My Name is… Jemal Omar Gibson.

The reason you are reading about me is… Just published my first book “Drugs My Curse My Savior”. It’s an American feel good story of triumph over tragedy, and perseverance through pain. I was born to drug addicted parents in a world engulfed in drugs, death and destruction. Many people in my family used drugs, sold drugs, went to jail for drugs and even died because of drugs. Thus my curse. But I managed to make it out of that environment with the same element that cursed me for much of my life and that’s drugs. I have sold billions of dollars of drugs and have made millions in the process. Unfortunately, as I climbed the corporate ladder in the legal world of drugs, my family kept pulling me back into a world I desperately wanted to leave behind. If you’re looking for encouragement you can find it here, if you’re looking for inspiration you can find it here, if you’re life is all good and you just enjoy reading and cheering for the underdog then you can find it here.

Right now I’m working on… Helping people live healthier happier lives by selling legal drugs. I love my “day” job and I am so connected to the purpose of the work that I do in the pharmaceutical industry. Obviously promoting my book is consuming all of my personal time. I am on a national book tour with book signings, speaking engagements, radio interviews around the country. So during the week I’m grinding from a corporate perspective and during the weekend I’m grinding from a personal perspective both with the intent of making a difference in the lives of people.

But if I wasn’t, I’d be… Teaching and working in the community to improve the value placed on education, politics and finance.

One thing I do every day is… Visualize / Meditate. I enjoy doing it. It helps me prepare for all the challenging encounters I will have in the day.

I can’t stand when people… Give up. I believe you can always make the best of any situation. As they say, things turn out best, for those who make the best of the way things turn out.

But I love it when people…Find a way to solve a challenge no matter how difficult. I love to see people win and achieve. A lot of people root for the underdog, and so do I. But I also root for the people who have found a way to continuously find success by applying winning and loving principles in there life.

If you happen to run into me in the street… I’m probably thinking about a 100 different things and going in 3 directions at 100mph. But stop me anyway. It would give my mind a much needed break. I love to talk and connect with people. I had a bad experience early in my life which really scarred me from talking to strangers. I talk about it in the book. But since then, I’ve learned to deal with it and truly enjoy meeting new people.

The Best piece of advice I ever received was… Do as I say, not as I do. We are now in an era where people expect so much of their leaders. We put them on a pedestal and expect them to be perfect. And when they are not, we find a way to discredit them for all that they’ve done or all the guidance they give us. Doesn’t matter whether it the President, the priest, your parents we have to learn to be more forgiving and not condemn people for their inability to live up there own advice or ideals. As long as the principles that they espouse are right then that’s all that matters. Their inability to live the principle is not our excuse for not following it.

If I had to coin it, my message would be… Anything is possible!! I believe that no matter what challenges people have they can find a way to win. We have been submerged in a world with an abundance of raw materials and its up to us to choose to use them. But the first step is to believe that we can, all success starts with our thoughts and if we can find a way to harness the power of our thoughts – then Anything Is Possible!

My future plans and projects include… Making this memoir a #1 Best seller. Is really just the means. The end is to have as many people read this book as possible. I truly believe it can impact people in a positive way. I’ve also started on a second book, that pulls together all the principles I have applied in my life to get to where I am today. But I don’t want to get side tracked with that project. I do believe in the power of having a #1 desire or Big Bodacious Goal. We often get side tracked with lots of other projects without having accomplished the first or most important goal. So for right now, its Making Drugs My Curse My Savior a best seller.

Big Ups to… My wife Lisa and my girls – Iman, Zhara, & Nadya, FAMU and All my boys from KDU Crew, Pershing Rifles, Alpha Phi Alpha, Ups N Downs and everyone in the Pharmaceutical Industry helping people live healthier, happier lives.

Click here to purchase: Drugs My Curse My Savior (Volume 1)
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Jemal Gibson is a husband, father, philanthropist, corporate executive, inventor – and now, a published author. He is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a graduate of Florida A&M University, where much of his zest and drive for success was fostered and accelerated.

Born to drug-addicted parents on May 25, 1969, Gibson was shuffled through six different homes and eleven schools, all before he attended and graduated from high school. His young life was punctuated by the cyclical horrors of abuse, poverty, and drug addiction that permeate the lives of so many in today’s society, particularly in the inner cities of America. After witnessing his parents and other family members struggle with the demons of drugs and abuse and the residual effects that ultimately scar everyone involved, he vowed to end that cycle and become an example for others to follow.

After graduating from college with honors in the spring of 1993, Gibson served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army. He was selected to the Commandant’s List for graduating in the top 10% of his Infantry Officer Basic Course and also completed the elite US Army Ranger and Airborne schools. As a soldier, he was a standout among his peers and was acknowledged for his service and leadership.

Gibson started his professional career with Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in 1995, as a Sales Representative in St. Petersburg, Florida. He was awarded top honors for both of the evaluated categories in Pfizer training, receiving the “Academic Award” and the “Outstanding Communication Award.” He has also won numerous sales awards as a sales representative and as a sales leader. While at Pfizer, he was one of the youngest regional managers in the country with the responsibility for managing a team of 160 and delivering billions of dollars in sales.

His first book, Drugs: My Curse, My Savior, is a heart-wrenching memoir that chronicles the triumph of the human spirit through one man’s journey to escape the surroundings that threaten to destroy him. Forced from birth to navigate the illegal world of drugs, and the encompassing poverty and violence, this book recounts Gibson’s tumultuous journey from the dangerous streets of Chicago’s west side to his success as a corporate executive, selling billions of dollars worth of drugs – legally. This story is a straightforward account of the delicate balance Gibson manages daily as his loyalty to his family and friends constantly pulls him back to the troubled streets as if he has never left them.

Currently, Jemal Gibson is the Regional Sales Director for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and is responsible for product sales in Alabama, Georgia, and North Florida. While managing his top-tier professional position, he has begun writing his second book – Anything is Possible, a direct testimony for those who need to be reminded that no matter what the circumstances, if you believe – Anything is Possible!