A Well-Deserved Honor for an Exceptional NAWBO L.A. Member

Los Angeles business leader and founder, chairman of the board and CEO of ACT-1 Group, Janice Bryant Howroyd, was recently honored by the Congressional Black Caucus for her active involvement and achievements with local and national small business and economic organizations. Here, Janice shares her passion for hands-on involvement in setting small business initiatives and influencing the workforce at a national level.

Q: How did you feel when you found out that you were going to be honored by the Congressional Black Caucus institute?

A: When I learned that the Congressional Black Caucus would honor me in the beautiful hall of the Department of Commerce, I was humbled and elated! I knew it was a big deal when I heard that the Secretary of Commerce would be joining the Caucus to bestow the honor—I changed my travel plans to get back to the U.S. in time for the evening!  Additionally, my sister and my mother made immediate arrangements to come up from North Carolina to Washington, DC to support me. We’re a very close family of 11 siblings, and all felt the glow of honor and service this moment represented.

Q: What are a few of the best practices that you have relied on to make ACT-1 Group such a huge success?

A: Setting strategy and then empowering others to execute and understanding that the applicant is the center of our universe! Creating technology that enables and empowers smart workforce management is essential. On a personal level, I am committed to reinvesting the company’s resources into the organization and continuous learning.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: Every facet of my job is enjoyable to me because I am living the American Dream at a time when so many people are experiencing career and economic nightmares. One of the very best aspects of my job is that my company is a vital part of improving people’s opportunities to work. For me, this is a blessing and a joy! I grew up in a small southern town where jobs were few and precious. To understand that today I have the responsibility and power to impact people’s lives, in one of the most important areas of their existence, is amazing!

Q: How do you budget enough time to be involved in so many different organizations and serve on multiple boards?

A: My involvement in organizations and boards is determined by what I deeply care about and believe that I can be an asset to them in my own best way. Sometimes, my total engagement is necessary and travel and time are more demanding, so I am very fortunate that I don’t need much sleep! Regardless of the personal time and investment required, my assistants and I map out a schedule months in advance and try to stick to it. If I am traveling to a board meeting, I coordinate it with a visit to one of our offices or a speaking engagement so that I can better maximize my time. My family is my first priority, and I’m truly blessed that both of our children work in our company. My daughter, Katharyn, who is my best girlfriend, is able to travel with me on many local and long-distance business trips. One thing I am religious about is reserving weekends for my family when I’m in town.

Q: As Minority Business Roundtable Chairman, what advice do you have for other minorities and women in business?

A: The best advice I can give is the advice I follow. My life mantra is: Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally. While I know that this is simply stated and easily understood, I also see every day that it is not easily achieved by businesspeople who have allowed this economy to dictate how closely they stand to the values they first built their business upon. Another point of advice I think is important is: Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. Recently, I offered this advice to a group of women who I was coaching at a Life Balance seminar—I am constantly overcome by how abusive women in business can be to ourselves. Several of the women actually apologized for wanting to find time to spiritually, physically or emotionally nurture and improve themselves. What I reminded them of is that before any flight, passengers are told to put their own air masks on before attempting to assist others; even their own infants and children. Women cannot sustain healthy businesses if they are not living healthy lives. No one can! Importantly, I think it is smart to engage in organizations that you believe in. NAWBO is a great organization for women to join because the full-circle learning and networking that occurs within the programs offered are world-class and dynamic. Every company, whether male or female led, should support NAWBO because every company wins and loses by strengths of the women who work there.

Q: Describe the Springboard Project and what it is that you enjoy most about working on it.

A: Because of the jobs crisis we have been facing in the past two years, President Obama set up a task force of people who are knowledgeable about job creation and understand the challenges from both the employer and employee perspectives. We meet quarterly and make recommendations to the White House. It is very rewarding to have an impact on policies that will make such a difference in the workforce strength of our nation.

Q: How has being a NAWBO member helped you grow as a business owner and helped your business expand?

A: Betsy Berkhemer has been a role model for me since I have known her, and my association with NAWBO through her introduction has been invaluable in creating friendships, as well as meeting women who share ownership experiences and lessons.  Additionally, NAWBO has offered corporate introduction opportunities and opportunities to mentor other women entrepreneurs.

Q: What advice do you have for other aspiring women business owners?

A: No matter how much you enjoy your business, never treat it as a hobby. Other people invest heavily in you!

Q: Of these areas that NAWBO considers most valuable—advocacy, community, diversity, international and the next generation of women business owners, which do you consider most important and how do you address this?

A: NAWBO does not differentiate either of these as of greater or lesser importance, and neither do I. Actually, NAWBO is ahead of the curve in acknowledging that these areas of service bring equal light to a five-point star! The world is no longer delineated by topography and businesses must understand that the global marketplace is still serviced by local attention.

Q: Is there anything else you want to share about your experience as an honoree?

A: Witnessing so many renowned and powerful persons who showed up to celebrate my honor impressed me with just how important each of us can, and should, be to this great nation. My life journey has been filled with obstacles to race, gender and culture. It has also been filled with wonderful women and men who have reached a hand out to me to help overcome each one. Regardless of where we are politically, we are all in the same space economically. This is a wonderful time to reinvent, reinvest and refresh our businesses and ourselves. We are still a great nation with great people and futures. NAWBO is a connector to this!

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