Janice Bryant Howroyd started her company, Act 1 Group Inc., in 1978. She was the first African American woman to operate a company that generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue, according to Black Enterprise Magazine. Her company has since grown beyond that, with an estimated revenue of $2.5 billion in 2022, making the company No. 2 on the Business Journal’s list of Minority Owned Businesses.
She came to Los Angeles on vacation and was urged by her brother-in-law to start her business. Howroyd said she “listened to his confidence in me” and also received a lot of support from her sister, who worked with her. “She was the first of several siblings who have joined ActOne Group and contributed to our growth through all these years,” she said.
Did you ever think of trading being your own boss in for a steady paycheck?
No!
What’s the best aspect of running your own business?
Working with tremendously talented people who are also some of the best humans on the planet is rewarding to me. People who have skills they take to any company choose to work with us, and that brings a lot of responsibility. It brings far more reward.
And the worst?
Being an owner means that you assume risks that are constantly changing, whether by regulations or market fluctuations or any myriad of reasons. The importance of staying in front of laws — each different in the many countries we operate in — is key. While this is not a (big) thing, it is one the things we must keep sharp and compliant to.
What advice would you give someone who’s about to start their own business?
The same advice I give about living your life: Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.
What’s the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Being a privately owned, midsized services business, it is imperative that we never overstretch our commitments. This means honoring what we say to each other as team members and to our clients. Keeping the culture of who we are shared and elevated is enjoyable and it’s important to know how to measure its global value into local markets and regions.
How has the pandemic affected your business?
At the front of Covid, I championed our teams that “We will not just go through this. We will grow through this!” Thankfully, we were already — for a long time — virtual working. This enabled us to keep promises educate many of our clients and suppliers on how to ‘quick ready’ themselves.
Has being Black and a woman affected your business? If so, how?
It has affected my everything. Two things about being a Black woman come handily to mind. One: Being Black is how others see me, and they weigh their ideas — right or wrong — in front of everything about me. Two: Even today, I carry a need to be as immaculate as I can be into every situation and circumstance ‘in the event’ I represent the competencies, attitudes and/or agility for all Black people during that ‘one moment’ I have at bat.
Do you think you’ll ever start another business?
I am opening a new business now … and seeking new avenues for growth. It’s not just something I breed into my businesses; it’s something I live by — ‘When we’re green, we grow. When we’re ripe, we rot!’ This is, despite any pandemics, a beautiful world. Honor it, live fully, and help as many as you can along the journey.
— Hannah Welk
