We recently had the chance to connect with Greg Howard Jr and have shared our conversation below.
Greg, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day consist of too much coffee, checking emails, and trying to figure out what absolutely needs to be handled on that particular day. I’d love to say that I get my whole day planned out before I start actually working, but that would be completely untrue. I work best when things are a little chaotic so after a shower and listening to Beyonce’s Homecoming album, I dive in and work on one thing until I get sick of looking at it then I move on to whatever the next most pressing project is.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder of For The Future Victory Fund Political Action Committee and Your Life: The Mixtape Digital Media. I’m a three-time best-selling Author, and I’ve recently ventured into the arena of image and PR Strategy.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Vice President Kamala Harris often says that one of her mother’s favorite sayings was “Don’t let anybody tell you who you are. You tell them who you are.” Long before I ever heard that quote, I was living by that motto. I have worn and continue to wear a lot of different hats in my life, but I’ve never stepped into a new venture because “the world” said that was who I had to be. If you always try to fit into the mold of what other people expect you to be or what they need you to be, you’ll always be miserable because you’re not living for yourself.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Success comes and goes as it pleases. Suffering stays only as long as you allow it. The lessons you learn from pain or suffering, or struggling, are ones that you hold on to because you never want to experience it again. You learn to set boundaries, you learn the warning signs, you learn how to protect your peace.
Success is different in that the formula will always be different. There’s a level of adaptation and improvisation that always comes with finding success.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
True foundational shifts never happen overnight. There are countless hours of work and people who are organizing to make that shift happen. Foundational shifts never happen unless there’s sustainable infrastructure in place to ensure that it doesn’t become a fad. Typically, with fads, it’s all about making a quick buck and having a bit of fun.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
There always has to be a human element in everything you do. What I mean by that is you no matter what arena you’re in you have make sure you’re checking in with not only yourself but the people around you.
I work in politics and entertainment mostly and what I’ve found is that we tend to forget about that human element in favor of making sure we say the right things, shake the right hands, and climb the right ladders. I try to keep my clients and the people who are part of my projects tapped into the human element of what they’re doing; otherwise, it all begins to feel superficial.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.forthefuturepac.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urlifeurmixtape/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-howard-jr-298b252a6/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urlifeurmixtape
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/forthefuturepac/
https://www.facebook.com/forthefuturepac
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