Lorn Bergstresser joined the ranks of bestselling authors on Amazon with his book Millionaire Janitor: A Tale of Achieving the American Dream.
Released this spring, Millionaire Janitor received much more attention and recognition than would have been expected by the Morris native.
“I had no idea it would bring that kind of response,” said Bergstresser. “It’s very encouraging.”
Millionaire Janitor is a story of resilience, love, and ambition that shows true wealth is found in community, perseverance, and purpose.
On the unforgiving streets of south Chicago, main charcter Horatio Alger Jefferson was born into a world of struggle and survival. Raised by his fiercely determined mother Emily, Horatio learned the values of hard work, faith and perseverance.
From a humble janitor to a man destined for greatness, Horatio’s story is one of love, sacrifice, and unyielding ambition. Guided by his steadfast relationship with Melody, the woman who captures his heart, and bolstered by the values instilled by his community, Horatio learns that wealth isn’t just a matter of dollars—it’s also measured in love, community, and purpose.
As with his characters, Bergstresser’s life has been shaped by loving parents and a lifetime of learning experiences.
Starting out life on a farm, then working as a baker, janitor, and maintenance man in college, he went on to attain a BSc and MSc, all of which led him to a career in research and development with an international chemical corporation before eventually returning home to the Morris area.
And not only did he serve as a public school trustee, he also found it a satisfying accomplishment to serve on the governing board of Providence University.
Returning to his roots, Bergstresser ran the family farm for 23 years while also teaching college courses to Indigenous students in Myanmar and helping run a web conferencing company.
A lifetime sports enthusiast and organizer, today he enjoys working with authors to edit their books while sharing his insights through his own writing and working with the Free Enterprise Warriors organization.
“In various roles, I had to do a lot of writing and speaking … but writing a book was never on my bucket list,” shared Bergstresser, who credited author Joe Glover and his involvement with Free Enterprise Warriors for driving him to write Millionaire Janitor. “He said, ‘Lorn, I want you to write a book.’ He gave me the title Millionaire Janitor and he said run with it.”
Bergstresser had the idea of having the story set in a poor area where people really had to struggle to survive.
“The whole purpose of the book was to help young people, young couples make wise decisions early in life, because every decision that is made between the ages of 15 and 25 is something that there’s almost no turning back on later on,” he suggested.
Since its release, Millionaire Janitor reached number one international bestseller status in four categories and number one hot new releases status in six categories.
Bergstresser is now at work on his next book.
“I guess I’m about more than a third and maybe half way through my second book,” he shared. “I love doing it … you just have a sense of satisfaction as you’re going through it … making the creative juices run through your mind.”
You can find more information about the book and the author by visiting LornBergstresser.com.
