We had the good fortune of connecting with Elliot Howard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elliot, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am inspired by my family history on both sides of my family. On my mom’s side my Great-Great Grandfather tried multiple times to escape slavery until he succeeded. When managed to escape into South Eastern Ohio, he was instrumental in acquiring land that led to the creation of 2 communities, called Blackfork & Polk Patch, that became a haven for runaway slaves and Native Americans who were escaping the Trail of Tears before the Emancipation Proclamation & the Civil War. He would join the Union Army during the Civil War to fight as well.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, my dad’s side of the family was instrumental in the fight for Civil Rights, and the protection of black owned heir property in the South. My Grandmother helped many black families read and interpret their contracts and tax forms by holding meetings in her home and family property because she had completed her education in time when most blacks in the area had been prevented from doing so. My Uncle Robert Howard was a Civil Rights leader who not only worked directly with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, but was one of the men that Dr. King was scheduled to meet in the week following when had been assassinated. Robert Howard had fought for equality in education. My dad went from picking cotton as a boy to becoming one of the top executives in the oil & gas industry. My dad and his brothers all played baseball, and they grew up playing on the field that Chadwick Boseman was filmed on in the Jackie Robinson movie “42”.

What should our readers know about your business?
As a Financial Representative with Western & Southern Life I get the opportunity to help individuals and small businesses develop and execute plans for success. Only 11% of the American public has a financial plan. Of the 11% of the public that has a financial plan, less than half understand the plan and are operating within the plan correctly. Consequently, 89% of the American public doesn’t have a financial plan at all. The lack of personal financial planning has also impacted small businesses because only 25% of small businesses survive past the first generation of leadership, and so 75% of small businesses fail after the initial leadership leaves. I have over 25 years of professional experience, and 2o years of my experience has been within operations management. My experience is what sets me apart from others because I know what concerns the business owner while understanding the stresses of the individual employees. It was a challenge of communicating how I identify with the customers at first, and that is why I joined the Services Cooperative Association.

The Services Cooperative Association is a business development Co-Op organization that is chartered by the city of Houston to help develop business owners through teaching and mentorship. They helped evolve my communication so I could take what was in my head and convey it effectively to my prospective customers. They also helped me to be comfortable in my own skin, and develop my self-worth. The Services Cooperative Association is actually the first women’s business incubator in the history of the United States, and have been around for 39 years.

While working the Services Cooperative Association I took a step back form the financial services industry to develop my skills, and I became an Assistant Director of infection control at a hospital during the Covid lockdown of 2020. I had a 100 member staff spread over 11 locations. During my tenure I met with patients, and even prayed with them. Most of the problems the patients were facing were the financial concerns while in the hospital, and not being able to stay the recommended time because they couldn’t afford to stay. Some patients had some coverage, and a lot didn’t have anything. Most of the patients had spent their financial focus on their health insurance coverage only for their cost of healthcare. I knew that there were other options to help people within the financial industry beyond health insurance, but people needed education on what to do as much as they needed policies to cover costs.

The training I had received from the Services Cooperative Association, and the recent experience at the hospital, I was inspired to come back to the industry because I didn’t want people to go through what I had witnessed. My goal became to educate first, then provide services, and I accomplish both goals with Western & Southern Life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would first have my best friend stay at my house, and then I would take them to the best soul food restaurant in Houston called Larry & Laney’s Soul Food in the Westchase District in Houston, TX. I would take him to Hershey Park which runs a long Buffalo Bayou. A great relaxed place to hang out at the end of the day is this Nigerian/Jamaican after 6pm lounge called Naija in the Westchase District.

The next day we would head for downtown Houston to see the sights and sounds. First we would stop at the best French Restaurant in the city for breakfast called La Tartine. Then we would enjoy the Buffalo Bayou Boat Tour which would give us a good tour and history of downtown Houston. We’d stop for lunch at Stuff’d Wings which serves stuffed fried chicken wings. Then we’d head towards the Houston Discovery Green, and possibly catch the Houston Astros or Dynamo games. Then we’d have dinner at The Grove at Discovery Green.

We’d go to Galveston, TX. While in Galveston, we’d visit the Moody Gardens resort, go to the Boardwalk, and then go to the Strand in Galveston. While in the Strand, we’d go to the Tremonte Hotel for lunch and drinks in the rooftop lounge overlooking Galveston Harbor, and then have a tour of the Galveston Seawall. Ultimately, we’d have an early dinner at Shearn’s Steakhouse and Seafood at the top of the Moody Gardens Hotel.

Some other places we would visit during my friend’s stay would be Herman Park, the Houston Zoo, and on Thursday we’d catch a football game at the University of Houston.

Finally, on Friday we would have dinner at Ebony Food & Music in the Westchase District.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank my wife and my sons for being a support for my life. I am thankful for my mom & dad for providing me with principles and their love that has guided my life. I am thankful to The Fountain Of Praise for supporting my business, my books, and my community projects. I am thankful to Dr. Paul Denman for his mentorship and partnering with me on community mental health development projects. I am thankful for Tribe Family Channel CEO Beverly Black for taking a chance on me hosting financial podcasts on her network, being a constant sounding board for ideas, and always challenging me to push the line of flexibility for what I can be. I am thankful for Sharon King and her promotion of my work.

Website: https://www.westernsouthern.com/wslife/financial-representatives/elliot-howard-564910

Instagram: jelliothoward_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelliothoward/

Twitter: twitter.com/Jelliot72688

Facebook: www.facebook.com/elliot.howard.7

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/elliot-howard-western-and-southern-life-houston

Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/JElliotHoward

Other: Hard Drive Publishing Author’s page- https://hdcampbell3.wixsite.com/my-site/elliot-howard

Image Credits
My son Jerry Elliot Howard, Jr. My wife Tamika Howard Organization: UH Cougar Connection/NIA City of Houston

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