festival). Tom has since written his second book "From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide" (Gold Medal 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards, Honorable Mention 2013 Paris Book Festival & 2013 NY Book Festival). "Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job" was published in March 2014, "Time Management Manifesto" in October 2014, "The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood" in April 2015, and "Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success" in March 2016..

Starting in 2008, Tom was one of the founding members of Dirigo Toastmasters in Belfast Maine and spent his first four years as the Vice President Education. He is currently a member of Kennebec Valley Toastmasters located in Augusta Maine. Tom holds advanced communication (ACG) and advanced leadership (ALB) certification, and has his High Performance Leadership (HPL) certification, with Toastmasters International. Tom was awarded the District 45 Outstanding Toastmaster for 2010-2011 representing over 100 clubs in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and the three eastern most provinces of Canada. Tom also exhibited consistent success when competing at the division and district level in the Humorous, International, Table Topics, and Evaluation contests. He is a two-time Table Topics Impromptu District 45 champion for 2012 and 2013., and 2015 Speech Evaluation Champion. Additionally, he is a member of the National Speakers Association.

Tom graduated from the University of Delaware in 1990 with a Communication degree, concentrating on interpersonal and organizational communication.