Don't Waste Your College Tuition: Jerome Harper on a Future in Finance Part IV.
This is the final section of our talk with Jerome Harper. This section will cover the social aspect of work as well as Jerome's decision to build his own business.
By Norrell Edwards — September 6, 2023
Jerome had so many insightful gems for us, I had to split this interview into 4 segments. This is the final section of our talk Jerome Harper, Senior Accounting Consultant co-author of the book Don't Waste Your College Tuition. This section will cover the social aspect of work as well Jerome's decision to build his own business. Please remember this interview is a reflection of solely Jerome Harper's opinions and insights; this interview does not reflect the thoughts, feelings, opinions of any past, present or future client, employer or any other entity affiliated with Jerome Harper.
Adapting to Work Culture & Likeability Politics
Jerome:
For me, coming from Washington D.C. a Historically Black College/ University (HBCU) and a single parent household—there were some difficulties in just transitioning to a different ethnic environment. I had to adjust to being a minority and sometimes feeling inferior in this new space. The culture was just, very different.J:
I was trying to not only fit in but be comfortable with who I am, while also trying to be successful amidst this different culture. If you can't be successful, it's important to be aware that it has nothing to do with your intellect or skills but your ability to maneuver socially. The social aspect is just as much an important component of the job as the actual tasks you need to perform.Dr. Norrell:
I don't think we talk enough about the social structures that exist within work cultures. Moving up in a company structure can have A LOT to do with likeability. If your peers and colleagues don't like you, they're not recommending you for promotions. You're staying stagnant or you might even be pushed out. There's this investment in cohesion.J:
I saw a lot of that during my time in corporate. There were a lot of questions around likeability and how well you fit into the group. As someone from the "inner city" and a single parent household, there was a lot of culture shock. Even though the economic side was its own barrier, I had to switch my mindset. It can be difficult when you don't have too many examples in your immediate environment.Lifting as We Climb
N:
Right, it's not just ethnic differences but it can be financial ones too. Folks from low-income backgrounds don't have the same kinds of flexibility as those with more means.J:
Exactly, it can be a setback when you are the only one that stepped outside your environment and people are depending on you. It might be financial, emotional or something else. It can be a burden. Not only do you not have someone to ask for a helping hand with opportunities, you're the person your community calls for that helping hand.J:
I said if I'm going to get into consulting since I don't have the network, I need to connect to people who do. I don't have a bunch of friends and family who can invest in my company or who even have businesses. Two businessmen I've connected with do have affiliations with prestigious institutions in this area; all of their clients come from family, church and schools. All their friends have business. I'm looking to them to help connect me.J:
Also, I've said to myself "Jerome, you have to help your community build businesses." That comes with a certain literacy education behind financial management and building business. It's not just the numbers but providing comprehension for the bigger picture.Taking a Step Back to Move Forward
N:
How did you know it was the right to transition and start taking your own clients?J:
For me it was numerous factors. I had reached this point where I thought I wanted to be in terms of working and climbing the corporate ladder. But still something was missing. I was working 55-60 hours and that was not feasible for my personal life.N:
Right, you have two young kids.J:
Right two young kids and a wife; it's not fair to them. I lost close family members back-to- back over the course of 3 years. I thought "Jerome, you're consistent but your constant is—you're always working." So that changed my whole perspective. Family has to be first. So that means even if you have to take a step back financially to build, family has to be first.J:
For someone like me, when you're working with the numbers you understand that employees are just a line item on the income statement and they're an expense. When there need to be budget cuts, the biggest bucket is salary and wages. That's what will be cut. I realized, even though I was working all these hours and working weekends, I wasn't building any equity (value through ownership of an asset.). You can't give any of this to your son Josiah or your daughter Alani. Yet, that's what is taking all your time away from them.J:
I thought to myself, "yea this is the best salary I've ever had, comfy with great benefits, but if I had to quit today that paycheck would be all I got as well as my 401K. I've been doing this for 10 years now, but I wasn't really pouring into anything. I was pumping our reports on a monthly, quarterly and or annually basis for investors and doing our regular expense reconciliations, but I needed more interpersonal connection. I wanted to help people.J:
After two years working from home during Covid, the company sent us back to the office and doubled the workload. I realized I don't have control here.Major Takeaways
Every company has a different culture and sometimes you will not be able to adapt or maneuver in that space. That's ok; it wasn't a right fit. It can be especially difficult adapting to a space where you come from a different financial background. Once you do adapt that is also an opportunity to bring that knowledge back to your home community to help them grow and build. Finally, sometimes you must take a step back to grow. Once you've mastered certain levels of your industry, it might be time to branch out and build your own business or company that you can control and create equity for future generations. As we've seen with numerous industry layoff (think tech, media, and publishing) it is important to build your own safety net.
Norrell Edwards
Norrell Edwards is a scholar, educator, and communications consultant for non-profit organizations. Her employment experience and research interests place her work at the nexus of global Black identity, cultural memory, and social justice. Norrell graduated with a BA in English Literature from Hunter’s College followed by a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park in 20th and 21st Century Black Diaspora Literature.
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