Meet Cortland Jones | Author, Retired Educator, Empowerment Coach, Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cortland Jones and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cortland, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I see risk as an important tool integral in experiencing and enjoying the life we aspire to live and have ambition to experience. At the heart of risk is the hope and belief in what’s possible and the understanding movement and action is required in order to transition from a place of comfort, reservation, and resignation towards the limitless, infinite potential of what can be. Risk is the difference between remaining unfulfilled, dissatisfied, disillusioned, discouraged, defeated, and feeling fulfilled, accomplished, successful, rewarded, progressive, more confident, and empowered.

There is no aspect of life where risk is not required. Risk is required to establish friendship relationships, to pursue a romantic relationship and get married, to have children, to make decisions concerning career path and what college to attend. To fear taking risks is to fear truly living. Life is what we have what we do with that life is called living. Fear, trauma, failure, indecision, insecurity are just some factors that can influence and impact our measure of risk we’re willing to take, but we can also learn to break free from limiting beliefs that confine, constrict, and convince us risk taking is dangerous.

Ten years into my career I was invited to take a position outside of the classroom that I was invited to pursue by my supervisor. I was told there was instability in the longevity of the position and my position as an art teacher would not be available for me to return to should the new position be terminated by the school district. I explained to the principal that if I relent in taking this position for the reasons mentioned then I would not be walking in faith. Understanding that, it was something I desired to do and was told I was thought of to fill the position, so I took the risk lasting ten years in the position experiencing a tremendous amount of enjoyment and fulfillment.

Four years into owning and operating my personal business I invested financially in hiring someone to help me build my business brand and help me gain more exposure. More money, at the time, was going out in expenses than I was profiting from with income. It was a distressing experience. However, the risk to invest in my business resulted in more than I imagined and expected being invited to be interviewed 8 different times in 2018 on local public news outlets. The risk was definitely worth the investment.

In closing I have a more personal experience associated with the subject of risk that is as rewarding as the previous two mentioned. As I stated previously all aspects of life require some measure of risk. My efforts in pursuit of love and companionship stalled, but my friend and I agreed to remain friends. We talked about the possibility of the friendship transitioning into companionship in the future but the focus would be on cultivating the friendship. I called it a risk I was willing to take. Through my faith relationship with God I was inspired to see the risk as an investment and since February 2023, the decision to remain in proximity to each other became a transformative experience that continues to bear fruit to this day. Risk may cause one to focus more on the uncertainty of the action taken for the desired result and because of uncertainty may be discouraged from taking the risk. When you invest in something, which is still a risk, you have an assurance, belief, and innate motivation that the risk reward factor is worth it.

Fulfillment has played a major role in how I make decisions pertaining to life and career and I am grateful for the numerous positive outcomes trusting in learning to take risks and see risk from the perspective of making an investment for self and others.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As an educator my career was extremely rewarding and fulfilling. The final four years were extremely difficult due to factors associated with Covid-19, an overcrowded school community, and the death of my oldest brother just to name a few, but if someone were to tell me in 30 years of service you would enjoy 26 of those years I’d take that every time regardless of where the four years fell. During my career what was most rewarding was seeing how my growth and maturity in my role as a stakeholder of the community positioned me to be consistent positive contributor to the communities I had the privilege of serving and supporting and the number of students I was able to reach and impact as a result. I was recognized and awarded by one of my students 1-2 most influential educators in her career as a student upon her graduation from college.

As an educator it’s important to be passionate, compassionate, and intentional about being a life-long learner. That would be my takeaway from my time served as a classroom teacher.

Although the last four years were difficult it didn’t change my love for teaching and working with youth. It actually reinforced to me why it was time to retire because my interests were shifting to my personal business and the final four years became the catalyst to transition into retirement so I can begin my pursuits of being an entrepreneur and my goals to write and illustrate children’s books.

Feeling fulfilled in what I’m doing has always been a major contributing factor in career path and career choice for me and even though the financial challenges associated with trying to run and operate your business, market and promote it doesn’t always yield the quick consistent results as working 9-5 does. I feel fulfilled, at this point in my life journey, that I’m able to do this.

Being able to model for my children working 9-5, along with launching my own business is rewarding to me, because it helps them to see what’s possible for them and they are never out of options when it comes to career path and career choice.

My takeaway from life, in general, and as a professional, either as an employee or business owner, is nothing is achieved in life without a healthy strong sense of self and hard work ethic, along with hope and the resolve and resilience required to keep forging ahead and moving forward as life happens.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a native Washingtonian my first thought would involve an invitation to visit and view the art galleries and museums on the Mall in downtown Washington, DC. The National Art Gallery, African-American History Museum, Air & Space Museum, and Natural History Museum would be at the top of my list as they are my favorites to visit.

In the DMV area, wherever there is a Cheesecake Factory I would make sure my friends and I would have the opportunity to benefit from what I feel is an extensive menu and portions provided that make you feel as if your money was well spent on the meal provided. Another restaurant I’ve enjoyed is a black owned business called Milk and Honey and if they’re open to experimentation we would find a good Thai food restaurant as well. I’m a fan of PF Changs as well so we would not be without a variety of places to dine within a week’s time lol.

I like taking walks as well and going to the movies, so any of the local parks where we could spend time catching up talking and checking out a movie would be included in the itinerary. I enjoy playing pool too, so it would be a must to stop by Dave&Busters for some R&R and friendly competition in playing pool. I forgot to mention the National Zoo, so if we were able to fit all of this in a week’s time, I believe my friend would have gotten a chance to see some major places in the DMV, especially if they open to visiting the beach for a day or two at either Ocean City or Virginia Beach as I am a huge fan of going to the beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to Jamasee Simms of JSimmsEvents, who was instrumental and influential in helping me take my business brand, CJones ENTERPRISES, from where I was in 2014 to experiencing the level of exposure in 2018 that included local public television interviews. I hired Jay in 2017 and by 2018 she had me on public television as a business brand marketing specialist.

Shoutout to my friend Shauna King, whom I have been privileged to call friend for well over 20 years now. There were employment positions I was able to take due to her willingness to extend invitation to me to follow in her footsteps beginning with the school community position I took outside of the classroom ten years into my career. We eventually launched a nonprofit together, The Better Place, Inc. and a podcast Village Talk.

Shoutout to God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the grace extending me beyond myself and helping me to exceed my limitations by grace to experience the level of fulfillment and enjoyment I have had in my life personally and professionally.

Website: www.cortlandjones.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cortlandjones/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cortland-jones-50531132/

Image Credits
Image of me with Thrive t-shirt taken by David Nicholas