fbpx

 Successful. Women. Janice Howroyd.

When one thinks of the words: successful and women and rich, they undoubtedly think of Oprah Winfrey.  Oprah Winfrey’s accomplishments in the areas of education, media, entertainment, and publishing are very impressive. But Oprah is not the first woman to own a billion-dollar company based on her hard work and not her inheritance.  Without question, Janice Howroyd is in that small club of successful and women.
Janice Howroyd is the founder and CEO of Act-1 Group, the largest minority woman-owned employment agency in America. In 2015, Howroyd was listed #24 on Forbes richest self-made women list with a personal worth of $610 million.
Things didn’t start so easy for Janice Howroyd, growing up one of eleven kids in then segregated North Carolina. Even though her early life was not easy, Howroyd credits her parents, and her community as a whole, for being extremely nurturing and positive. Thus, she was able to rise above the normal expectations for someone who came from her background.
In 1978, at the age of 26 she started her employment business with the goal of helping others find work and achieving their goals. From a single office, the business has now expanded to 240 offices throughout the United States, as well as eight other countries worldwide.
During a recent interview on The Today Show, Howroyd shared her insights on success and business, with her core tenants being:

  1. Make sure you’re prepared.
  2. Understand what the goal is.
  3. Understand that all of those around, particularly family, are part of that success.
  4. Always find a moment of gratitude and be grateful along the journey.

However, if there’s one statement from that interview that really stood out for me personally, it was when she said “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.” This statement speaks volumes. How many people sacrifice their core values for the sake of their business or career? All too many is unfortunately the answer.
Compromising your personal values and relationships for the sake of making money doesn’t work in the long run and won’t secure you happiness. After all, what good is money and wealth if you lose your true self in the process?
Until next time, I’m Attorney Francine Ward helping you protect what’s yours. Join my conversation on FacebookTwitter, or in one of my LinkedIn groupsGoogle+ Circles.

Skip to content