Perseverance

In 1956, at the age of ten, John Pistacchi and his parents immigrated to the United States with all of their possessions in a small metal steamer trunk. Being uprooted two more times in short order meant rebooting his life each time. He learned English, overcame bullying, survived high school, and graduated with a master’s degree in engineering from UCLA, always forging ahead with determination.

Perseverance is about a young immigrant boy’s dreams and his steps toward realizing them. Sailing slowly past the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, John declared his goals of owning his own company and retiring early—milestones he accomplished through his company, Opticom. However, the road to creating a successful multi-million dollar entity was neither straight nor smooth. It had many potholes and crossroads, often requiring tire-screeching U-turns. This earned John his client-given nickname, Fast Johnny.

John’s commitment and his never-take-yourself-or-life-too-seriously attitude helped him overcome obstacles and survive the most trying times. How did John fight to achieve his American dream while on two occasions literally being one phone call away from losing it all? That is when flexibility, creativity, a sprinkle of luck and heavy doses of perseverance turned a childhood dream into reality.

To reach ultimate success as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, John Pistacchi persevered to achieve his American Dream. Continually making the most of his quick wit and "learning the hard way" wisdom, he succeeded by adapting personally and reinventing himself professionally. The perseverance and sense of humor that sustained him in his youth is in play once again as he battles Parkinson's Disease. John believes every challenge is an opportunity for personal growth, and this one is no exception. He and his wife, Martha, the love of his life and business partner for more than fifty years, have two grown children and four grandchildren. They now spend most of their time traveling the West Coast, enjoying family and friends. In addition to this book, John is the author of Lockdown Capers, Lockdown Aftermath, and Nature Talks. He donates 100 percent of his book royalties to the Rock Steady Boxing program and Parkinson's research organizations.