Chickie! The Woman Who Crashed the All-male Bail Bond Industry
Memoir
By:
Chickie Leventhal
Coming Soon!
In an era when the bail bond business was a tough, gritty, all-male world—and society thought women were expected to stay quiet, polite, and out of the way—Chickie blazed a trail. When her husband received a serious health diagnosis, she knew it was up to her to secure her family’s future.
Despite being a “traditional housewife,” she’d always longed for more. So, relying on her instincts, intelligence, and more than a little chutzpah to survive—she founded Chickie’s Bail Bonds when she was in her early 50s.
Now in her 90s, Chickie tells her story with the same fire, wit, and honesty that made her a legend. More than an exposé of her fascinating career, this is the story of a woman who refused to be underestimated. A woman who proved that toughness and tenderness can coexist. A woman who turned obstacles into opportunity—and never lost her sense of humor along the way.
Her journey will inspire you to take risks, trust your voice, and break whatever rules need breaking, no matter your age.
Because sometimes, the only way forward … is to crash the system.
“Chickie Leventhal is a 5 foot 4 red-headed powerhouse … tough as steel, tender-hearted, and always fair-minded. She delivers unmistakably funny, unabashedly honest, unvarnished tales of her life and work. Every woman should read it, and every man could learn a few things from Chickie.”
-- Tom Chiodo, author & executive producer of National Productions at Washington Educational Television Association / PBS
“Chickie inspires all women to become a bolder version of ourselves—while still honoring the power and grace of our femininity. It’s a message to men not to take the softer sex for granted. For women and men alike, this fiery trailblazer’s life is a fascinating reminder that courage, heart, and determination can shatter even the most stubborn of glass ceilings.”
-- Dr. Kelly Sullivan Walden, International Best-Selling Author of A Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste
“…highly recommend … the reader will see how to incorporate their originality in all they do, so that they may meet success anchored in their own authenticity.
-- Helen Easterling Williams, EdD, Dean Emeritus-Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University
“I loved this book! I didn’t want Chickie’s stories to end. Chickie brings class, compassion, and grit to the bail bond world -- she is an example all to herself.”
-- Stacy D. Phillips, Nationally recognized and certified family law specialist, partner Blank Rome LLP