How I Built This with Guy Raz ActOne Group: Janice Bryant Howroyd (2018)
Dec 28, 2020
Janice Bryant Howroyd, the founder and CEO of ActOne Group, made history as the first African-American woman to own a billion-dollar business. She shares her journey from working as a secretary in Los Angeles to launching a successful staffing agency. Janice discusses the challenges of securing funding, the pivotal moments that shaped her business philosophy, and the importance of networking. She reflects on merging personal and professional life, navigating technology in staffing solutions, and the profound impact of family on her entrepreneurial endeavors.
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Childhood in Tarboro
- Janice Bryant Howroyd grew up in Tarboro, North Carolina, in a large family with 10 siblings.
- She describes a close-knit, structured upbringing despite their modest financial circumstances.
Aha Moment
- Bryant Howroyd had an "aha moment" realizing her family's poverty during a class.
- Despite this, she felt they always had enough to share, materially and emotionally.
Integrating High School
- As the first African-American student at her high school, Bryant Howroyd faced hostility, including a teacher's racist remarks.
- Her father gave her options: compete with other black students, retaliate, or understand and persevere.