From Engineer to Storyteller: Alex Grady Uses Children's Books To Teach Life Lessons
August 11, 2026
By Tracie Troha
When Alex Grady, ME 2018, lost his dream job during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he found himself at an unexpected crossroads. Rather than letting uncertainty define the moment, the Georgia Tech mechanical engineering graduate turned it into an opportunity to create something new: a children's book about persistence.
What started as a challenging chapter in his own life has since grown into a series of books, a platform for public speaking, and a mission to help young people develop the skills they need to thrive.
Today, Grady serves as senior platform lead with Red Wagon Ventures, a subsidiary of Chick-fil-A focused on identifying new business opportunities and strategic investments. But alongside his career in business and innovation, he has embraced another role: author and advocate for social-emotional learning.
“The beautiful thing about mechanical engineering, and the reason I chose it in the first place, is because it was so broad,” Grady said. “The exposure to so many different classes helped me discover what brought me energy.”
Turning Adversity into Action
The inspiration for Grady's first book emerged during a difficult period in his professional life. After his position was eliminated during the pandemic, Grady struggled to regroup.
“I felt deflated,” he said. “A lot of my identity had been associated with that job.”
His mother, a kindergarten teacher, challenged him to channel his energy into something positive.
"She said, 'Why don't you write a children's book?'" Grady said. "I kind of scoffed at the idea at first. But a story came to me that night, and I realized I could use the time to create something meaningful."
That story became the foundation for his first self-published book, "Berry’s Best.”
Completed in just four months with the help of a high school friend and fellow Georgia Tech alumnus Joshua Suber, CM 2020, who provided the illustrations, “Berry’s Best” explores the topic of resilience and grit. The character Berry learns that persistence is his superpower as he faces situations in and out of his control.
The experience taught Grady that opportunities often appear in unexpected forms.
"It really showed me that opportunities come in many different variations," he said. "You just have to be willing and able to answer the call."
Teaching the Skills That Matter
Since publishing his first book, Grady has expanded the series to two other titles, each centered on a different social-emotional skill.
“I got excited about the idea of social-emotional learning,” Grady said. “These are skills you don't necessarily learn in classrooms, but you learn them through a litany of different experiences, whether yours or someone else's. So that idea started to bubble.”
Grady’s second book, “Gabby’s Gift,” explores empathy. The character Gabby learns the fundamentals of building meaningful relationships. His latest book, “Teddy’s Team,” published earlier this year, focuses on teamwork and recognizing strengths in others.
The themes of empathy and teamwork stem from his experiences building relationships, supporting friends, and thriving in collaborative environments.
"Community is absolutely huge for me," Grady said. "I always tell younger generations to find your tribe, find your community. Once you do that, you can unlock a lot of opportunities and potential for yourself.”
Lessons Beyond the Classroom
Although his books are not about engineering, Grady credits many of the values embedded in them to his Georgia Tech experience.
"Classes were very difficult and cumbersome," he said. "But the levels of grit and resiliency, and being okay with a little bit of failure here and there, those lessons are absolutely invaluable."
A former student-athlete who competed in track and cross-country at Georgia Tech, Grady found that the combination of rigorous academics, athletics, and campus involvement reinforced the importance of perseverance, empathy, and teamwork, themes that later found their way into his writing.
Georgia Tech also taught him how to manage his time effectively, a skill that helped him balance a demanding career with writing and other pursuits.
"You make time for the things that are important to you," he said. "Putting it on the calendar, setting a deadline, and being consistent—that's how these projects come to life."
Continuing to Learn and Give Back
In addition to writing and public speaking, Grady serves on the board of Bearings Bike Works, a nonprofit organization that uses bicycle repair and maintenance to help young people develop life skills such as perseverance, responsibility, and teamwork. The mission closely aligns with the lessons promoted in his books.
He also enjoys speaking to students and young professionals about learning agility, resilience, and the importance of staying open to new opportunities.
“Students are some of the biggest dreamers,” Grady said. “The older we get, the more limitations we put on ourselves.”
His advice for current Georgia Tech students is simple: embrace experiences outside your comfort zone.
"Get involved. Try side projects. Raise your hand for the uncomfortable thing nobody wants to do," he said. "The earlier you can fail and learn and do a bunch of different things, the better."
That mindset has guided Grady throughout his own career, from mechanical engineering to venture investing, writing, nonprofit leadership, and public speaking.
As for what's next, he hopes to eventually write for young adult audiences. But no matter where his path leads, one thing remains constant: a commitment to lifelong learning and helping others grow.
"It feels like I'm just getting started," Grady said.
To learn more about Grady and his children’s books, visit Alex Grady’s website.
