Billionaire philanthropist Bob Parsons, founder of GoDaddy and PXG Golf (among other successful businesses), shares his rags-to-riches story and the invaluable life lessons he learned along the way in his inspiring literary debut Fire in the Hole!
Growing Up in Blue-Collar Baltimore
As a young boy in a blue-collar East Baltimore household in the 1950s, Parsons grew up in a financially insecure environment due to his parents' inveterate gambling habits. Not only was money scarce, but so were displays of parental love. But this did not stop Parson from dreaming of a brighter future for himself, going as far as declaring in his high school yearbook that he would be a millionaire one day while at the time "flunking almost every class."
Military Service and Life Lessons
Remarkably open about his family problems — especially with his mother, Elsie, who had periodic mental breakdowns that traumatized him — Parsons does not make excuses for his upbringing and its limitations. If anything, they were fuel for his ambitions as a man, husband, and father. During a terrifying episode when his mother went "berserk," Parsons recalls the vow he made before God:
"I must have been nine years old … and I retreated to my basement bedroom, where I dropped to my knees and prayed to God. I was as serious as I ever was. I didn't ask for a way out of my situation. Instead I said, Dear God, when I grow up, if I have a family, I promise they will always have whatever they need. I never broke that promise."
From Basement Startup to Billionaire
Parsons moves through his early memories in a down-to-earth, no-B.S. way that should resonate with readers. His decision to join the U.S. Marines out of high school to fight in Vietnam would have profound impacts on him, with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) the stalking horse that haunted his future and personal relationships. But despite that, Parsons points to his service in the Marines as "the first really positive thing" he did with his life. He would take the lessons learned about duty, responsibility, and making good on your promises to heart: "To this day, everything I do in business stems from these lessons."
Parsons chronicles his early jobs, going to school for an accounting degree, and meeting his first wife, Martha. As a new husband and father, Parsons was constantly working, holding down a successful full-time job while also starting his own business, Parsons Technology, in his basement. With his head for numbers and writing programming language, Parsons says he "felt that [he] was going places — and computers were the highways that would take [him] there."
A chronicle of bold business decisions based on sharp instincts, Fire in the Hole! offers sound advice for entrepreneurs in a jocular, everyday Joe voice. Parsons' stories of standing up Parsons Technology, GoDaddy, PXG Golf, and others are a master class for the next generation of business creators.
An Unapologetic Philanthropist
When it comes to his wealth, Parsons does not apologize for his assets, asserting that his two billion dollars also came with $900 million in income taxes, which he cheerfully paid "despite the fact that I never received a thank-you note." But Parsons does not hoard his assets, either. A noted philanthropist, he and his wife created the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation in 2012. The foundation focuses on low-income and underserved communities overlooked by "mainstream philanthropy." In 2023, the Foundation gave away $26.6 million and awarded 32 grants to 23 partners.
Not all a business how-to, the book's beating heart is Parsons's raw assessment of his closest relationships throughout his life. Owning up to his failings, Parsons speaks honestly about his attempts to reconnect with his children, which rings true. The reader can only cheer him on! Fire in the Hole! is an entertaining and versatile memoir with high appeal for business and golf aficionados, but also for people who just love a great American success story.
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