We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lawrence Blundred. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lawrence below.
Lawrence, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
I started writing “serious” inspirational books in 2017, linked to my first wife’s (Donna) “death sentence” diagnosis with a level 4 brain tumor. The first was “Staying Resilient When Life Throws You More Than A Curveball” … followed by a second … :”Rise Above: Survivor or Thriver?” I sought to encourage others who faced perosnal “curveballs” and to honor my wife’s thriving spirit, and memory. While at an author’s event in late 2018, I decided to visit a separate author section dedicated to children’s books. I met many special people (most of them women) who had written – and designed – unique and colorful books. Most of the ones I liked included animals and unique names. This fascinated me! I came back to my table and asked Donna (still living but confiened to a walker) “Do you think I could write a Children’s Book?” I pondered this question for many months. Within months of this event, our first grandson (Oliver) was born, and I was introduced to this “foreign” sport called pickleball. A friend invited me to play, thinking it would be good physical and emotional “therapy.” I really can’t say for sure how all this came together, but the idea emerged to write a children’s book that would include pickleball and “animals”, which I called critters. I started thinking about the names and types of “critters”), and the theme. The short version of this story is that I started with the name Ollie (short for Oliver), which rhymes with Otter, and so on. Ollie has became my main character in what has evolved to a series of books, involving “critters” with different challenges, backgrounds and families — from Chile to the Redwood Forest. The first book was personal – “How Pickleball Saved Ollie Otter.” because pickleball in many ways “saved me.” I formed Ollie Otter Adventures as my LLC, and three books followed. There are “stories” within this overarching story — such as how I found my first illustrator, a high school student from Brentwood, TN, and how I have gone full circle to a main line, national publisher and book distributor, retaining a renowned national cartoonist/illustrator (with whom I reconnected at our high school reunion), to winning three awards in August 2024 from the Floriday Author’s and Publisher’s Assn. I subsequently have been introduced to what are called “adaptive sports” — youth that have to adapt how they play a sport (such as tennis, basketball or – yes – pickleball) because of some physical “challenge.” I devoted my third book (just released) to focus on this group of children and youth, and how Ollie and His New Critter Friends are encouraging and suporting them. My LLC has forged alliances with the the likes of The Bridge Adaptive Sports and The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation to provide resources, staff and equipment for children with these “adaptive” needs. I have enhanced Ollie’s social media presence, and look forward to discovering and discerning new direction and next steps!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Not knowing your prior question until now, I likely have covered a good bit of what you are asking here. However, I will provide more details now. For most of my adult working career — I was writing, but not books! I wrote Marketing and Business Plans of all sorts for companies (well known in Cincinnati) such as Sklyine Chili and JTM Food Group. I ended my career writing financial plans and proposals for clients as a licensed financial planner/advisor. While I started writing books while my first wife was still living, I began publishing the children’s books on pickleball after she passed. I did not begin with a specific mission or passion in my writing – this mission and passion has evolved. I want it to be part of my legacy. What I am most proud of now is providing an opportunity for children of all ages, with physical/emotional/mental “challenges” to find joy and self esteem by getting out there to play a sport, with the special emphasis on pickleball. Because of my initiaitive and support, the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation, and The Bridge Adaptive Sports have added pickleball as an option for children with these “challengs” to grow self confidence and find new friends. Because of my vision and leadership, the sport of pickleball is now spreading to elementary, inner city schools in the Cincinnati area, and and a new venue – CISE (Catholic Inner City Schools). These entities typically give copies of my books to the children and when my schedule allows, I will meet with the students when pickleball is being taught during “gym” classes, and often talk to them about my story and books. If you need any references/contacts to validate what I am sharing, as being true, let me know. Feel free to check out The Bridge Adaptive Sports or the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation posts on social media as well. You will see what I am sharing. Feel free to check out Ollie Otter Adventures on IG, my Ollie Otter Adventures Youtube channel, and Ollie Otter Books (FB) and www.ollieotteradventures.com
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn the notion that I had to have all the answers — and had the final say with key decisions. I learned the hard way that bringing my team members together was the key. To seek them out. The ask for their advice and opionions regarding direction. Yes, often I would have the final say, but they appreciated being asked and included in the process, and I often changed course or modified decisions based upon their input. I wanted them to see that I actively valued their opinions. When I did this, it increased their sense of self esteem. The team started working more closely — and would approach me. One of the books that helped change my persective was the “One Minute Manager” by Ken Blanchard. I highly recommend this. One of his premises is that you manage and lead by “walking around.” Interact with your team, individually. When you do that, you may get a better sense of what is on their mind, both personally and professionally.
You demonstrate you listen and care. Now. let me anticipate what some of you may be thinking. “Larry, I don’t supervise anyone in my work. It’s just me, or me and a partner.” In that case, I encourage you to find, or create, your own “circle” of influence. Those whose ideas, values – whatever – you respect. They will give you honest, consturctive feedback – not just telling you what you want to hear. It has been said by Jon Gordon in a recent podcast, “Your circle determines you future.” I believe there is truth to that. Finally, take care of your mindset.Often, what we say to ourselves, is more important than what we say to others. Good luck with your current and future ventures
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Often, pivots in your career take place for two reasons: You decide to make the pivot, or you are forced to due to a myriad of reasons – a “downsize” or a change of management. And, there can be a positve outcome regardless of what triggered the pivot. Pivots can be healthy from a career standpoint. I had three pivots. Early in my educaiton, I was focused upon being a sports reporter following a journalism degree. I did that for a while, and realized I did not like it, for many reasons. I returned to college and pursued marketing and finance in my graduate degree. This led to a career that I enjoyed, until a second pivot took place. In my mid 50’s, I had the chance to join a a freind with a financial services company, and purused a new career as a financial adivisor/planner. I had, for years, enjoyed this area as “a hobby.” It turned into a new career that I throoughly enjoyed – helping and serving others in their worlds of planning and investing. The final pivot resulted during my time as a financial advisor. My first wife was diagnosed with a “death sentence” brain tumor diagnosis. I was led to start wriiting (per my responses in the first question of this commentary). This writing led to the final pivot, not planned but discoverd.. I now can say that I write Children’s Books on Pickleball, and why I do so – with a new purpose and mission. I believe each of us is on a life journey, and there are times we need to step out and believe in ourselves!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ollieotteradventures.com/
- Instagram: ollieotter_adventures
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OllieOtterBooks
- Linkedin: None
- Twitter: none
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn2tzBVtY_k
- Yelp: None
- Other: larry_pickleball IG
search Ollie Otter Adventures for posts on IG
Image Credits
Ginger Marks, dpkidspress (Publisher)
Milt Priggee, Illustrator