Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Archie L Jones Jr Is Helping To Change Our World

Capability: I wish I had known early on about the idea of someone’s superpower and identifying it through this process of discovery, so that I could’ve started thinking earlier on about coaching and how to express my superpower through that.

As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Archie L. Jones, Jr.

Archie L. Jones, Jr. is an accomplished investor, author, advisor, podcast host and award-winning Harvard Business School (HBS) professor. As the founder and CEO of NxGen COACH Network™, he draws from his own leadership journey to empower and coach the next generation of global leaders.

A contributing writer for Impact Entrepreneur Magazine, Archie’s social impact work includes service with organizations such as Year Up and New Profit. He is a member of The Executive Leadership Council, 100 Black Men of America, and serves as the Board Chairman of Project Evident,. At HBS, he is the faculty advisor to the school’s Social Enterprise Initiative, the faculty lead of the Upswell Forum, and faculty co-sponsor of the Black Investment Club,.

In Archie’s inspiring book available now, The Treasure You Seek: A Guide to Developing and Leveraging Your Leadership Capital, he provides insights and actionable advice to aspiring and experienced leaders on topics ranging from leadership to intrapreneurship, entrepreneurship and more.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

I was born and raised in Houston, but because I have extended family in Louisiana, we spent the school year in the city and the summers in the country. My mom was a middle school language arts teacher and my dad was an accountant-turned-entrepreneur, so I guess you could say I took after both parents in my own career. I grew up playing football and basketball, and my experience in football taught me a number of life and leadership lessons, some of which I recount in my book.

And it may not surprise most people to find out that, while I got good grades in school, I often also was reprimanded for talking too much. Now, I get paid to talk!

When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?

The book I recall reading at a young age that really had an impact on me was The 4-Hour Workweek. I was working as an analyst at the time with a large wealth management firm and was what I call a “developing workaholic.” It truly changed how I thought about my career and opportunities.

It made the point that, for the things most people really want to do in life — whether it’s travel, spending more time with family or friends, or picking up new hobbies — what it all boiled down to wasn’t necessarily that it would cost much in dollars. The real currency, this book argued, that kept people from doing what they desire, was the freedom of time. The author encouraged readers to make a list of those things in life you really wanted to do or wanted to have. So, I made my list, including how much time each activity would take and how much everything would cost. And when I finished, I realized that many of those things were well within reach. Perhaps I’d need to make some sacrifices or adjustments, but if I kept at it, everything on the list was certainly attainable. To this day, I still have that list and I’m continuing to make my way through it.

The book also got me thinking about the non-traditional way of doing things, and I started thinking outside the realm of being “tied to a desk,” so to speak. I looked for opportunities to work in industries that allowed for this non-traditional approach, and it shaped my work in a way that allowed me to find balance and flexibility.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

To this day, I don’t know how to be fashionably late, and that was also true very early in my career. Growing up, it was expected to show up on time, if not early, and that became my trademark, so to speak.

Well, a senior partner at a firm where I worked invited me to a Christmas party at their house in Connecticut. I was living in New York at the time and wanted to make sure I gave myself plenty of time to get there. The invitation said the party started at 7:00, and I showed up about 15–30 minutes early. When the partner opens the door, it’s clear that I’m the first one there. The service crew is still setting up as is the caterer, and here I am, fully dressed and ready for the party. And it’s clear by his face that he’s expecting — what I now know is normal — people to show up closer to 8:00. But instead of just sitting in the corner and sipping on a drink, I rolled up my sleeves and helped set up, finishing up some of the decorations. I also got a little bit of extra time with a senior partner, when I normally wouldn’t have as a very early career professional.

So, while it was certainly a faux pas, the lesson I took away from it was how to find the positives and the learnings for next time when things don’t go as planned. I could have been completely embarrassed, which I was a bit, but I took it as an opportunity to spend time with a potential mentor and be helpful. In some small way, I do think that made an impression on him that, while I may have been a little too eager, I’m certainly the kind of employee who will show up and could be relied upon to pitch in. But I’m still learning how to be fashionably late.

Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?

In the book, I talk about three rings of influence that are overlapping. The first ring, which is the smallest circle, is the individual. Because this book is about my journey, that first ring is myself. Then, it bubbles out into the second circle, which would be my family, friends and community — those I have a direct relationship with. Through my classes at the Harvard Business School, I’ve been able to widen that second ring a bit; however, it’s still limited to those with whom I’m able to have a direct conversation.

But it’s really the third ring that I think will be impacted by the book. These are the folks who won’t ever find their way onto Harvard Business School’s campus, or who I won’t come into direct contact with because we’re distanced by geography, or language, or a multitude of other reasons.

So while the book is very personal and shares the stories of my leadership journey as well as some lessons and insights from people within my second ring of influence, my hope is that these lessons will be shared in places where I may never physically go, or with people who I’d otherwise never come across in my day-to-day work.

I’ve worked in the social sector for quite some time, and I know that there’s a significant cost to getting some of these lessons in person. My students and their families pay a hefty price for a Harvard MBA, and they get office hours with me outside the classroom. And that’s wonderful that I’m able to impact so many people in person each semester. But now, the world can have access to some of the same tips, advice, and lessons, and I hope the book inspires and empowers the next generation of leaders, no matter where they are.

Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?

Many of the stories in my book focus on the concept of opportunity. One centers on when I was playing Little League football and was asked to take over as quarterback, which I did even though it was out of my comfort zone. It’s an example of those in your second ring recognizing a “superpower” in you or a capability, which is one of the 5 Cs I discuss at length in the book. So, this coach saw in me the ability to inspire the team and get the best out of the young men around me, to lead them when it was needed.

Another story in the book about taking advantage of opportunities took place when I was graduating from college. At the time, I was looking to work in private equity, even though there are few opportunities to do so right after college. Instead, the traditional path was to work your way through mergers and acquisitions for a few years.

In this story, I’m in an interview for an M&A job, and I’ve already landed a few solid roles in that industry by this time. And maybe it was because of that, but for some reason that day, I felt comfortable and confident enough to ask for exactly what I wanted. The interviewer asked me why I wanted to work in M&A, and I was honest. I told them that I don’t really want to go down that path, but I’ve been told that’s what I need to do even though I really want to focus on private equity, to invest in and grow companies and work with leaders to create value for investors. Luckily, one of the gentlemen on the interview panel actually worked in the private equity group of this firm and was able to get me an interview there. Because I asked for what I wanted, I landed a job in private equity, which I’ve stuck with to this day.

What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?

In 2018, I took part in Leadership Atlanta, a year-long program designed to bring together people in Atlanta who’ve been in leadership roles and are across all different sectors. One of the sessions focused on “finding your superpower.” It included a series of questions for not only me, but for those who had worked with me throughout my career. One question that stood out was, “When are you happiest and most effective?” And the most common answer that came back was that I was happiest and most effective when I was teaching and coaching. While I’d coached my sons’ Little League teams and had mentored and managed throughout my career, it was not close to what I considered to be traditional coaching or teaching.

Come to find out, most people only do that kind of work — what makes them happiest and most effective — a small percentage of the time. So, we were left with the question of how to move the needle on that.

That led me into this period of introspection around how I could do more coaching and teaching without completely upending my life. I still had a family and a lifestyle to support, so it didn’t make sense (and I didn’t feel qualified) to drop everything and become a full-time middle school teacher or little league coach. One way I could start to build on my work was to begin serving on public company boards where I’d have opportunities to coach at the highest level.

It had also always been a dream of mine to go back and teach at Harvard Business School, where I graduated in 1998. So, in 2020, I began teaching courses there about the things I had experienced and learned in private equity, in building companies, investing in entrepreneurs, and about the work I’d done in the social sector.

This caused me to start “recrafting” my life into what I now call a “portfolio career,” where I spend some time in private equity, coaching and investing in entrepreneurs; in the classroom, teaching the next generation of leaders; and in the boardroom, coaching executives and teams around how to maximize the effectiveness of the companies we’re overseeing.

This also led me to found NxGen COACH Network so that I could take some of the lessons I’m teaching out into the broader community. I’m doing this through my coaching work, but also with the book and with my podcast, Training Camp for Leaders, where I can teach leaders through a distance learning model. So now, I feel like my entire career is built around my superpower of coaching in one form or another.

Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?

As a professor, I have the opportunity to interact with hundreds of students every year, which means I am able to work with a number of these young leaders and help ready them to go out and chase their dreams, whether they’re in entrepreneurship, in the social sector or just their careers overall.

One that stands out to me is the story of a young man who had dreams of being an entrepreneur through acquisition; he wanted to go raise capital, find a business, purchase it, and then begin improving it. He and I spent countless hours discussing this dream while he was at HBS, where I offered him practical guidance on finding the capital and the business, and in laying out the plan on how to grow and optimize its value. Part of those sessions also included just building up his confidence because there were several components of this process that were new to him and outside his comfort zone. So, I was one part cheerleader and another part mentor, providing sound advice and responding to emails and calls on the weekend to explain parts of that process, like the nuances of deal making and negotiating.

That young man, who now has a family, ended up acquiring a business and is now the CEO and majority owner. He’s living his dream, providing for his family, and hopefully setting them up for generational success. And for someone like me, who thinks of himself first and foremost as a coach, there’s no greater feeling than to have one of your mentees attain their goal.

Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?

Yes, and I think these three things touch each facet of what you mention above — community, society, and even politics.

1. Access to quality education at affordable prices: I don’t believe there’s a better path to empowerment or a better chance to change your life circumstances than through education. The ability to see and learn different things and to have your perspective challenged and your horizons widened is integral to that empowerment.
2. Foster an appreciation of culture: Everyone should appreciate their own culture and do their homework. Learn about your family history and your heritage. But also, be open to learn about the culture and heritage of others. It’s not just an appreciation of culture, but it fosters a culture of appreciation. You’ll likely learn that there are some differences, but it’s also important to find the commonalities. Because at the very core of most people’s culture, are the things we all care about and compelled to do something about — wanting a better life for our kids, being personally fulfilled, contributing to society. We probably have more similarities than differences.
3. Invest in others: I spent my early career investing directly in companies and trying to drive a financial return. But now, my life is enriched because I invest in people, sharing wisdom, knowledge, my social capital in terms of relationships with others. The more you help other people reach their dreams, the closer you come to your own. That’s why I think mentorship is incredibly important.

How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?

The definition I most like, and I’ve been starting to use more broadly, is that it’s the art of inspiring and engaging others towards a goal. I like this definition for a few reasons.

First, it describes leadership as an art, which has in its nature, flexibility and creativity in its application and how it shows up. But then I think about how the work that I’m doing adds some science to that art because I help my students and mentees get the fundamentals down. I teach them how to get better at their craft over time, how to get more comfortable with being the “artist,” and sharing their story in a way that adds to the beauty of the world.

I also like this definition because it speaks to the act of extending yourself and investing in something bigger than yourself. When I ask the people I coach what their real goal is, I’m struck by how many of them say it’s to see a change in their community, in their family situation or even in their country — many of them are motivated by solving some kind of social ill or a challenge faced by the world.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

These all actually align with the “5 Cs” that make up the lessons in my book.

1. Capability: I wish I had known early on about the idea of someone’s superpower and identifying it through this process of discovery, so that I could’ve started thinking earlier on about coaching and how to express my superpower through that.
2. Culture: One thing I wish I’d started earlier on was learning more and appreciating my own culture and history. I’m still a student of African American history, and I learned so much about our culture’s journey when I was a student at Morehouse, and about what my culture brings that’s unique and powerful. In this same vein, I wish I had known earlier how to help others appreciate their culture and their history, to see some of their own personal setbacks or challenges as assets and not liabilities. Because to succeed, you have to have the ability to think differently about your journey and your culture and think of it with a sense of pride rather than shame.
3. Communication: Now that I’m an author, I’m more comfortable telling stories, but there are two sides to storytelling: What you tell others and what you tell yourself. But I wish when I started my career, I’d learned to be more comfortable sharing my dreams and fears. Because there’s something powerful that happens when you write those down and begin to express them to folks in the second ring of influence. It will help you get past your fear, but also will hopefully accelerate you on your path to achieving your goal.
4. Connection: This took me many years to realize. I always thought of myself as a team player while also spending so much time and energy trying to accomplish things on my own through hard work and perseverance. And those are great qualities. But there is power in your network. It’s the best way to get important things accomplished. If you learn to leverage, cultivate and invest in your network, it will pay dividends in the future by creating opportunities for you and helping you overcome challenges.
5. Confidence: I wish I’d learned earlier on that you have to have confidence to chase your dreams. And the way to do this is to face and tame your fear and truly learn to understand and get comfortable with that fear. You can’t skirt around it or circumnavigate the tough parts, but have to face it head on. Because in a lot of cases, just on the other side of that fear is the very thing you’ve wanted, the treasure you seek.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

The quote that actually lends itself to the title of my book is by Joseph Campbell, and it speaks to what I was just discussing in terms of confidence and facing your fear. Campbell said, “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

In order to reach your goals and face that fear, you can begin tiptoeing into the cave. Get a flashlight and shine the light into the cave so it becomes less scary and more easily understood. Then you can begin to think logically and not just in a “worst case scenario” type of way about what really has you fearful. Because typically, that fear in the proverbial cave is around your pride and ego, and you have to learn to get comfortable with challenges to that.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I would love to spend time with author Deepak Chopra. I love a number of his works, and one that stands out is The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. I’m actually working my way through those, and I find his words not just inspirational, but instructional. I’d love to have his perspective on how I’m training and developing the next generation of leaders and how I can leverage some of his tools and techniques to be a better coach.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

You can connect with me and learn more about me and my book at www.archieljonesjr.com, follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aljcpa/, Instagram, Threads and X @archieljonesjr. My podcast Training Camp for Leaders is available on your favorite podcast platforms including Apple, Spotify Pandora, iHeart and more. Lastly to learn more about the work we do at NxGen COACH Network visit www.nxgencoachnetwork.com.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!