

And now, after decades in the financial world, he finds that he does see those industry-related words more automatically, without the hesitation that comes when he reads a book on an unfamiliar subject. So how else does dyslexia affect him? Well, mostly, it benefits him: “I think it leads to a better visualization capability, conceptual vision,” he told Steven Moore of The Wall Street Journal (July 28, 2007, “Talking to Chuck”). I get into a meeting with business associates and I can process all kinds of stuff and get to the conclusion much faster than other people who have to go step by step, processing things sequentially.” In an interview with Richard Lee Colvin for The Los Angeles Times (April 30, 1996), he explains, “I’m real good at concepts and visualization. While he may be a slow reader and finds note-taking from lectures nearly impossible, Schwab is a quick thinker in many other areas. He continued on in school and found that his entrepreneurial skills helped him in Stanford’s School of Business-and beyond as he began his own company. Schwab graduated from Stanford University, with the help of his strengths in math and economics and his friends who took notes for him in class.

I had good skills in dealing with people.” I didn’t quit, because I was really good in other things, terrific in math and science and anything that didn’t deal with words. People decide you aren’t working hard enough or are slow. “It helps them understand their learning issues in a cartoon and entertaining way and not lose self-esteem. You can’t just sit back and let things happen, or the kid can be lost.” So they founded Schwab Learning to help the parents of children diagnosed with dyslexia, and created for kids diagnosed with dyslexia. “That way, they can learn to become advocates for their own children. “Out of our own early trauma, we thought that a resource center might be beneficial for other parents, to help them understand these problems,” Charles Schwab explained to Theresa Johnston in a 1999 article for Stanford Magazine. He then saw both sides of the struggle with dyslexia-one, his own personal challenges with dyslexia and, two, his and his wife’s challenge of getting his son the proper support he needed to achieve his dreams, learn in school, and have a healthy self-esteem. Despite knowing that he had extreme difficulty taking notes in class, flunking English two times, and struggling in foreign language classes, Schwab did not have a name for his disability until his son was diagnosed with dyslexia in the 1980’s (his son was in grade school, Schwab was 58). In essence, Charles Schwab not only started an extremely successful company, but he also revolutionized the financial industry.īehind all these incredible achievements and innovations is a shy, yet charming, upbeat, and distinguished man, now in his 70’s, with a (mostly) hidden disability. So the company grew, and grew, and so did the number of investments within the market from the general public. Yes, it was quite the alternative concept but then again, it was exactly the kind of thing that an out-of-the-box thinker like Schwab would dream up. In 1971, Schwab started his first brokerage office with the belief that the stock market should be open to everyone (which at the time, it wasn’t).

Looking for an innovative mind? An incredibly successful business plan? A new take on the financial market? Look no further than Charles Schwab, founder, chairman and CEO of Charles Schwab Corporation, which has helped millions of “average Joes” manage their money through investments and other banking and financial services. Advocacy Back Toolkit for Parents, Educators and Students.Toolkit for Parents, Educators and Students.
