BE Modern Man is an integrative program that honors the essence, image, and accomplishments of today’s man of color. With features of today’s leaders, executives, creatives, students, politicians, entrepreneurs, professionals, and agents of change—these men share the common thread of creating a new normal while setting the bar in tech, art, philanthropy, business, and beyond. The BE Modern Man is making a positive impact, his way, and has a story to tell.
BE MODERN MAN CARLOS V. DAVIS
Age: 39
Profession: Chief Empowerment Officer, Stand & Deliver L.L.C., a professional development firm
One Word That Describes You: Driven
Social Media: Facebook: Carlos V. Davis | Twitter: @mrresourcemogul | Instagram: @mrresourcemogul
What does being one of the BE Modern Man 100 Honorees mean to you?
It is a humbling honor and privilege! I don’t do what I do for awards, so it is a blessing to be recognized for the work I do for our community.
What is your “Extraordinary Impact?”
“What can I do to serve you in your endeavors?” This is the question that I ask everyone that I come in contact with to see how I can be of service to them. Even if I and my company can’t directly help the person, I do my best to find someone to help with the person’s need.
What are you doing as a BEMM to help support black male achievement now or in the future?
I do my best to speak in front of young black males as much as possible. Whether it’s elementary schools or universities, I want to teach the next generation about success and how they can achieve their dreams. I also do my best to purchase from and support black-owned businesses as much as possible. I want to be the example that other black males can follow in helping and supporting the black businesses in our community.
What are some examples of how you have turned struggle into success?
When I started my professional development firm, I was told by numerous people that I was too young and not experienced enough to make an impact with my company. I did my best to market our services to the community, but no matter how hard I tried, the jobs weren’t coming in. After a long period of no clients, I started to believe the people in my circle, and I had thoughts of closing my business. Since I wasn’t getting any clients, I decided to speak for free for organizations to serve my community. After a period of speaking for free, I got my first paying client, and that client referred me to numerous other paying clients. Two years ago, my wife and I had the unexpected surprise of having our third child. While having a third child was a blessing, it put a major strain on my schedule, as my wife was working and we had other children with busy schedules. Because of the new baby, I had to take on fewer clients, which put a financial strain on our family. This caused me to take a hard look at our business to see what improvements could be made. From this, we were able to create an online platform for our trainings as well as other new streams of income for our business.
What is an important quality you look for in your relationships with others?
I look for a collaborative spirit in my relationship with others
What are some immediate projects you are working on?
My team and I are in the process of organizing the 5th annual Charlotte Professional Networking Week that happens during MLK Week in January. I’m also starting a new tech company and I’m also speaking at numerous companies and universities in the coming months.
Photo Credit: Kevin Douglas of Captured By Kevin Photography
What is the best advice you ever received?
If you go above and beyond for your customers, community, and shareholders, your company will always be prosperous.
What advice do you have for other men who want to make a difference?
Listen to your community’s problems. This will tell you what projects to work on and how you can make a difference in the lives of others
How do you prep for an important business meeting and/or event?
The first thing I do is pray over the event/meeting. From there, I do my best to do any last minute research that may be needed. As the event/meeting approaches, I listen to music to get myself in the right frame of mind.
As a busy Modern Man, how do you unwind on vacation?
I unwind on vacation by doing fun things with my wife and children. The best vacation I had was when I took my wife to Puerto Rico for her birthday. We stayed in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, and immersed ourselves in the food, people, and culture of the area. The best part was being able to leave my phone at home and let my team back home take care of everything while I was away.
If you could travel and stay anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would travel to Seattle. My aunts, uncles, and cousins stay in Seattle, and it’s one of my favorite places in the country to go relax.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @BEModernMan and join the conversation using #BEModernMan.
Come celebrate the BE Modern Man 100 Men of Distinction at the 2nd Annual Black Men XCEL, Aug. 29–Sept. 2, 2018, at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.