A conversation with Jason Frost

Interview by King Brooks

Richard Gross is an African-American businessman hailing from Alpharetta, Georgia. With five-plus years of entrepreneurial experience in various fields., Rich strongly believes that if you have breath in your body, you are a free and powerful individual. He has a passion and desire to see the people in America that look like him be treated as fully equal citizens. Rich hopes that this Journal will help to catalyze socio-economic change in America.

“I praise you because I’m fearfully and wonderfully made, that your worship is wonderful. I know that full well.”

Psalms 139, verse 14

The Heat Seekers: What inspired the name? How did the idea for this unique Journal come about?

Richard Gross: When I thought of the Journal, I was making $10 an hour behind the front desk with Jim, with a master’s degree. I always knew that I had a lot of good ideas. And when this idea came along, I thought, what if I could create a system that would allow people with ideas, like myself, to store and organize each idea at their leisure. So, I immediately went to work designing it, and because I have a background in graphic design, I could give all the technical input, from the cover to colors, etc. I came up with the money to have my prototype done, which was only $110. Back then, that was a lot. The name is taken from the Freedmen’s Bureau. After the Emancipation Proclamation was made law, there was an organization put in place by Abraham Lincoln to ensure that newly freed slaves would have an equal opportunity as American citizens. There was some effectiveness, but America was being America, so when Lincoln was assassinated, the organization wasn’t put back into operational status. The Freedmen’s Journal picks up where the Bureau left off to ensure that black and brown people can use their ideas to give them an equal footing in this country.

THS: How do you avoid burning out?

RS: First, ensure I find myself and surround myself with good people. That’s, that’s when I need to be around people. I also do things that I find enjoyable. I’m a musician, and I like playing my bass guitar. Shoot, I like working out. I go to the gym often. If anything, just get on the treadmill for five minutes. I don’t burn out because I take the time to focus on myself.

THS: What are the five rules to success in business?

RS: Know who you are and what you want. Two, explore your creativity. Figure out what you are good at. Three, have the right people around you. Four, understand that you have to be tried and put through the fire if you are going to do something substantial. That’s how we grow, and growth can be uncomfortable. Five, understand that God doesn’t want you to live stressed out, nor does he want you to live in guilt. So, by all means, shake that off.

THS: What do you want entrepreneurs to get from using this Journal?

RS: The Freeman’s Journal is a system that will allow them, no matter their education level. They take that idea and write it down. The system will take them through a process of turning that idea into something that can make them money. They will be given tasks to work on to help bring the ideas to reality. Your idea might change as you grow. There is a glossary of over 200 business terms for you to learn. The Journal is a great tool to support any crazy idea they might have.

THS: What is the hardest part of branding your business?

RS: The most challenging part about branding my business is finding what to say. I don’t have a problem talking to people because I like people. I have to get around the right people. Sometimes I can exhaust my vocabulary, and I have to find ways to keep things interesting.

THS: What is next for Richard Gross?

RS: Well, our mission is to empower black entrepreneurs. We are having a Juneteenth Business Festival at Rosa L Bernie Park. It will be live performances and opportunities for black businesses to set up shop as vendors to serve the community. We will have workshops for everyone. There will be a kid zone as well. People from all over Atlanta are coming to celebrate Juneteenth with us. It’s going to be a good time. We will start promoting it soon.

THS: How can entrepreneurs purchase the Journal?

RS: You can get the Journal at www.freemansjournal.us

THS: Thank you for sharing your time, your spacing, your energy.