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| Chris Gardner: The homeless man who became a multi-millionaire investor | Chris Gardner: The homeless man who became a multi-millionaire investor |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| When Chris Gardner and his young son were sleeping rough on the floor of a public toilet, he could never have dreamt that his life story would be turned into a hit Hollywood movie. | When Chris Gardner and his young son were sleeping rough on the floor of a public toilet, he could never have dreamt that his life story would be turned into a hit Hollywood movie. |
| It was back in the early 1980s that Mr Gardner, then aged 27, and his toddler son were homeless for a year in San Francisco. | It was back in the early 1980s that Mr Gardner, then aged 27, and his toddler son were homeless for a year in San Francisco. |
| Enrolled on a low-paid trainee scheme at a stock brokerage, he didn't have enough money to raise the deposit to rent an apartment. | Enrolled on a low-paid trainee scheme at a stock brokerage, he didn't have enough money to raise the deposit to rent an apartment. |
| So Mr Gardner, who was estranged from his partner, and Chris Jr would instead sleep wherever they could. | So Mr Gardner, who was estranged from his partner, and Chris Jr would instead sleep wherever they could. |
| In addition to the toilet at a railway station, they'd bed down in parks, at a church shelter, or under his desk at work after everyone else had gone home. | In addition to the toilet at a railway station, they'd bed down in parks, at a church shelter, or under his desk at work after everyone else had gone home. |
| They ate in soup kitchens, and what little money he had was spent on putting his son in day nursery so he could go to work. | They ate in soup kitchens, and what little money he had was spent on putting his son in day nursery so he could go to work. |
| Despite this adversity, Mr Gardner thrived in his job. A natural at selling stocks and shares, at the end of his training period his firm, Dean Witter Reynolds (DWR), made him a full employee. | Despite this adversity, Mr Gardner thrived in his job. A natural at selling stocks and shares, at the end of his training period his firm, Dean Witter Reynolds (DWR), made him a full employee. |
| Finally able to rent a home for himself and his son, his career then rapidly ascended into the stratosphere, and in 1987 he opened his own investment firm, Gardner Rich. | Finally able to rent a home for himself and his son, his career then rapidly ascended into the stratosphere, and in 1987 he opened his own investment firm, Gardner Rich. |
| Hollywood comes calling | Hollywood comes calling |
| Today Mr Gardner, 62, is worth an estimated $60m (£48m), travels the world as a motivational speaker, and sponsors a number of homeless charities and organisations that combat violence against women. | Today Mr Gardner, 62, is worth an estimated $60m (£48m), travels the world as a motivational speaker, and sponsors a number of homeless charities and organisations that combat violence against women. |
| Add the fact that Mr Gardner had a very troubled childhood, and served time in prison immediately before the internship at DWR, and you can understand why Hollywood came calling when he was writing his best-selling autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness (the misspelling is deliberate). | Add the fact that Mr Gardner had a very troubled childhood, and served time in prison immediately before the internship at DWR, and you can understand why Hollywood came calling when he was writing his best-selling autobiography The Pursuit of Happyness (the misspelling is deliberate). |
| The movie of the same name was released in 2006, and Will Smith was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Mr Gardner. | The movie of the same name was released in 2006, and Will Smith was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Mr Gardner. |
| Looking back on his life, Mr Gardner tells the BBC that he "wouldn't change anything". | Looking back on his life, Mr Gardner tells the BBC that he "wouldn't change anything". |
| "I went through pain as a child so my children wouldn't have to," he says. "I made a decision as a five-year-old boy that my kids will know who their father is. | "I went through pain as a child so my children wouldn't have to," he says. "I made a decision as a five-year-old boy that my kids will know who their father is. |
| "The rest of my destiny came forward because I made the right choices." | "The rest of my destiny came forward because I made the right choices." |
| Inspirational mother | Inspirational mother |
| Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mr Gardner never knew his real father. | |
| Instead he was brought up in poverty by his mother Bettye Jean and a physically abusive, alcoholic stepfather. | Instead he was brought up in poverty by his mother Bettye Jean and a physically abusive, alcoholic stepfather. |
| There was also a period spent in a foster home after his mother, in a fit of despair, tried to kill her partner. | There was also a period spent in a foster home after his mother, in a fit of despair, tried to kill her partner. |
| Despite the woes of his childhood, Mr Gardner says his mum was an inspiration. | Despite the woes of his childhood, Mr Gardner says his mum was an inspiration. |
| "I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to do or be.' | "I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to do or be.' |
| "And I believed it, I bought into it 100%." | "And I believed it, I bought into it 100%." |
| He adds that one day as a child he was watching a college basketball game on TV when he commented that one of the players would make a million dollars. | He adds that one day as a child he was watching a college basketball game on TV when he commented that one of the players would make a million dollars. |
| "My mum said, 'Son, one day it will be you who'll make a million dollars.' Until she said those words the thought had never entered my mind." | "My mum said, 'Son, one day it will be you who'll make a million dollars.' Until she said those words the thought had never entered my mind." |
| Chance encounter | Chance encounter |
| The million dollars didn't arrive immediately however, and after graduating from high school he spent four years in the US Navy. | The million dollars didn't arrive immediately however, and after graduating from high school he spent four years in the US Navy. |
| After an honorary discharge in 1974 Mr Gardner moved to San Francisco where he started selling medical equipment. | After an honorary discharge in 1974 Mr Gardner moved to San Francisco where he started selling medical equipment. |
| His life then changed completely when he saw a man parking his red Ferrari one day, and Mr Gardner asked him what he did for a living. | His life then changed completely when he saw a man parking his red Ferrari one day, and Mr Gardner asked him what he did for a living. |
| The man was a stockbroker called Bob Bridges, and after the two got talking, Mr Gardner expressed an interest in joining the industry. | The man was a stockbroker called Bob Bridges, and after the two got talking, Mr Gardner expressed an interest in joining the industry. |
| They met again, and Mr Bridges helped Mr Gardner secure an interview for an internship. | They met again, and Mr Bridges helped Mr Gardner secure an interview for an internship. |
| However, in the days before the interview at DWR Mr Gardner was arrested and jailed for non-payment of parking tickets. | However, in the days before the interview at DWR Mr Gardner was arrested and jailed for non-payment of parking tickets. |
| He was ultimately able to make the interview, but only in the clothes he was wearing when he was arrested, which included trainers and a vest. | He was ultimately able to make the interview, but only in the clothes he was wearing when he was arrested, which included trainers and a vest. |
| Despite the scruffy attire, his sense of drive and enthusiasm was enough to get him the job. | Despite the scruffy attire, his sense of drive and enthusiasm was enough to get him the job. |
| Re-evaluating life | Re-evaluating life |
| Six years after the release of the movie, Mr Gardner's life changed again in 2012 when his wife died from cancer aged just 55. | Six years after the release of the movie, Mr Gardner's life changed again in 2012 when his wife died from cancer aged just 55. |
| It made him re-evaluate what he wanted to do for a living, and after three highly successful decades in finance he decided on a complete career change. | It made him re-evaluate what he wanted to do for a living, and after three highly successful decades in finance he decided on a complete career change. |
| "Some of the last conversations [my wife and I] had were her saying to me, 'Now that we can see how truly short life can be, what will you do with the rest of your life?' | "Some of the last conversations [my wife and I] had were her saying to me, 'Now that we can see how truly short life can be, what will you do with the rest of your life?' |
| "When you have that conversation, that changes everything. I've said that if you're not doing something that you're passionate about, you're compromising yourself every single day." | "When you have that conversation, that changes everything. I've said that if you're not doing something that you're passionate about, you're compromising yourself every single day." |
| So realising that he didn't want to work in investment banking any longer, he reinvented himself as a motivational speaker and author. | So realising that he didn't want to work in investment banking any longer, he reinvented himself as a motivational speaker and author. |
| 'Amazing testament' | 'Amazing testament' |
| He now spends 200 days a year travelling the world speaking to packed audiences in more than 50 countries. | He now spends 200 days a year travelling the world speaking to packed audiences in more than 50 countries. |
| Scott Burns, a director at US investment firm Morningstar, says that Mr Gardner "is just an amazing testament of fortitude". | Scott Burns, a director at US investment firm Morningstar, says that Mr Gardner "is just an amazing testament of fortitude". |
| He adds: "You can be down and out, but only as down as you let yourself be." | He adds: "You can be down and out, but only as down as you let yourself be." |
| Mr Gardner believes he disproves the theory that we are all products of our childhood environment. | Mr Gardner believes he disproves the theory that we are all products of our childhood environment. |
| "According to that school of thought I should become another alcoholic, wife-beating, child-abusing, illiterate loser." | "According to that school of thought I should become another alcoholic, wife-beating, child-abusing, illiterate loser." |
| Instead he says he made his own positive choices thanks to the love of his mother and support from other people. | Instead he says he made his own positive choices thanks to the love of his mother and support from other people. |
| "I chose light, from my mother, and from others with whom I don't share a single drop of blood, and I embraced it." | "I chose light, from my mother, and from others with whom I don't share a single drop of blood, and I embraced it." |
| Follow The Boss series editor Will Smale on Twitter @WillSmale1 |