Jesse Ross is a motivational speaker, activist and business owner in north Minneapolis. He is also the founder of the wealth redistribution project, a multimillion-dollar initiative. Ross is big on Black ownership in north Minneapolis and wants to share his blueprint for change.
What was the creative vision for your business?
Honestly, my business started by accident. My creative vision for my brand is to ensure that I provide resources, engagement, and education in a professional development setting. But I want to make sure that people see themselves and feel connected to the information being communicated and that they are developing and learning more about themselves, therefore becoming better servers of people.
How would you describe your brand?
Professional, relatable, community-oriented, direct, and transparent.
Was it a timed decision or a gradual and natural evolution to start a business?
A little bit of both. No one in my family was an entrepreneur. So, the opportunity to create a business came from learning through the workforce that I never really loved people telling me what to do. So, my chance to start a business came from being tired of people telling me what to do and recognizing that I wanted to be in charge of my future.
What essential skills or qualities make you unique as an African-American male leader?
Not many people can be very direct communicators and keep the relationship at the core of communication. My mentor calls it the proper handling of people. There’s a way to deal with people, deliver information, and make people feel safe while standing your ground and being stern but not offending people. Ensure you build relationships on the front and back end of those conversations.
What is your commitment to the community?
My commitment to the community is to make sure that I am a positive representation of what it looks like to come from and be in the community. I live in the community that I serve. My reputation is something that I’ve worked hard to build.
What’s next for the company?
We just recently acquired a 68,000 square foot commercial, industrial property. I own the largest industrial commercial property in Minneapolis, owned by an African American man. We plan to create opportunities for affordable commercial rent and ensure we can grow and scale our portfolio by acquiring other properties. We also have an e-commerce coffee company and would like to grow and expand that. We aim to onboard more clients to provide more professional and technical services to expand our reach and grow our business.
What advice would you give to others who want to start a business?
Find someone you identify with, who you can connect with, and someone doing something you would like to do, and reach out, ask questions, and then just get started. Much of what I’ve learned in business has been from trial and error and getting my hands dirty.
