Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Flowers.
Jacob, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m from a small town in south Alabama. I grew up in a lower middle class home as an only child. My father worked as a tank wash cleaner when I was born making close to minimum wage. My mother worked as a cashier at a local store to help bring in extra income. Both my father and mother struggled in their upbringing.
My mom was adopted at birth by her uncle, and he raised her as a single parent. I recognize him as my grandfather today. He worked for a cement plant for 47 years as a lab technician to provide for his family. My father was one of three boys, and his father abandoned my grandmother when my dad and his brothers were very young. My grandmother eventually remarried to a man named James, and they had a total of 10 boys between them. He worked as a machinist at the paper mill. He provided the necessities, but there were many lean years that they endured. When it was time for me to attend school, my parents were committed to me having a better opportunity than they had. My Mom found a small, private school that would give me an opportunity to grow and develop. The school had far less students than the public alternative, and she believed this would give me better teaching in an intimate setting. My parents did not have the income required to pay my tuition for this school, but they made sacrifices in order for me to have a better life. From an early age, my parents instilled a strong work ethic in me. My parents told me stories of them catching and selling fish to get them through hard times. My dad would take me with him in my adolescent years to knock on doors and ask if we could pressure wash houses or cut the grass for neighbors. I did not realize it at the time, but these early days were a catalyst to my entrepreneurial spirit being born.
My first job was working for a local auto part warehouse. I worked in the shipping and packaging department with zero air conditioning and discovered just how hot it can get during a summer in south Alabama. I appreciated that job because it showed me what I did not want to do with the rest of my life. I had set a goal to be the first college graduate in my family, and this job reinforced that there was more for me. During my senior year in high school, my grandfather and my father sat me down to discuss my future aspirations. My grandfather worked as a machinist for over 45 years at the paper mill, and my father was now working as an operator for a large corporate supplier for the last 20 years. They sat me down, and they started working their persuasion skills. They said, “Jacob, if you can just get on with a large corporate utility, you will be set for life. Find you a power utility with a good 401K plan and pension, and you will be living the good life. They told me that the sky is the limit in the electrical field. You should go be an electrical engineer.
Now, my 12th grade history teacher had made a similar comment that stirred my emotions. She reviewed my history notebook to see my completed work and made a comment that I would make a great engineer based on the preparation of my documents. You should be an engineer, she said. Following the advice of my trusted advisors, I did what I was instructed to do. I signed up for electrical engineering. I graduated from school and landed that great job at a large public utility in Florida. The ideal job that my family and teachers had placed into my awareness was now mine. There was only one glaring problem. I did not enjoy the work. It was not a passion for me. Gradually, I started to realize that I had been lied to about my future. If you just get a safe and secure job with a corporate company, you will be taken care of by your employer. Nothing could have been further from the truth. My experience with corporate America was not anything like I anticipated. I became tired of playing the corporate games that these companies often play. I would be in line for a promotion that seemed like a certainty. Then, upper management would sweep the rug out from under me. I would get called in at promotion time, and they would say you can get that promotion when you complete this extra class or get that credential. Once you complete that, we will promote you next year. They would cut out my bonuses for reasons that were beyond my control. I was stuck in a cubicle working on some key performance indicator that somebody else in some regional office decided was going to be the key indicator for my life. I was frustrated. I sought a way out of this rigged game. In 2015, I became certified as a speaker, coach and trainer. I began my personal development journey, and I started helping people develop their leadership, communication and sales skills.
After being coached and mentored for four years, I went after my dream and started my own training and consulting company in January 2019. I knew my dream was going to require all of me. I knew that it was going to require me to make the transition from my corporate job to full-time business owner. However, I was afraid to make the decision. I was making close to six figures, and I had a 401K and a pension. I had thoughts like how are you going to pay your bills if you just quit your job? What will my wife think? Will my family support this decision? How are you going to do it? My father helped me decide to go into engineering, and he loved the fact that I got a job with the utility. Understandably, my parents did not support me in my decision to make this career transition. My wife backed me after seeing how fed up and tired I was with the corporate world. After two hard years of strategy and planning, I resigned from my corporate job. I was exhilarated to jump into my passion of helping others grow and become successful. Today, I’m a transition and shift strategist. I help business professionals make career transitions with a really safe landing. I coach them on how to overcome their fears and step out to pursue their dreams. We put together a rock solid plan that will allow them to make a successful transition. As a thinking partner, I help them think into all the things they are going to need to transition safely in a very predictable way. High-level executives and senior-level staff hire me to strategically think into their exit strategies. I help corporate executives use their skills, experience and knowledge to develop their own private business. I’m honored that I have the opportunity to help people discover their full potential and use it to go after their dreams. I serve as a volunteer with the Small Business Administration helping small business owners to grow through education and mentoring.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Absolutely not. One of my mentors says, “everything you want in life is uphill all the way.” I’ve found that to be true in my life. My parents struggled to pay my tuition for private school. Every month was tough with little extra money left over. I overcame many obstacles in pursuing a college degree in electrical engineering. My math skills were average at best, and engineering school required the highest levels of math skills. I progressed only because I was willing to work rigorously to achieve the goal. I studied day and night when I wasn’t working at my full-time job with the auto part warehouse. I had to be resilient. When the going gets tough, you must have grit and committment to stay the course. I worked at the warehouse in the afternoons after classes. I would go to work and get off around 10 or 11 p.m. at night. When I got off work, it was time to go home and focus all of my energy on my studies. Before exams, I would sometimes stay up all night preparing after getting home from work. The curriculum did not come easy for me. I had to work at it tirelessly. I remember dropping my first Calculus class because I was making a failing grade. My professor told me that I needed to go back and study algebra again. I dropped the class, and I was determined to prepare myself for my next opportunity. I went to work studying intensely over the summer, and I made the grade that fall semester. I experienced many financial problems during my college years. I was moved up to $8.00 an hour at the auto part warehouse when it was time for pay raises. This pay supplied me with just enough money to pay for my school books and fuel for the long drive back and forth to school. I was financially broke many days which I looked at as an advantage. I did not have any money for extracurricular activities, so I had more time to study. I had loving people in my life (my father, mother, grandfather, teachers) who wanted the best for me. They thought their advice to get an engineering degree and a safe corporate job was best for me. I was doing what I was told to do. They did not have the awareness that they were leading me down the wrong path. I spent 12 years working in a career that I was not passionate about.
My family and teachers loved me, and they thought they knew the right path for me. I endured many setbacks in my corporate job. I was asked to move to Panama City, FL as a co-operative education student for my first job with the utility. I moved three and a half hours away from everything I knew in Alabama. I had to find my own place and pay the rent without getting paid for the first three weeks. I was scared and on my own for the first time. My family and friends were all back home in Alabama. I was in a new city that I knew nothing about. Fortunately, my parents had instilled good values and work ethic to help me find my way. The main value my parents taught me was treat others like you want to be treated. They showed me how to value people. Those messages have remained with me until today. I worked for a bad boss. My boss was insecure and often thought employees were trying to get his job. Every time I tried to step up and go the extra mile for the organization, he made sure to push me back down. I remember asking to be placed on a high-profile project as a lead engineer. It required pitching our plan to our C-suite team. My boss asked me to create the presentation to make our pitch, and he took my ideas and presented them as his own ideas. Of course, I received no credit for the work. This situation reminded me of another boss I worked for previously in my corporate career. He said, “I know they were your ideas, but it was my idea to use your ideas so I should get all of the credit.” I spent almost ten years working for this toxic boss. I made the choice to grow and develop on my own time through my speaking, coaching and training certification. I was growing and developing in areas of leadership, communication, coaching, personal development, and sales through my professional certification program.
When I attempted to discuss the work I was putting in after hours, my boss did not want to talk about it. He would say, “oh, you are into all that leadership stuff. It’s not important to me. Let’s talk about the additional technical work I need you to do around here.” The company had a career development plan on their website that employees could fill out. I remember working on my plan for over a week. I listed what I wanted to do over the next five years and what departments I wanted to learn more about for potential opportunities. I considered everything I wanted to accomplish and looked into all the possibilities. I handed this plan over to my manager and asked him for his thoughts and feedback. He said, “I think what you’ve done here is good, but we really don’t hire people in this department for them to move around and leave.” I said, “what do you mean? You hire people for them to work for 40 years in this one department, and they never try anything else. What if a person doesn’t want to work here for 40 years.” He replied, “well, you are stuck with what you’ve got.” I recall feeling completely dejected. I was stuck. If you’ve ever been stuck, you know stuck stinks. I felt like I had wasted my time. Now, you have to understand that I was spending the majority of my spare time reading and going to professional development seminars. I was hungry to learn and improve.
However, it was seemingly going unnoticed by my employer and boss. I hosted a leadership seminar in town, and I invited my management team and colleagues to attend for free. No one from my work showed up. I remember depending on my corporate bonus to supplement my income and help me to pay off bills. I was informed that we did not have a good year in our technical services department, so my bonus would be cut in half that year. It was a department that I didn’t even work for. I had no control over their results. I reached a major turning point during this season of my life. I realized that I had let someone else control my career up to that point. It was time for me to get into the driver’s seat and take control of my career and life. I have overcome many failures and setbacks living my dream of starting my own training and consulting business. When you start a business as an entrepreneur, you are responsible for designing the business. Failure is a necessary ingredient for success. You will need to take action and try different strategies. I made mistakes, but I learned the lessons that they had to teach me. It takes every ounce of energy you have to live your dream. Your dream wants all of you. When times get tough, I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Beverly Sills. “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” It’s a reminder that we have to pay the price if we want to achieve success.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
One of our main services is helping business professionals to make a pivot. They are looking to make some kind of a shift or transition, and they find themselves stuck. I help them as a shift strategist think through that transition and prepare them to make a really safe landing. Fear stops many people from pursuing the career and life they desire. I coach clients on making the change without having to take leaps of faith. Together, we create a strategic, powerful plan to gain clarity on every step they will need. Whether you are looking to stay within your company or step out of the status quo and create your own business, I offer Strategic Coaching Packages to help you prepare for your career shift or create your life plan. Senior-level staff hire me to help them think through their exit strategies and prepare a solid, unmistakable plan to navigate the new chapter they are pursuing. I offer packages to help corporate and high-level executives leverage their experience and knowledge in their own private business. One of my signature programs is a six-month coaching package for people who are wanting to make a transition in their life. This service includes one-on-one coaching with me where we get laser-focused on your goals.
I also offer this service in a high-end mastermind group setting for 5 to 10 people. We come together as a community, and we support each other on this journey. We learn and grow together. I make available to you great resources, great teachers, and great processes. We create a true life plan. We identify your purpose, vision, and goals. We take personal inventory. What are the competing commitments and beliefs that you have that hold you back? What are the invisible boundaries that you’ve made agreement with that says you can’t do this or that? We offer a 90-day program called Empowerment Mentoring where clients are empowered to take control of their life and careers through mindset and personal growth strategies. Discover the 12 keys to having time, money and freedom for living life on your terms. It includes Q&A Sessions and community sharing calls. In these training programs, I deliver monthly teaching calls, and each participant shares their key takeaways in an immersive growth environment. We facilitate leadership roundtable discussions that develop leadership skills, increase communication tactics, and help you boost bottom-line profitability. We offer complimentary lunch and learns to introduce our content to small and large organizations. We offer half-day workshops and in-house corporate training for a variety of team members. We conduct impact reports that help clients identify their strengths and build awareness around their previous struggles. Here are the different reports we provide: Career, Communication, Growth, Entrepreneur, Team, Sales Impact/Sales Leadership, College, Benchmark and Interviewing. Each report is uniquely designed to help clients develop in their desired area of growth. Clients gain the momentum to move forward with confidence and pursue their goals.
In addition, we offer three to six coaching sessions where we debrief the report together. We architect a blueprint for your future. Our programs are not a one size fits all. We customize our training programs to meet the needs of your company and career goals. I deliver keynote speeches for larger events and corporate-sponsored evenings. We are incredibly proud to now offer SHRM-certified Diversity & Inclusion Training as part of our services. Our clients who have already completed the Diversity and Inclusion training program have reported higher employee retention, increased job satisfaction, and even higher reputation scores. Through my partnership with the John Maxwell Team, I host free events to equip youth with the skills they need to serve as leaders in all areas of their lives. Today’s youth face many challenges-struggles with confidence, fear of failure, and bullying. As parents, teachers, and leaders we can do something about it. During the months of April and October, I host youth leadership events for the John Maxwell Team Global Youth Initiative. The events are free and open to all children and youth groups. I facilitate Change Your World Transformation Tables through my partnership with the John Maxwell Team. The Transformation Table is a place where everyone helps everyone improve. We encourage and equip you to be a catalyst for transformation in your world- your family, your workplace, and your community. There is no better way to do that than to help people identify, embrace, and live good values. You are invited to join me at the CYW Transformation Table. There is no fee to join.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can visit my website at jacobflowers.net to get more details on how we could work together. They can connect and collaborate with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. They can sign up for a free 15-minute strategy session with me to discuss their goals and next steps. I have a free resource that will help people get started on their road to a career shift. It’s called the 11 Considerations For Making A Career Shift. You can gain access to this free resource on my website, or you can email my team at [email protected] and ask for your copy. I’m working towards a podcast launch so we can reach more people with our message. Support and collaboration with launching the podcast would be much appreciated. I serve as a guest interviewer on podcasts to bring relevant value to business audiences. I want people who are tired of the corporate games to know that there is a safe way out. Are you tired of being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it? Most likely, you are being told by people who aren’t even in your local area or don’t even understand the process. If you know the work you do is worth far more than you are being compensated for, I want you to stay connected to my work. I created a model to help you go from being frustrated to freedom. People who would like to support can help build awareness of the work we are doing around the world. Think of this. Harvard recently conducted research and found that despite the $15 billion spent annually on managerial and leadership development, over 50 percent of American workers believe their boss is toxic. Statistics have shown that more than 75 percent of employees experience burnout at work, and they define themselves as unhappy in their work environment. You are not alone in this current situation. We can help you find freedom.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: jacobflowers.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacobcflowers
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jacobcflowers
- Twitter: twitter.com/jacobcflowers
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/
jacobflowers1/
Image Credits:
Hamilton Images
