An Interview with Tisa L. Silver: Author & Entrepreneur

Sylvia: Tisa, welcome! I am so excited to interview you today. Please give our readers a brief introduction of yourself and a little about your book?

Tisa: Thank you Sylvia.  My name is Tisa L. Silver and I am a double graduate of the University of Delaware’s Alfred E. Lerner College of Business and Economics, obtaining an undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics and a graduate degree in Business Administration. I am a speaker and Founder & Executive Director of Good Works Coalition, a non-profit organization.  I am author of the best-selling book, The Time Value of Life.  Prior to pursuing my passion for writing, I spent five years as an instructor of the Finance Department at my alma mater, the University of Delaware. My primary course load consisted of corporate finance and investments.  I have contributed at www.BET.com and currently serve as an author and financial reviewer for Investopedia, LLC. I am a native of Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Sylvia:  Wow, your experience is impressive.   I want to thank you for an autographed copy of your book, The Time Value of Life.  I enjoyed reading your book!  It is quite amazing how you were able to educate readers while keeping the content informative and easy to read.  I particularly enjoyed how you showed the parallels between time and money as well as life and finance.  Why do you think it is important for people to understand this concept?

Tisa: Thank you. Many people are intimidated by finance, but everyone is impacted by it. If you borrow, spend, save or invest, then you should know, even if at just a basic level, how money works. I really wanted to show everyone that finance is not just for certain people to control or understand. Like any other subject, it simply requires taking the time and making the effort to get educated. For instance, by watching Grey’s Anatomy, you begin to pick up on medical jargon and practices. By watching Law & Order, you get familiar with some aspects of police work and the legal system. By reading The Time Value of Life, readers are introduced to financial terms and principles, many of which they may have already encountered in other areas of life.

Sylvia:  What inspired you to write your first book?

Tisa:  Several life lessons inspired me to write, but one classroom lesson on the Time Value of Money (TVM) was a huge inspiration for my first book. While teaching corporate finance, I was responsible for introducing the TVM formula as a tool for examining investments.  The model shows that the future value of any investment is based on the amount invested today (PV), the expected return (r) and the number of time periods (t) associated with the investment.  I adapted the formula for use as a decision making rule for the use of time.

Each of us has a future. The value of that future depends upon the time we invest today (PV), risk/return (r) and how long we are willing to invest (t). The goal is to make decisions with time today that will have the greatest possible benefit in the future.

Sylvia: Is there a message in your novel that you want your readers to grasp?

Tisa:  Yes, the message is to stop spending time and start investing it!  Time is more valuable than money and it should be treated as such. With monetary investments, every investor’s goal is to realize a profit. In order to get there, an investor performs research, evaluates the potential outcomes and makes a decision.  If people approached the use of time from an investing perspective, they would make better decisions regarding time.

Sylvia:  Do you have any advice for other authors?

Tisa:  Write, write and write some more! I was my biggest barrier to completing the book. I was trying to play author, editor and critic at the same time because I wanted everything to be perfect. Write whatever comes to you and do not censor yourself. It is better to have too much material and trim the excess than too have too little material to make a book.

Sylvia:  I believe in ‘each one-help-one’ by sharing information, collaborating and mentoring others.  What tip would you give to other aspiring authors? 

Tisa: I agree! I am a huge advocate of sharing. I recommend every author find the value in their project and share it with others. Do not approach potential connections from the sole standpoint of “what can I get out of it.” Give and receive. Benevolence can change what started as a conversation or simple exchange into a mutually beneficial relationship.

Sylvia:  Why should we buy your book?

Tisa:  Everyone uses time and money, and this book can help everyone make better use of both. The book does not proclaim to solve all time and money management issues with a cookie-cutter solution.  The Time Value of Life encourages people to examine what is important to them, and to make decisions with those items in mind.  Making better decisions about now improves the chances of creating a better later.

Sylvia: Tisa, you are an incredibly busy lady.  I commend you on your work in non-profit as well as your very informative book.  I wish you all the best.

Tisa: You are very welcome. I enjoyed it as well. 

Contact Tisa:
Tisa Silver:  www.tisasilver.com
Purchase Link:  http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookSearchResults.aspx?Search=the%20time%20value%20of%20life
Additional information:  http://www.thegwc.org/

Sylvia Browder

Sylvia Browder is CEO of Specialty Home Services LLC, a Home Improvement Company; a Small Business Consultant at Browder Consulting Group, a startup consultancy firm to help women with startup assistance, marketing, website and graphic design work and other support services. In addition, she has co-authored several published books; publisher of ‘Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs’ a lifestyle blog; and publisher of ShopSpendBlack.com Business Directory & Blog platform created to help consumers find black owned businesses in a searchable format. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years; 5 adult children and 5 grandchildren; church; friends and motorcycle riding.