We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Armani Fountain a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Armani, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made (either in terms of time or money)? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

Hands down, the best investment I’ve made was hiring a public speaking coach. Public speaking is a top fear for many, and it’s easy to see why. While I had my strengths, I also had areas where I could really shine. This was my chance to step out of my comfort zone and level up my skills.

The coaching was a game-changer. It gave me the tools to organize my thoughts, connect with my audience on a deeper level, and skyrocket my confidence. Effective communication is the key to success, and I can’t recommend a public speaking coach enough if you have the chance

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Ever since I was young, I’ve always had a curious mind, which drove me to learn and share what I’ve learned with those I care about. When I graduated from college, I really struggled with job interviews. I was always extremely nervous, and I didn’t know how to bring the little experience I had to life. The only thing I knew I had down was that I dressed the part.

At the time I didn’t realize that job interviews were something that you should thoroughly prepare for. Once I discovered that important gem, my interviews began to dramatically improve over time. I became more comfortable and confident sharing my professional journey and I was able to answer most questions interviewers threw at me. And in my traditional fashion, as I gained the real-world experience of the do’s and don’ts of interviewing, I began to share what I learned with those close to me.

A few years ago, one of my friends who I used to work with had a BIG job interview coming up. Not knowing I enjoyed helping people prepare for interviews, she asked me for advice. I walked her through everything from highlighting her story and the successes she’s had at work, going over the job description and understanding what the company is looking for and understanding how to answer situational questions with the STAR Method. She was fully equipped to ace her interview!

A few weeks later I got a call from her with the news…she got the job!! I was so excited for her, and I was happy I was able to help another person out. After she told me the good news, she unknowingly paid me back with some life changing advice. She told me I should seriously start helping people out with interviews. I never really thought about it before, but at the core of me I always wanted to do something that added value to people’s lives. There was a newer platform out called TikTok that I experimented with a bit, making fashion and comedy content. I decided to create a new account, but this time it would be focused on helping those who struggle with job interviews as I once did. I posted my first video on the STAR Method and it’s been history ever since!

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

One of my all-time favorite books is How to Win Friends and Influence People. Regardless of your career path, I highly recommend it.

I won’t spoil anything, but one of my favorite lessons is to be genuinely interested in others. There’s always a connection to be found; you just have to look for common ground. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized the importance of people and relationships. We can only achieve so much on our own.

This is a book I’ll cherish forever, returning to it time and again to sharpen my interpersonal skills

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I think my journey and the path to finding my purpose shows my resilience. Finding my purpose was the biggest challenge that I faced. But as they say, the only way to find out what you’re good at is to try different things. I’ve started a clothing line, tried my hand at fashion influencing, comedy content, etc. While all these things seemingly failed from an outside perspective, I was developing a skillset that built the foundation for my career and interview content. But the most important lesson I learned is that nothing special can happen if you don’t take action.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.interviewgems.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armanigems?igsh=MWQ1ZGUxMzBkMA==
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@armanifountain?_t=8ozXdmXY9uw&_r=1