We were lucky to catch up with James ONeal recently and have shared our conversation below.

James, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission is to empower educators to empower students to build a more equitable educational system for all students.

My story stems from my 8th grade teacher who changed my life. I was a little black boy who was doing well in school. I wasn’t invited into the gifted program, which happened to be full of only white students. In 8th grade, my Algebra 1 teacher, Mrs. Simmons, asked me and my best friend Chester to take a placement test to test into Algebra 1. We did and that changed my life.

I was finally with students who expectations for them were HIGH! I finally felt that someone noticed my hard work and brilliance and the invitation put me on a track, in the small school that was in, to have access to honors and AP classes. That one teacher move changed my life! She saw me and by seeing me she invited me into the next level and through that invitation my life forever changed.

I became a 8th grade math teacher. And for many years I did not know why I liked 8th grade math so much and then one day I remembered my story and why I felt so strongly about identifying students who could go to the next level, specifically black and brown students. I taught in the classroom for 15.5 years before I went full time into my entrepreneurial journey. There’s more to the story but that’s the gist.

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?

James O’Neal, Jr, a dedicated educator with a remarkable journey, has seamlessly transitioned his passion into a full-time pursuit. With a profound background spanning fifteen years in the classroom, including six years as a department chair, James has honed his expertise in fostering academic excellence. His journey began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and flourished in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he contributed six impactful years at Piedmont IB Middle School.

Having earned recognition as a National Board-Certified teacher and Piedmont’s Teacher of The Year in 2018, James solidified his commitment to education. His academic journey culminated in the attainment of an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on middle school mathematics from UNC-Charlotte in May 2020. Notably, he emerged as a finalist for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) in 2021, a testament to his unwavering dedication.

Driven by a profound desire for universal success, James embarked on a new chapter as he founded Mastery For All, LLC. Mastery For All supports the mastery of mathematics education for k-12 teachers through professional development and coaching, specifically highlighting the brilliance of black boys to really reach all! As a speaker, James seeks to empower all educational stakeholders in the role they play in education. A pivotal moment arrived when James participated in Teacher Talks, an event under the auspices of the CMS Foundation. This platform ignited his passion for public speaking, propelling him to inspire audiences nationwide.

Today, James’s focal point is his business, as he devotes himself wholeheartedly to cultivating an environment where students, educators, and parents converge in their belief in the power of achievement. James’s journey from classroom teacher to an influential advocate for mastery exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping a future where everyone embraces the ethos of “who can” embody mastery.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that there is no money in education.

The backstory is, that education is one of the areas in our society where we are always talking about we don’t have enough money to do things. Even being a teacher, you are conditioned to believe that you should work hard and not be compensated for what you do. The way our teacher appreciations are given, the gifts we may receive from students and administration, it sells you on be thankful for what you get.

After getting a mentor in the space of educational consulting (which is another lesson to learn), she came for my mindset as far as the impact that I have and how I should be compensated for that impact. I had to unlearn that I am not just worth pennies, that I should be paid for the transformation I bring and there is money to do it.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Presenting at conferences.

As a new business owner, no one really knows me. So when people experience me, then they understand why I’m an answer to something they are dealing with. So this has been one of the greatest leads for me and have opened up several doors within my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mrjamesoneal.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr.jamesoneal/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mr.JamesONeal/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjamesoneal/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrJamesONeal
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC25TMQEtPO8MnaNnH9o_dAw