At the onset of the first World War, E.G. Lewis wielded his outsized charm and entrepreneurial spirit to attract legions of women to move across the country to build a new American dream in Atascadero, California.
His new city, envisioned to rival Los Angeles and San Francisco, targeted the millions of subscribers to his national women’s magazines who longed for a utopia designed for progressive women and their families. However, Atascadero’s unrivaled success soon attracts conspirators from his past, threatening to destroy all he’s built.
With vultures circling, E.G. Lewis fights not only to keep Atascadero alive but also to preserve the one relationship he most cherishes — his marriage. His only salvation comes from the smart, capable women in his circle, reminding the world never to underestimate a city of women.
About the author
Doug Villhard is a professor of practice in entrepreneurship and the academic director for entrepreneurship in the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. He started out his early career at Disney before becoming a serial entrepreneur starting, selling, buying, advising and investing in companies.