Courage by Design

Courage is a choice -- your choice. If you wish, you can design and follow your own personal roadmap for a courageous life. In her powerful new book, visionary business leader Dee M. Robinson shows you how to transform your life by building up the courage to hear your own authentic internal voice. That voice is what points you toward your best self -- and when you have the courage to hear it, that voice can teach you to overcome fear, make brave, bold choices, and find joy in fulfilling your true purpose in life. Strengthening your courage muscle, Robinson maintains, is a matter of learning, practicing, and living the Courage Commandments she has shared with students and audiences around the country:

1. Assume Full Control of Your Thoughts
2. Be the CEO of You
3. Break the Addiction to Fear
4. Harness the Power of Faith
5. Find Your Calling
6. Play to Your Strong Suit
7. Connect with Allies Who Are Focused on Solutions
8. Choose Who You Do (and Don't) Share Your Dreams With
9. Find Success In Failure
10. Your Secret Weapon: Give, Give and Give Again with Integrity

...and a special eleventh commandment:
+1: Win the Race: Make Good Trouble by Putting Your Heart and Soul into Diversity, Equity and Inclusion The book also features Ms. Robinson's personal interviews with some of the most successful--and brave--leaders on the scene today. Each shares personal insights on using the Courage Commandments to design, and live, a life of bold, tenacious contribution.

Growth strategist, entrepreneurial innovator, DE&I advocate, social impact leader, and venture capitalist Dee M. Robinson believes we can all lead with passion and leave people and places better than we found them—and that we all have the power to use courage to influence people and outcomes. She is committed to shattering expectations, redefining the status quo, creating value, making good trouble, and empowering women and people of color.

She is the CEO and president of Robinson Hill, Inc., a food and beverage/retail concessions management firm she founded in 1995. Dee has scaled the company’s operations by forging successful joint ventures and partnerships, which now encompass airport restaurants and retail stores across the United States. She is also the founder and CEO of GT Spirits, maker of Good Trouble bourbon; proceeds from the sale of Good Trouble support a variety of social justice causes. Dee has been featured in such publications as Forbes, Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Sun-Times, WayMaker Journal, Enterprising Women, and Medium.

Dee serves on several company boards, including Accel Entertainment, Wintrust Bank, and Athena Consumer Acquisition Corp., one of the first entirely women-run SPACs. She is a trustee of PGA REACH and a board member of C200. She has been recognized as a HistoryMaker, Chicago United Business Leader of Color, WomenInc.’s Most Influential Corporate Director, and is a recipient of the Fellowship Open’s National Civic Award.