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Happy Tuesday #Jontourage,
Welcome back to the “Classy Gent Chronicles”, where staying classy is the only way to be. Let's jump right into it.... There is an old expression that goes, “if you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room”. Although I have some very good friends who support me in my endeavors, I would enjoy the company of some folks more established than I am. I believe you learn more from people doing better than you in life. Recently I have been praying for a more broaden circle that extended outside of just my friends. Funny thing about prayers, you usually get what you asked for but not in the way you expect it to arrive. One day I am at the grocery store with my father. I am walking while surfing Facebook (texting while walking can be dangerous kids) and I get mentioned in a post by my cousin. The post is from a popular public figure and business owner Soncerae, who happens to be looking for male writers. It’s always weird referring to myself as a writer, especially because my background is actually in statistics and my career is in higher education. After looking through Soncerae’s page, I realize this could be a great partnership. She has a huge fan base and since I am still growing everything, this could be a good way for me to get my name out there in another capacity. So taking a leap of faith, I reach out to Soncerae. She is looking for male writers for an upcoming website geared towards black men. As with any Jon Harris note, text or email, I send a long message introducing myself and why I would be a good fit for the position. It must have been fate as she is from Fort Washington, MD like I am. What are the chances?
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Happy Tuesday #Jontourage,
Welcome back to the “Classy Gent Chronicles”, where staying classy is the only way to be. Let's jump right into it.... As a published author, I wanted to expand my brand while giving someone else an opportunity to enhance their skills. I decided that I would start an internship program that highlighted the needs of my growing business. You don’t realize the importance of a team until your business grows and you have to do everything by yourself. I started out with two interns who did some pretty amazing things. My internship program was growing beautifully and I was excited for the next wave of interns to start. I did something different for the third intern I hired. For the sake of confidentiality, we shall call him Jared. He was a student of mine who my spirit told me to give an opportunity to. I knew Jared was coming to the table with much to learn but hey that’s what internships are for. Compared to the previous wave of interns I had, he had the least amount of experience but I figured this would be a great place for him to start. I also explained to him how beneficial a position like this can be because I have big plans for my book and my career. Internships turn into full time jobs everyday... One cool thing I also do with my internship program is that interns have the opportunity to earn commission based on deals they secure. So for example, if an intern secures me a paid $5000 appearance at a conference, book signing, etc. , then the intern would get a percentage of the $5000. While my internship program is not a sales-based internship, I thought it would only be fair to reward them with something they set up. A new author makes his money usually one of two ways, book signings/talks or book sales. I don’t want to be known as one of those people who go on to be rich off of the sweat of others and don’t properly give credit. I have never been a fan of that trait in others so I promised myself I would always give credit where credit is due. So nonetheless times goes on and Jared’s productivity becomes less than ideal. When someone had a conversation with him about why he stopped doing what he was supposed to do, it came out and got back to me that because he was not being paid, it must not be that important to get done. That did not sit well with me and I will give you three reasons why: Happy Tuesday #Jontourage,
Welcome back to the “Classy Gent Chronicles”, where staying classy is the only way to be. Let's jump right into it.... As a 26 year old male, this is the ideal time to make yourself relevant and stand out in the world. This is the time where you will begin to see some of your friends both in person and online make strides towards their goals. Some get promoted, some get married, some have children. The interesting thing about life is that the abundance of one category in your life can harm the others. Many people feel the pressure to get married because of conversations with their family or watching their friends tie the knot. We can’t keep making being single a burden to folks or you will have a bunch of rushed marriages which only increases our divorce rate. I have realized being single is not only good, it has several advantages. In my time being single (now three and a half years), I have learned so much more about myself in the areas of business, religion, and finance. I have been able to develop some of my own goals and selfishly pursue them without fear of being labeled “uncommitted to the relationship”. I have had many friends in relationships where their girlfriends didn’t support their dreams. It caused a great deal of mental anguish of “do I follow my heart?” or “do I make my girlfriend happy?” That is a terrible situation to be put in. Many of the things I have accomplished may have been a lot harder to do if I was dating at the time. Here are my three main reasons I am still single. |
AuthorJonathan C. Harris is no stranger to leadership, hard work, or success. At the age of ten years old, he earned the right to be a guest weatherman for a day on Fox 5 DC News. He has already received over 100 honors and awards including Forty Under 40 for Prince George’s County, MD, TEDx Talk speaker, American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Outstanding Men’s Program, high school Valedictorian and the Kiwanis Club Citizenship Award. Raised in Fort Washington, Maryland, he has served in leadership positions his entire life, from being the manager of the school store in elementary school to the president of the Homelessness Awareness Club in middle school to the president of the National Honor Society in high school. Archives
July 2020
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