Meet Ron Hammond | Author

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

Hi Ron, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For many years prior to writing Live Your Humanity, there was this pull in my soul to write a book, but I didn’t yet know what the content would be. I knew that I wanted to write, but I didn’t know where to start or even how. After experiencing a job layoff, I began to consider that maybe that was the time to revisit the idea. I attended a weekend writing workshop which provided the lift that I needed to follow through with getting my book into the world. It’s funny, once I made the decision and committed to doing it, the ideas came and the words flowed onto the paper. They didn’t always come effortlessly, but eventually they always came. I really enjoyed the process and the sense of personal satisfaction felt each time I finished a chapter, and that provide the impetus to complete the book. Holding the final copy of a real book that I created felt great. That same feeling is what is helping to incubate a new idea for another book.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Prior to writing my book, Live Your Humanity, I spent over 20 years working in Corporate Finance. While I enjoyed the work and found it satisfying, I began to notice that I was spending a lot of time at the office, giving up my weekends and evenings, which left no time for personal pursuits. Eventually, my mental health began to take a hit and I knew that I needed a change, but wasn’t sure how to proceed. During that same time, I also felt a tug in my heart to write a book, but I didn’t yet know what I wanted to write about. That changed one day when I found myself coming within inches of being involved in a potentially serious car accident, through no fault of my own, that could have been avoided if only patience and common courtesy could have been exercised on the road. I began to think about the negative ways that humans are interacting with and treating one another today. It also made me take stock of how I show up in the world for other people. I realized that I had some work to do and so I set out to change my path for the better, and that became the idea for my book.
I lost my job through a layoff, which provided the optimal time to start writing and to make my dream come true. I learned that writing a book is so much more difficult than I thought it would be. It requires strong organization skills, especially around how topics and thoughts are developed so that they are presented in a cogent manner. It’s a lot tougher than it sounds, especially if you’re not classically trained as a writer.
There were many times that I wanted to give up in frustration, but I learned a lot about how to be successful in anything that you do. Set the intention in your mind about what you want, have the drive to follow through to completion and ask for help along the way and everything else takes care of itself. None of us succeed without the help of other people, and I’m forever grateful for all of the support that I received.
Even though we are more connected now than we ever have been, so many are reporting that they’re feeling isolated and lonely. Our electronic devices have taken us away from having conversations and interactions with one another, which can cause innate human values such as love, kindness and empathy to go dormant. My book addresses this issue and how to develop more meaning and connection in life. For that, I’m really proud of it and will consider it a success if just one person finds value in it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver is full of fun and interesting things to do. If you’re a big sports fan, you can’t go wrong with seeing The Avalanche or The Broncos play. I’m really impressed by the extensive bike trails that run through Denver and connect to the surrounding suburbs as well as the mountain towns. If you’re a Pickleball player, the Gates Tennis Center in Cherry Creek has a large number of courts that you can rent for just $5.00/hour. As far as the Restaurant scene goes, Denver has really upped its game over the last two decades, with really good places to go. I really enjoy going out to dinner in Larimer Square and Lower Downtown, or LoDo. My favorite place is Cherry Creek Grill in Cherry Creek. The menu has several good choices and the food is great.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to recognize my publisher, Morgan James Publishing, for publishing my book. They helped with cover design and also handled the complicated logistics of working with the printer and distribution to bookstores.

Website: www.ronhammond.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ronhammondco

Other: I’m currently putting content about the subject of my book on TikTok under ronhammond10