We recently connected with Jacoby Waters and have shared our conversation below.

Jacoby, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Young Men of Distinction was established on May 3, 2019. My reason for creating Young Men of Distinction is help change the narrative surrounding our minority young men. Watching how social media and mass media portray our young men made me want to get involved and want to make a difference for the generations behind me. Me being a father of 4 young men of my own I wanted to create a legacy for them to follow and also start a change in how the society sees them. Starting Young Men of Distinction and having 14 graduates from the program and watching them strive for greatness is amazing payoff to me.

Jacoby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Young Men of Distinction is a non-profit organization committed to helping today’s youth reach their full potential by providing them with the tools and resources they need to succeed in pursuing higher education. Our mission is to increase opportunities for adolescent boys and girls to prosper through mentorship, motivation, and guidance, helping them transition into young men with purpose and obtain a higher education. I am most proud of the young men who have graduated from our program and off doing amazing things.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

We just started the organization in late 2019 and we were on a roll and then next thing you know COVID came in 2020 and changed how we do business. We had to pivot to virtual workshop sessions to continue to service our youth during a difficult time in their lives.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I keep in touch with weekly check-ins outside of meeting for our workshops and events.

Contact Info:

• Website: Youngmenofdistinction.org
• Instagram: Instagram.com/youngmenofdistinction19
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/young-men-of-distinction/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@youngmenofdistinction2749?si=TmRpuWvq7IxfU3cJ