Today we’d like to introduce you to Montez Jones.
Hi Montez, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started training and speaking in the US Air Force. As a cop in the Air Force we had “guardmount,” (cops come-on shift meeting). Sometimes in guardmount, the Flight Chief would choose people to do training on handcuffing procedures or weapons efficiency, etc. If you were new to the team, it was mandatory to train during guardmount. This was my introduction to speaking and training. I cross trained into what was then Military Equal Opportunity; it has since merged with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) in the Air Force. This career field taught me teach difficult subjects like sexual harassment and discrimination.
As I progressed in my career, I received another position teach Airmen Leadership School. All the E4s in the Air Force have to attend an Airmen Leadership School before they are promoted to E5. This 6-week course teaches leadership, speaking and communication skills, and human relations skills. This is where I found my niche to facilitate. THIS IS WHERE I BECAME A TEACHER AND NOT JUIST AN INSTRUCTOR! I went back to the Equal Opportunity Career field and retired after 26 years of service. Slightly before I retired, I asked myself the question, “What do you want to do when you get out?” As I went through the transition program through the Air Force I decided to start a company, TEZ JONES Training Solutions LLC. I started it because the job offers were not flooding in. I was asking myself, “I thought companies liked hiring veterans?” Once I officially retired, there were a lot of denials and no jobs flooding in for this veteran. This was a rough time for me; retirement, going through a divorce, and my son was going off to college. But there was a bright light! Before I retired, I completed a True Colors Workshop for a group of Army Commanders… Yes, an Air Force person teaching Army Commanders.
We had fun and they learned a great deal about themselves, their surrounding leaders, and about how they communicate (how they intake, put out, and ignore information). Once I retired, I forgot about the class because I had so many other things on my mind. I received a call from Mrs. Sherry Blake, who bought me to teach the Army Commanders and she said we want everyone to go through the workshop. We want the entire building to be “Colorized.” I was known as the “True Colors Guy” not TEZ JONES Training Solutions LLC. I eventually received a job with the Fort Worth Army Corps of Engineers as an EEO Specialist. Back in my wheelhouse and learning the Army system. I still had my company, but I was not doing much with it. I was still doing True Colors, just not being paid for it. Then I remembered that I taught John Maxwell’s “Developing the Leader Within” while deployed to Afghanistan to Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines. I decided to look into John Maxwell a little deeper. Once I learned they had a certification, then I knew I had to be certified. Once I was certified I turn all the leadership experience, training, teaching, speaking, and what I thought was coaching into the TEZ JONES Training Solutions LLC. I was not just the “True Colors Guy” anymore. Now TEZ JONES Training Solutions LLC is a consulting company that consults by speaking, teaching, and coaching. We also are True Colors and Maxwell DISC Consultants. We assist individuals, companies and corporations in going from their “here” to their “there” through growth sessions. We have a worldwide team that we can call on at any time. We want to be a piece of your leadership puzzle.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I believe everyone needs development training to grow and everyone also needs a coach to bring out what is in them. So when people say “no” or “we don’t need it” then I have to understand that. No business owner wants to be told no even if we know we can help them. In the military, we direct and mentor; I have learned to be an Executive Coach. This took a different mindset. Bookkeeping is not my strength so I had to make enough money to hire someone to keep my books. Other struggles come in when you have to get through the gatekeepers to talk with the decision-maker. You sell your products and services better than anyone else.
As you know, we’re big fans of TEZ JONES Training Solutions. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We specialize in personal and professional growth through leadership training, coaching, speaking, and consulting. As an Executive Director with the John Maxwell Team, we assist your organization in becoming a high-performance, non-leader-dependent team. We teach 8th graders and up about values and persistence so they can make the world a better place. We give teachers a break by coming to the class virtually or in-person to speak students. In 2018, we had a conducted interactive sessions in 5 Arlington schools for five weeks. We taught Attitude, Growth, and Commitment to name a few. This was sponsored by Texas Live. In 2019, we conducted another five-week program in two Arlington schools.
In 2020, during COVID, we mentored the AVID Senior Class at Seguin High School in Arlington for almost the entire year. We also teach Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion along with Bias classes. We try to get participants to understand that our Maxwell DISC Assessments, Leading in a Multigenerational Workforce Workshop, and Emotional Intelligence Workshops are diversity. I am proud of our Maxwell DISC Assessments and True Colors assessments. In both, we have a College Assessment. During my time in the Arlington Schools, I used the Maxwell College Assessment. It allows the student, parent, and teacher to see how the student is wired (personality), their communication style, their learning style and thinking style to name a few aspects. Then it goes on to have a career match; what careers need that person’s natural talents and gifts.
Additionally, it has a 360-degree component attached to it. For the Arlington Schools, I combined all the student’s reports into an Executive Report for the teachers so they could quickly see the different aspects of their students. We have eight different Maxwell DISC assessments and four different True Colors assessments. We have one for every walk of life from 8 grade and up. TJTS is also a SHRM Recertification Provider. That is one thing that sets us apart. Additionally, having John Maxwell as a mentor and having six coaches plus a worldwide team sets us apart. Lastly, we have expanded and branched out to teach “Think and Grow Rich” and “As a Man Thinkth” as well as Domestic Violence Interactive Training to the soldiers and civilians employees at Fort Hood. Teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to the City of Vickburg Mississippi Staff and speaking at the Global Strike Command’s Equal Opportunity Conference. We have partnered with other companies to teach Bias at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). While working beside UTA, I have worked with the TRIO Program Staff and campers. It has been a fun ride but it ain’t over.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Business is a journey. There are a lot of tolls that have to be paid. Once you stop paying the tolls then the journey is over. My dream wants ALL of me and life is a series of ups and downs. You are going to fall but it’s all about what you learn when you fall and how quickly you get back up and not do the same thing that made you fall.
Pricing:
- Maxell DISC Assessments/True Colors Assessments with debrief $150
- Student Success Assessments (8th grade) $75
- Coaching $250 hour
Contact Info:
- Email: info@tjts14.com
- Website: www.tjts14.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montezjones/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TJTS14
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tezj1970
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvHgpnUCHxDUovfsrmnEZfw
