Our correspondent recently caught up with the founder, owner and editor-in-chief of TALL GLASS OF JEWELS, Jeral ‘JD’ Davis aka “JD”. He is a retired professional basketball player, a philanthropist and entrepreneur. Below are the details of our brief chat with him.

What is your name?

My name is Jeral Davis but most people call me “JD”

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

I have always wanted to own and run my own business one day, but what really motivated me was when I got a season ending injury. I realized that basketball will not last forever and that I needed something else that will give me the freedom to live life and the financial freedom to afford the things I want and still be able to help others.

As a former professional athlete what’s your advice for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps.

Consistency is key! You must remain consistent in your craft, practice all the time, be the last to leave the court after practice. Make things a habit and never quit. Mistakes and misses are lessons to only get better. Seek out other ways to generate income because basketball is not a long career. Educate your self, read books and learn as much as you can with your downtime.

A lot of young people see you as a role model, how do you stay focused and what’s your advice to kids?

I would say what keeps me grounded and focused is my family and my circle of friends. My advice to kids would be to follow your intuition and your dreams. Never be put into a box because you are so much more than you know. Be consistent and consistency breeds success. Success is what you make it.

Tell us about your yourself, companies and services.

I’m originally from Toledo Ohio born and raised. I never played organized basketball until I was 19. Moved around a lot due to basketball since I was 18. Lived in the DMV area and gained all of my basketball skills during that time. Went to four different colleges due to basketball as well. So I got to meet a lot of people. I enjoy reading, hiking and learning new information. The companies I run are a Social Media Marketing business and a Dog kennel. I help others with everything that pertains to social media growth. I also own a blog Tall Glass Of Jewels.

To date, what is your most meaningful accomplishment and why?

I would say buying my own home is my most meaningful accomplishment, because I’ve never owned something and as a family we always rented when I was growing up.

What has been your biggest lesson learned in business and in the entertainment industry?

My biggest lesson is that that business is ever changing. And that the only thing constant is change. You have to constantly stay in the know, learn new things, try new ideas. Knowledge is a continuous process and learning especially in this millennium where everything keeps changing and new as technology grows one has to keep up with the times to stay relevant in business. And with new tech, new algorithms are put into place and you must learn quickly to get ahead and survive the stiff competition.

What advice would you give someone who seeks to become an entrepreneur?

My favorite word, stay consistent and always listen to your gut. Never let the nay sayer derail you from your goal(s). Learn as much about business as possible. Learn how to read contracts. You are your own boss so you have to stay self motivated.

Where would you like to see TALL GLASS OF JEWELS in the next five years?

I would like to see it being a household name and brand that continues to help and educate people on things they usually don’t care about but which is necessary. Really just becoming better is my goal.

Do you have any upcoming projects or initiatives you would like people to know about?

As of yet no I don’t. I’m so busy with building my businesses and with what all I have going on now. I just want to relax and have peace of mind.

We wish you the best in your projects and endeavors. It has been nice chatting with you.

I thank you for having me for this interview.