Meet Camesha Jones

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Camesha Jones. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Camesha below.

Camesha , so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

My confidence and self-esteem are deeply rooted in my family’s legacy of resilience. The women in my family have served as guideposts and strong examples for me. My father was a brilliant man but struggled with alcoholism. My mother, an outstanding elementary teacher. They both instilled in me a love of learning, and self-reflection and did what they could to provide me with the best educational opportunities. When my parents separated when I was an early teen, my mother assumed the role of head of household on her teacher’s salary. I watched her work her full-time role, take care of my grandmother, and work weekends, driving bereaved families at Jordan’s Funeral Home to provide and ensure I still had everything I needed to be successful. I also watched her be the best in her craft. By all odds, I could have become another statistic. But chose to work hard to beat these odds. My personal journey has been one of overcoming obstacles, marginalization, and underestimation—striving to be valued and heard while demonstrating excellence and tenacity every step of the way.

I had to navigate the challenges of working under poor managers, but I was also fortunate to have hiring managers who recognized my potential and took a chance on me. With each role I took on, my confidence grew—I knew that even if I didn’t have all the skills at first, I had the ability to learn, master it, and eventually put my own “special sauce” on it. Through it all, I realized that my confidence doesn’t come from external validation—it comes from knowing I am smart, gifted, and doing the work that God has called me to do.

In addition, I found a role model in leadership and entrepreneurship in my great-aunt Daisy Jordan, who grew up in a farming family outside of Wilmington, North Carolina. She had a huge impact on my life. She and her husband started out selling ice to the Black Wilmington community, saving every dollar until they could build one of the most successful Black funeral homes in the area. She was not only a smart businesswoman but also a generous and thoughtful leader. She took care of her employees, gave them bonuses, and was known for her kindness and exemplary service.

Her story has always been a source of inspiration for me. It reinforced my belief that confidence comes from resilience, intelligence, and having a purpose. I’ve learned that setbacks are part of the journey. I started my business full-time in 2019, and it didn’t start out as successfully as I had hoped. That experience taught me to learn from failures, adapt, and come back stronger.

I created C M Jones Consulting, LLC to help empower people–especially marginalized people and women of color, to have the tools and support we need in order to feel valued, seen, and heard in the workplace. I have learned that confidence is not just an attitude; it is owning your talents, recognizing your history, courageously seeking feedback, and moving forward despite challenges to show up as your best self. When I walk into spaces where people underestimate me or my abilities, I carry with me the tools I have learned through my professional and personal journey, and I help others transform their mindsets.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

C M Jones Consulting, LLC was born out of the need to help organizations and leaders build stronger workplaces by prioritizing their people. Our firm stands out because we combine a people-driven approach to HR with an equity and legal lens, ensuring that businesses create culturally competent environments where all employees can thrive.

Too often, people—particularly people of color—are undervalued, marginalized, and their voices are stifled in the workplace. As a woman of color in management roles, I often found that even with having a seat at the table, my voice was not always accepted, and my talents were overshadowed by draconian policies and practices that reinforced a culture that diminished my contributions. I refused to let that be the standard.
My work focuses on training and advising organizations on HR policies, equity and inclusion strategies, and leadership development. I take pride in making my workshops engaging and interactive, while providing actionable steps that bring about solutions. I infused my legal expertise and equity to ensure real, lasting impact.

I’ve always had a knack for building things from scratch. I co-founded a charter school incubator from my kitchen table, which led to the opening of more charter schools across North Carolina. I also built a talent department from the ground up for KIPP ENC Public Schools, bringing in diverse educators and international teachers to serve rural communities. Throughout my career, I have worked to create and develop people-focused policies, and the results have been undeniable—higher retention, stronger culture, and greater trust in HR.

Armed with my law degree and extensive experience in designing and implementing systems from the ground up, I help organizations close gaps by providing time-saving people solutions through sustainable HR practices and training.

I have helped to transform the face and culture of organizations through HR and talent practices. Now, my mission is clear: taking care of people isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do.
Through this work, we recraft HR policies, systems, and practices to foster more inclusive workplaces that celebrate diverse talent while maintaining legal compliance. The result? Empowered leaders equipped with the tools they need to create psychologically safe workplaces and retain top talent.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Building Relationships & Networking – Relationships are everything! You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you don’t know how to connect with people, opportunities will pass you by. My advice: Be genuine, be helpful, and always follow up and follow through. My father taught me that your word is your bond, if I say I am going to do something, you can count on it. People appreciate this quality about me and it has served me well in building lasting relationships.

Common Sense & Emotional Intelligence – The best leaders are those who understand people. Common sense and the ability to read the room will take you further than technical skills alone. Listen to what people are saying—and what they’re not saying.

Being Humble, Yet Assertive – I believe in being kind and leading with a good heart, but I don’t apologize for taking up space. My mom and friends tell me that I am an easy person to talk with because I am a good listener. In business, I’ve found that listening—really listening—is one of the most powerful skills you can develop.
My overall advice? Know your worth. If you’re smart and talented, own it. Never let anyone make you doubt yourself. If a situation isn’t serving you, have a plan, gain new skills, and move on when the time is right. There is usually a place where your talents will be more valued and better served.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

1st Question Response:

Two books stand out: Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg and Becoming by Michelle Obama. Earlier in my career, Lean In was a game-changer for me professionally, reinforcing the challenges women face in leadership and the importance of taking up space unapologetically. Later, Becoming was affirming. Michelle Obama’s story of evolving as a Black woman resonated deeply. I saw myself in her story and recognized that I shared similar professional and personal experiences. It empowered me to press on. Both books taught me the power of resilience, authenticity, and finding my own voice.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Oprah. I had the opportunity to attend a taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show when I was working at Duke Law School, and I’ll never forget it. Before the show, they would pull people from the audience to dance and warm up the audience, and I was selected. I danced and let my hair down in a way my colleagues had never really seen at work—I love to dance! Seriously, I’ve always admired her journey—her ability to believe in herself, invest in herself, and excel despite all odds. She became an icon not just because of her extraordinary talents but because she knew she was worth investing in and remained true to her guidance from God. Watching how she treated her team, her love for books and poetry, and her unwavering belief in purpose confirmed my perspective. It showed me that no matter how adverse your circumstances are, they can be transformed into strengths.

2nd Question Response: Who is my ideal client and or characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal client is an organization or leader who is committed to valuing their people. (Or they want to but don’t know how.) If you’re a company looking to improve retention, rebuild your culture, foster a more diverse workforce, or implement transformative policies that create a psychologically safe and inclusive environment, we should talk.

I love working with organizations that are ready to move beyond the status quo and take real action to become an employer of choice. Whether you’re a startup building your culture and HR systems from the ground up or an established company seeking to course-correct or need ongoing HR services with an expert legal, inclusive, and people-driven approach, I want to help you create a workplace where people thrive.

You can connect with me via my Linktree, LinkedIn, or email at camesha@cmjoneshr.org

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cmjoneshr.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourpeopleproblemsolver/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camesha-jones-7826207
• Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/CameshaJonesHR

Image Credits

Edward Underwood – Edward Underwood Photography
Website: https://www.edwardunderwood.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underwoodphoto/#