Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. John Neal Jr.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
As a boy, I always had a dream, it was to help people. I didn’t know how I would do this being that I needed some sort of guidance, however, I hit a major roadblock. You see, my parent’s relationship became rocky and like turbulence during a flight it was not going to be a smooth landing. Just as I am finishing high school and about to become a man, my parents decided to call it quits.
17 years of marriage they were fed up with each other. It seems that my mother was the most fed up. She would express to me that she just wanted to spend time with my father and her eight children. I didn’t fully understand her request being that I had no children of my own but I did feel sympathy for the woman that was my hero.
On the other hand, I could only imagine how much of a challenge it would be to have ten mouths to feed. That must have been a challenging responsibility to say the least. In addition to providing monetary things, my father also had to guide us which abruptly came to a halt. My parent’s separation was the start of my homelessness. My father moved into one of my grandfather’s homes and my mother moved into a shelter. There was not enough room for my younger brother and myself in the shelter or my dad’s place. We went from house to house and sometimes we slept outside. I remember one day it rained and we slept underneath someone’s car hoping they didn’t leave for work before we woke up. With little to no money in our pockets, we often would get food any way we knew how. At this stage in my life, motivating and inspiring people had become a dim light in my soul. After struggling a couple of years, I moved to Oregon in hope of a better situation as it relates to life. I spent some time working odd jobs while finishing school. It did not seem like I was ultimately on the right path that was instilled in my heart, I wanted something more for myself.
On September 11th, 2001 my life changed when I witnessed the attacks in New York on television, it did something to me. I could have been on one of those planes or in a building. What if I didn’t have the chance to think about how this moment made me feel? Well, I did and I said in honor of our country and the victims I will spend my life making a difference. I decided to enroll in college and as a result, I earned an Associates of Arts and Science, Bachelor of Science in Humanities and Black Studies, Master of Science in Conflict Resolution, International Studies, a certificate in Mediation and Negotiation and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Development. My thesis focused on the support in higher education as it relates to students, faculty and support staff. As an educator, it was important to understand how these participants perceived higher education and support. In addition to my educational accomplishments, I have worked countless hours on creating motivational content for students and professionals. I realize through struggle comes prosperity, life is about overcoming obstacles and seeing yourself in a positive way.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My life has not been a smooth road, and I would not have it any other way. Throughout my educational journey, I worked on various film projects and documentaries. Unfortunately, in the state of Oregon, there aren’t a lot of like-minded people who support the arts, therefore money became tight. In addition to a lack of resources, it was challenging to obtain locations and actors who wanted to participate for free. The biggest challenge was taking care of my children while attending school and working on various projects. I guess you can say I was digging in deep and learning how to truly motivate people by drawing inspiration from working together. Eventually, I had to figure out how to continue my dreams, education and put food on the table. I had a recommendation from a former professor that I should consider teaching college. I did not know what to think when she had mentioned this to me, I thought about it and after deep consideration, I expressed to her that it was something I would be interested in. I applied for a position as a communications instructor and was immediately hired.
For some reason, I was a bit surprised, but not my family. I now had the perfect platform to educate, motivate and inspire. For the next six years, I dedicated my life to my students, and the student body at the college I served. This was a challenge because I had to balance my time with personal goals, family goals, career, education and my dream. I finally figured out a way to tie these things together. I recruited a handful of people to volunteer in order to assist me in doing seminars, videos and workshops. The word spread pretty quickly, I was starting to become a household name throughout my community. I also started to travel and do speeches at assemblies, other seminars and workshops. I was also a keynote speaker several times. I was then able to relocate back to California, where I now am living in Los Angeles. Man, I am finally the boy who is actually helping people.
John Neal Jr. Teaching and Consulting – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My company is John Neal Jr. Teaching and Consulting and The University of Inspire. We specialize in diversity and inclusion training which allows individuals to learn about high and low context cultures. This gives one a better understanding of how people from different cultures and backgrounds communicate. We are known for our 10 point system diversity training, communications training, motivation, inspiration, workshops and keynote presentations. I believe what sets us apart from others is when people participate in our training they leave feeling like they found their voice. We also provide them with tools in how to communicate with others without causing conflict. We also have online communication training courses that will assist students, professionals and organizations in helping them further develop their communication skills. This information was developed through years of experience with communications and conflict management principles that I have used myself.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment in my career thus far has been completing my Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Development. I started this journey in 2011 and completed it in 2020. Throughout this journey, I had a lot of ups and downs in life. Sometimes it seemed that this may not have come to fruition. When I completed the program, it was so satisfying because I never gave up no matter how I felt, I never gave up. My second proudest moment has to be the University of Inspire which I have created through proven principles as it relates to education, research and workshops. This communications program will allow people all over the world to improve their understanding of themselves and others. I believe the world we live in today can use the University of Inspire in order to grow and become advocates of each other.
Pricing:
- 3 month communications course 297.00
- Consulting 250.00 hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 4712 Admiralty Way #503 Marina Del Rey CA. 90292
- Website: www.johnnealjr.com
- Phone: 310-745-4842
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnnealjryourprofessor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnnealjryourprofessor/
- Other: https://university-of-inspire.teachable.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3skD0ObNYvmgUR-XJ7BySQ
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