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I avoid rich people, but I’ve spent decades listening to wealthy people.

Rich people are on a mission to spend their money. It’s not always pretty. They squander it. Wealthy people are on a quest to leave something to future generations – just as they may’ve inherited it from previous ones.

Rich people tell others about their money. Wealthy people tell their money to go and make more money. When wealthy people talk to people about money, they often whisper. I’ve been listening – and taking notes. Now I’ve written a book with their secrets so I could share them with you.

“Money Secrets: A Little Book of Wisdom” published Friday, Nov. 4. Find it, and my other books, on Amazon.

– Jeff Arnold, RIGHTSURE, The Arizona 100

Midway through dinner, as the tequila was starting to work its magic, Chuck Norman said, “Chris, tell us about your company – and please tell us about your hair.”

When Chuck and I finally stopped giggling and slapping each others’ shoulders, I told the others about my story. I also told them Chuck was the very first person who knew me well before my surgery who had seen me in person (not on Zoom) and had the courage to say something about it in front of others.

We grabbed the empty tequila bottle and staged a photo to commemorate the moment. 

Order here on Amazon. Or on Headscape.me.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

For nearly three hours, as I leaned back in a surgical chair that left my scalp exposed for their work, they employed a device called a microfue with synthetic saffire that is harder and more precise than a steel blade.

They encircled each graft, made a small incision into my scalp to encapsulate the roots, and removed my follicles. They were able to capture one to three follicles in each graft. 

They then began reversing the earlier procedure – instead of extracting hair follicles, they spent the next three hours planting them in rows around the area outlined on my scalp. 

Order here on Amazon, or on Headscape.me.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

My new barber Kevin suggested I become a special client – those who had no hair on top but lots on the sides. “I take clients several times a year to Istanbul, Turkey and accompany them to a famous doctor there. He can move your hair follicles from the side and put them on top and you’ll have a full head of hair again!”

“I’m too old for that,” I’d say.

“Turkey is the world’s center for hair transplantation,” Kevin said. “I’m telling you, Chris, you would look amazing. You will look so much younger and you’ll be so much happier.”

Order here on Amazon, or on Headscape.me.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

My girlfriend Edith, overhearing me tell a prospect how we’d find each other – “I’m 6’1” and balding,” – giggled uncontrollably.  “You’re not balding, you’re bald.” 

Later, before Jan and I got married, she and her daughter Catherine went shopping for her wedding dress. A sales clerk behind the counter was talking about a book she was reading. “The premise of the book is there are aliens already living amongst us,” the woman said. “They look like regular humans, but they are always bald and wear glasses.” 

Jan burst out laughing and told the group, “Oh my gosh. I’m marrying an alien!”

Learn more about “Headscape” or order via Amazon.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

During my first wedding at age 22 – three weeks after the partial meltdown of nuclear reactor No. 2 on Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island – college fraternity brother Hank West grabbed the small remaining dollop of my brown forehead hair, proclaiming to the entire wedding party, “Two Mile Island!”

In Greenville, South Carolina, I caught the eye of the young cavalier publisher, Bern Mebane, who had a penchant for promoting managers and then assigning and deploying patronizing nicknames. Whenever I entered his orbit the next three years, he’d proclaim – “Herr Schroder!” – cleverly mocking my German last name and, it seemed, my departing hair.

Learn more about “Headscape” or order via Amazon.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

My best hair day ever was in seventh grade when the yearbook photographer took class officer photos. My hair looked near-perfect that day – full, clinging smartly across my head with a slight curl down across my forehead.

Back then, I thought I’d have that head of hair all my life, even if it one day turned gray. I was proud of my hair, thinking it was one of my most appealing attributes.

A year later, when the annual published our eighth-grade photos, I’d begun nurturing a creeping widow’s peak. My destiny was writ atop my forehead for all to see.

Learn more about “Headscape” or order via Amazon.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

During my first haircut, I listened to men in other chairs. One discussed a woman found dead in her apartment.

“The police determined the last thing she ate was chocolate-covered graham crackers and decided she had a bad reaction to them and died,” he said.

I looked at my brothers in fear. We had chocolate-covered graham crackers in our freezer. I’d eaten many and liked them. Not anymore. To this day, I haven’t eaten any. I don’t even enjoy the campfire tradition of s’mores – graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. I’ve never cared much since for haircuts or barber shops either. 

Learn more about “Headscape” or order via Amazon.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies

The sun is higher and days are longer. It’s the perfect time to grab a book and head outdoors. Take some “me” time to dive into an interesting and fun read while soaking up some vitamin D:

• “One Italian Summer” (Rebecca Serle): Not your typical love story and not to be overlooked.

• “Disorientation” (Elaine Hsieh Chou): A satire you’ll laugh and learn with.

• “You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty” (Awkwaeke Emezi): To be released in May, for anyone who’s looking for new beginnings.

• “It Ends With Us” (Colleen Hoover): The kind of story you can’t put down.

– MaryGrace Williams, The Atlanta 100