*Jamaican-born entrepreneur and philanthropist Dr. Trisha Bailey is sharing her success story in a new memoir that unpacks how she grew her medical supply business into an empire.
Bailey’s “Unbroken: The Triumphant Story of a Woman’s Journey” chronicles her personal and professional tragedies and triumphs – from her humble beginnings in Jamaica to becoming a billionaire in America.
According to the press release, in the book, Bailey — known as the richest Jamaican-born woman — recounts the challenges she faced after arriving in the U.S. from Jamaica with her family at age 13. She also examines the lingering effects of being a victim of sexual trauma and domestic violence.
As NBC News reports, Bailey worked as a stockbroker on Wall Street and as a pharmaceutical sales representative after graduating from the University of Connecticut on a scholarship for track and field. A failed relationship with a man she was dating interrupted her professional success, resulting in a medical emergency that left her in a coma for eight days.
“Overcome by life’s stressors, I felt like I was drifting away to an isolated place,” Dr. Bailey writes in the book. “I clung to a bottle, hoping it would offer an escape from all my problems. It all happened so fast, making everything moving through time seem like a blur. Honestly, it was like watching myself from outside my body, begging me to stop. But the silence was too overpowering to respond over. Before I knew it, my fingers were typing away at my laptop, pouring out my feelings and desires as if I might never return to this world again.”
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After waking up in the hospital, Bailey embarked on a solo trip home to Flordia, and her experience as a disabled person in the airport helped define her purpose, “to work for the benefit of the helpless and those in need,” per the news release.
“By the time I turned thirty, I realized my purpose,” Bailey writes. “That was only after going through a grueling experience. Like many others who have found theirs’, I wasn’t sure how to manifest it into reality. The thing is, I understood that purpose wasn’t something you just thought of as you climbed out of your bed or mustered up after a hot shower. Instead, it is something that happens when you intentionally act upon your gift, skill, niche, talent, or love. Fortunately, I discovered that at the right time and place.”
Since her airport epiphany over a decade ago, Bailey’s empire has grown to 15 companies and 46 pharmacies in multiple states, NBC News reports. She also has stakes in the Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, and Phoenix Suns, among other endeavors.
In 2022, Bailey made a historic donation to her alma mater, University of Connecticut, in the amount of $15 Million. It was the largest cash contribution ever received from a UConn alumnus.
We spoke to Dr. Bailey about her new memoir and how she hopes her personal experiences will resonate with and inspire women. Watch our exclusive conversation below.
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