Jalan Andrews

Jalan Andrews is from a small town by the name of Thomaston, GA. Being from such a small town can be challenging at times, but his family is what keeps him motivated and inspired. Andrews has been able to watch his mother’s career grow and evolve as an educator, while also being able to witness his father pursue and achieve his goal of becoming a nurse practitioner. Seeing how his parents navigated obstacles in addition and the love and support from his two brothers, he is now able to experience and do things that didn’t seem possible for most from his hometown.

After graduating from high school in May of 2014, he decided to further his education by attending Clark Atlanta University (CAU) in Atlanta, GA. Attending CAU increased his exposure and forced him to expand his mind, which was extremely challenging and uncomfortable at times. Andrews ended his college matriculation with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a job offer to work for one of the top technology companies in the world, Oracle.

He began his corporate career as a Business Development Consultant. Being the first in his family to experience Corporate America, he faced many challenges and adversity. This was the first time he’d been so far from home, which caused him to face many cultural shocks and challenges to the point where moving back home seemed to be the best solution. That was the initial plan, but then one conversation with his parents changed everything. His parents shared with him "When obstacles appear and fear starts to kick in, remember to do it scared".

With this in mind, Andrews was able to become the top salesperson in his organization, a 3x Toastmasters Public Speaking Champion, make a career transition from a sales role to a Global Diversity and Inclusion Consultant role, and become an inspirational speaker who travels to various colleges, universities, and organizations all in the span of four years.

Andrews now understands that every day that we are blessed to open our eyes and live, we are being granted the opportunity to represent those that have come before us and set a precedent for those that will come after us. Andrews focuses on the importance of adapting to change, understanding who you are called to be in a world that's constantly trying to define who you should be, and finding the greatness that's already inside of you. When we begin to live a life that is full of intention, purpose, and impact, we begin to better understand life's ultimate mission, which is to serve."