It was during an exchange with Sir Richard Branson whilst on a bike ride on Necker Island that Jamie Waller came up with the idea for his book. He decided to explore the possible connection between dyslexia and entrepreneurship, which he suspected might be a hidden superpower for success. 

As a person with dyslexia himself, Waller brings a unique perspective to the subject. He draws on his personal experiences with undiagnosed dyslexia and ADHD, sharing how these challenges impacted his education and self-confidence – but ultimately became his greatest strengths. Today, he is a highly successful entrepreneur who has built and sold multiple businesses including JBW Group, a compliance and enforcement services business that provides IT solutions, debt recovery and enforcement services to local and central government departments across the UK and fintech solutions company Hito. 

Partnering with Dr Helen Taylor, research associate at the University of Cambridge whose pioneering work on neurodiversity has been published in leading scientific journals, they took to developing a fresh perspective on dyslexia. Their book, The Dyslexic Edge: Unleash the Power of Thinking Differently, frames this condition not as a disorder, but as a cognitive advantage that can drive innovation and success.

One of the most compelling aspects of The Dyslexic Edge is its collection of interviews with fourteen remarkable dyslexic entrepreneurs and business leaders. Their stories provide real-world evidence of how dyslexic thinking can lead to extraordinary achievements across various fields, revealing that an astonishing 40% of self-made millionaires are dyslexic.

These include:

• Sir Charles Dunstone (Carphone Warehouse and Five Guys Europe)
• Kelly Hoppen (Kelly Hoppen Design)
• Theo Paphitis (Ryman)

As Theo Paphitis shared on the day of the book’s launch on his LinkedIn: ‘This book challenges the narrative that dyslexia impedes success, and I was fortunate enough to share some of my own experiences in it.’

Dr Ivan Misner, Sunday Times bestselling author and founder of the world’s largest business networking organisation, said: ‘This book has changed my thinking. Dyslexic thinking can be an advantage, and this book is a great resource to . . . implement it for your own success.’

Choosing Whitefox as a trusted home for the project, it was important to Jamie that this groundbreaking book landed in time for Dyslexia Awareness Week 2024 (7–13th October). And in the spirit of Dyslexia Awareness Week, Jamie is offering 1,000 FREE signed copies of The Dyslexic Edge to UK secondary schools. This offer is also open to any of Jamie’s LinkedIn connections who have a child at school and believe that this book could benefit their child’s teachers or school community.