Our members are always up to something amazing! Fellow member James Jackson III, founder and managing partner of The Black Success Center, has just come out with his second book Living with Purpose after writing Black Utah last year. We had a chance to sit down with James to learn more about his inspiration behind the book and its creation process.

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your book, “Living With Purpose”?

I’ve had a goal of writing a book for the last several years, and although this is technically my third book, this is my first solo book about my journey and lessons I’m excited to share.

Living With Purpose aims to empower readers to find their purpose. Could you elaborate on how your personal experiences and professional journey helped you find yours?

When I set a goal to write a book, I didn’t know what I wanted to write about. The Utah Black Chamber has been my professional development journey. I learned a lot about becoming a leader and growing a community. Now that the Black Chamber as become one of the most influential diverse organizations in the state, many ask how it was done and how I became so passionate about it.

Were there any challenges or obstacles you faced while writing “Living With Purpose”? How did you overcome them?

Even after writing “Black Utah,” this was still challenging. I had to be willing to become vulnerable in sharing my story. But I knew I couldn’t deliver what I wanted to share if I didn’t become vulnerable. Then I found how therapeutic it was while I was writing. I actually gained more confidence and truly realized what I accomplished. Even seeing the impact after all these years, hit differently when you write about it and share all the good, bad, and ugly, the ups and downs, successes and failures. I’m even more excited about what I will accomplish in the future.

As an author, what key takeaways or lessons do you hope readers will gain from reading Living With Purpose?

People live life, but often we don’t realize or think about why we are here. We all have a purpose here. We are all equipped to do something special while we are here and my goal in sharing my journey is to inspire others to think about their passion and work towards finding their purpose in life. Once you find your purpose, life becomes more meaningful, you’ll accomplish so much more and even leave a legacy for your family.

What’s next for James Jackson?

I’m using Living With Purpose as a ‘relaunch’ of my business. I have been teaching and training on leadership for several years, but now that I am no longer leading the chamber I can put more focus on my business.

The Shop is thrilled to have driven members likes James in our community. We can’t wait to see what he does next! Learn more about Jame’s book, and how to purchase it here.