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b'(http://smashedmedia.us/bruce/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/wallywithcookiebag-224x300.jpg)Most people go through life as if they were living out the movie Ground Hog Day. One day at a time, same thing every day, never breaking the cycle. Then there are those people who wake up every day with a mission to live out their dreams and to inspire others to connect with their potential. Wally Amos is one of those \\u2013 a man with a mission.

Born in Tallahassee, Florida, Wally Amos lived a childhood that was not always stable and trouble free. But as a child he had an innate spirit and gift to view the world with optimism. The most loving person in his life was Della Bryant, his aunt in New York City. At the early age of twelve, young Wally moved to New York to live with his aunt who assumed a parental role. She was also the first person to bake him chocolate chip cookies. Although the home was of modest means, it was abundant in the meaningful qualities that give a child principles, \\u201ca can-do\\u201d attitude.

After a four year stint in the Air Force, Wally Amos began his early professional career in the stock room at Saks Fifth Avenue. He worked hard but was consistently underpaid. He asked for raises but was denied. Not having another job in place, but believing he was worth more Amos left the stock room ready for the next thing. That turned out to be the entertainment industry.

Just like at Saks, he started at the bottom. This time it was the mailroom at the William Morris Talent Agency. And just like before, Amos worked hard. At William Morris it paid off. Wally Amos rose from mailroom clerk to agent in one year \\u2013 their first African-American agent. He prided himself on his ability to find the next new thing. He was the first to book many of the top performers of that era including The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel and Marvin Gaye.

When he felt he\\u2019d gone as far as he could with William Morris he formed his own theatrical management agency. Packing up his young family he moved to the west coast. There were ups and downs but Amos always stuck to his principles: work hard, be positive, and don\\u2019t look back.

It was during this time that Wally learned to unwind on weekends by taking up a new hobby \\u2013 baking chocolate chip cookies. Baking relaxed him and made him reminisce about his Aunt Della\\u2019s cookies.

Over the years the entertainment industry began to wear on Amos. Show biz personalities weren\\u2019t always the easiest people to deal with. It was time for a change.

In 1975, long before there were \\u201cfood personalities\\u201d like Emeril Lagasse, Paul Newman and Nigella Lawsohn, Amos came up with the idea that he could sell his cookies as an entertainment personality \\u2013a gourmet chocolate chip cookie. Borrowing $25,000 from friends, Amos opened the first freestanding store, on Sunset Boulevard, in Hollywood, CA, that sold only cookies: The Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie store. Soon the entrepreneur became a national personality renowned not only for his cookies but for his ebullient and outgoing persona as well.

In 1985, a series of events began that led the company to change hands. It is now owned by the Kellogg Company. Amos eventually returned to baked goods through Uncle Wally\\u2019s Muffin Company.

Asserting that being famous only meant that lots of people knew who he was; Wally Amos always wanted to use his wide recognition as a means to draw attention to an important cause. That cause became literacy. Wally dedicated his efforts to Literacy Volunteers of America where he served as their National Spokesperson from 1979 to 2002. As a literacy advocate, Wally uses his well-known name to support educational causes and serves on the Boards of the National Center for Family Literacy, Read to Me International, and Communities in Schools, in addition to many others. In 2005, Wally Amos and his wife, Christine, founded the Read it Loud!, a publicly supported 501(c) (3) organization, to promote reading aloud to children.'