Adam Shepard

Shortly after graduating college in 2006 – with almost literally $25 to his name – Adam Shepard departed his home state for Charleston, SC, embarking on the adventure he chronicled in Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream (Collins). Shepard has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, Fox News, NPR, the Dave Ramsey Show, and 20/20. He has also done several radio interviews and been featured in the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Post, The Atlantic, and dozens of local newspapers throughout the country. Shepard’s age and energy have made him a prime candidate as a keynote speaker at colleges across the country.

Scratch Beginnings is the story of Shepard’s individual journey to discover the present state of the American Dream. Carrying only a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 cash, and restricted from using previous contacts or his education, he set out for a randomly selected city with the goal to acquire – after one year – $2,500, a car, and a furnished apartment. His mission: to see if a strong work ethic and sound personal financial management techniques provide any payoff whatsoever.

Scratch Beginnings is Shepard’s story of his 70 days in Charleston, SC’s homeless shelter; of breaking his toe, getting sick, and getting beat up by his roommate; of triumphs and woes working as a mover with Derrick Hale, the eventual hero of the story; and most importantly, of the “normal, everyday, average people” he meets along the way, many of whom made a distinct impression on his life.

Shepard attended Merrimack College in North Andover, MA on a basketball scholarship and graduated with a degree in Business Management and Spanish. Always in search of his next adventure, he lives in Raleigh, NC where he continues to write, speak, and dominate the old men in Raleigh’s adult basketball leagues while his knees are still fully intact.