Janice Bryant Howroyd
First Black Woman to Found & Build a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company, ActOne Group
Janice Bryant Howroyd
First Black Woman to Found & Build a Multi-Billion-Dollar Company, ActOne Group
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Biography
Janice Bryant Howroyd is the first Black woman to found and build a multibillion-dollar company. She started ActOne Group in 1978 and grew it into a global workforce and talent-solutions company operating in over 45 countries. She founded it, built it, never sold it or took it public, and still leads it today, on one rule she repeats to this day: “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.”
Her career has been documented by How I Built This, The Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, and she has shared stages at Essence Festival, HOPE Global Forums, Summit, SXSW, and the Inc. 5000 Conference. In 2025, she received the Visionary Founder Award on BET’s HBCU Honors.
She was a presidential appointee to President Obama’s advisory board on HBCUs, past chair of the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard Kennedy School, and author of Acting Up and The Art of Work. She hosts her own podcast, Ask JBH.
Speech Topics
Who Gets Left Behind When the Tools Change
As technology transforms the workplace, new opportunities are emerging—but not everyone has equal access to them. What happens when innovation moves faster than the people and organizations expected to keep up? Drawing on decades of experience building a global workforce solutions company, Janice Bryant Howroyd explores the growing opportunity gap and its impact on businesses, employees, and the future of work. She challenges leaders to look beyond traditional measures of inequality and recognize the untapped potential within their workforce. Through compelling insights and real-world business lessons, Howroyd reveals how organizations can expand access to opportunity, develop talent, and build a more inclusive and competitive future.
Building When the Tools Move Faster Than the Plan
In a world where technology, markets, and business models are constantly evolving, how can leaders build organizations that thrive amid uncertainty? As the founder of a multibillion-dollar global enterprise, Janice Bryant Howroyd knows firsthand what it takes to turn challenges into opportunities. In this engaging keynote, she shares her perspective on innovation, entrepreneurship, and the power of imagination in an era of rapid disruption. Howroyd challenges audiences to rethink what innovation really means, demonstrating that breakthrough ideas often come not from inventing something entirely new, but from seeing new possibilities in what already exists. Audiences will discover how to embrace change, think creatively, and build businesses that remain resilient and relevant.
Designing the Future With More People in the Room
Who gets to shape the future of innovation—and what happens when important perspectives are missing from the conversation? Janice Bryant Howroyd believes that diversity is more than a social responsibility; it is a powerful driver of business growth, innovation, and economic opportunity. Drawing on her experience building and leading a global organization, she explores how the people behind products, services, and technologies influence who ultimately benefits from them. Through thought-provoking insights, Howroyd makes the business case for bringing more voices, experiences, and perspectives into the decision-making process. Audiences will leave with a deeper understanding of how inclusive leadership can unlock creativity, expand markets, and create solutions that serve a broader world.
Keeping the Humanity in Human Resources
As artificial intelligence and automation reshape the hiring process, are organizations losing sight of the most important part of their business—their people? With decades of experience leading one of the world's largest privately held workforce solutions companies, Janice Bryant Howroyd offers a powerful perspective on the evolving relationship between technology, talent, and human judgment. She explores why hiring decisions require more than algorithms, data, and efficiency, and why empathy, intuition, and accountability remain essential to building successful teams. Combining business wisdom with a people-first philosophy, Howroyd challenges leaders to rethink how they attract, develop, and retain talent while preserving the human connections that drive organizational success.
Never Compromise Who You Are Personally
What does it really take to build a successful business without losing sight of who you are? Janice Bryant Howroyd built a multibillion-dollar global enterprise from the ground up while remaining committed to a guiding principle: “Never compromise who you are personally to become who you wish to be professionally.” In this inspiring and insightful keynote, she shares the lessons learned throughout her extraordinary entrepreneurial journey, exploring the difference between excelling at your craft and mastering the skills required to build and sustain a successful business. From leadership and decision-making to personal integrity and professional growth, Howroyd offers a compelling roadmap for achieving success with purpose. Audiences will leave inspired to lead authentically, invest in their development, and pursue ambitious goals without sacrificing their values.