Book Review
Growing up in the segregated American South in a family of eleven children, entrepreneur Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder of ActOne Group, and author of new book Acting Up, faced racism and sexism in addition to the challenges faced by every new business owner. None of that stopped her from becoming the first black woman to own a billion-dollar business.
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, the good news is many of the barriers to starting a business have come down since forty years ago. That’s not to say you won’t face challenges. Entrepreneurship can be a dog-eat-dog world. But if you want to stay true to yourself and your values as you rise to the top, you’re in good company. Growing up in the segregated South in a family of eleven children and nurtured by a loving mother and father, author and entrepreneur Janice Bryant Howroyd faced racism and sexism in addition to the challenges faced by every new business owner. None of that stopped her from becoming the first black woman to own a billion-dollar business.
In Acting Up, Janice shares the model she lives by and continues to represent: that of a Leader who works for good, for growth and innovation, for her family values, and for the same ideals upon which she founded her company. Janice will help you discover the Leader inside yourself and show you how to use your uniqueness to conquer the business world.
Author quotes
My company began small, with a tiny office in the back of a rug shop in Beverley Hills….. Today, the ActOne Group is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise.
One of the central themes of this book is that in business and in life, integrity matters. In fact, it’s so fundamental that having it - or not having it - can define a person’s entire life.
In business, you will be constantly tested. Your morals, values, and ethics will be challenged time and again, To ensure that your integrity remains intact, you will have to check yourself often.
Some say it’s the not the finish but the journey that matters most in life. For me, it’s not just the journey but the sharing of it all that makes the journey complete.
About the author
Businesswoman, entrepreneur, educator, ambassador, author, mentor and Presidential Special Appointee, Janice Bryant Howroyd is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The ActOne Group, a global leader providing customized cutting edge solutions in the human resources industry. The ActOne Group is a multi-billion dollar (USD) award-winning, international Talent and Talent Technology enterprise with multiple divisions that each service unique areas of employment and provide talent management solutions. Janice has invested millions of dollars in creating the industry’s most advanced technology and talent platform serving the ever-changing utility, energy and broadband communication space. Her vision, as an industry leader, is fostering connectivity between these sectors giving competitive advantage to clients engaged in cyclical markets. Her understanding of global market demographics and trends has made her a highly sought after ambassador, speaker and commentator on global business issues.
In the hallway of her headquarters hangs a painting inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown vs. the Board of Education, which outlawed school segregation, because, she says, “I’m a product of that energy.” She is currently listed as #39 in Forbes list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2014, she was recognized by Black Enterprise as the first black woman to own and operate a billion-dollar company. Janice was BET’s first ever BET Honors Entrepreneur of the Year and has received Black Enterprise’s Business of the Year award. In 2013, she was appointed a USA Ambassador of Energy at the White House. In May of 2016 Janice received a key Presidential appointment by President Barack Obama as a member of the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a community leader and advocate for education, she lends her guidance to select organizations that include the International Trade Advisory Commission Board, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporate Board, and the Women’s Leadership Board of the Kennedy School of Government/Harvard University.
Janice has traveled to over fifty countries promoting education and the powerful impact it has on communities around the world. Her accomplishments, both personal and professional, are inspired by her deep faith and her love for her family. She says, “One cannot effectively lead without passionately serving.
Why LoA loves it….
Many of the most successful women entrepreneurs are driven by something bigger than just business. In the case of Janice Bryant-Howroyd, her vision and values are what drive her to achieve the success she has in business and life today. She is a powerful advocate for using leadership to effect real change, both at a societal and a business level. Her book is not only inspirational as it shares her own very personal story and journey to success, but it is also a great reminder of what can be achieved when you think big, think strategically, and build a business that is founded on a vision that everyone can believe and commit to. This is a great read for any woman entrepreneur on the African continent who has big dreams and needs to believe they can be fulfilled in the future with enough hard work and commitment. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo of Lionesses of Africa