J. Archer Insurance reached their goal of 500 votes + shares and won a $10,000 donation from Liberty Mutual and Safeco Insurance for She is a CEO to further their mission of creating opportunities for young girls facing poverty. Congrats to the team and thank you for supporting them!
For much of her life, Johnte’ Archer was afraid to tell her story.
Her mother was a drug addict. Her father was murdered when she was 16. And growing up in the poorest part of Houston, she was always caring for either her mom or her siblings—including a brother who was born prematurely and came home from the hospital addicted to drugs.
At that point, Archer essentially became a mom. She was 8.
After years of fighting to keep everything together for everyone else, and doing well in school for herself, the chaotic environment finally caught up her with around 7th grade. “I was hanging with the wrong crowds, doing the wrong things,” she said. “It took some special people to grab me and tell me I was different.”
The power of her story
Today, she owns J. Archer Insurance Group in Houston—and through her She Is A CEO Foundation, she does the same thing for other girls that those special people did for her.
“It wasn’t until these last few years that I started to realize how much power was in my story,” Archer said. “I founded She Is A CEO to provide opportunity to young girls with stories like mine, and to those who just needed to be inspired to dream again.”
‘I founded She Is A CEO to provide opportunity to young girls with stories like mine.’
—Johnte’ Archer, owner of J. Archer Insurance Group
The nonprofit—and the agency, which is heavily involved in both fundraising and programs—works with girls in 6th through 8th grades at schools that have a large percentage of students facing poverty. She Is A CEO offers a full entrepreneurship academy, fellowship with inspiring CEOs of color, and the chance for girls to be mentored by some of the most successful women in the country. Thousands have been exposed to the programs since 2015.
‘They can dream bigger’
“They are able to see beyond their circumstances and know that they can dream bigger than they ever thought possible,” Archer said.
She Is A CEO had to see beyond its own circumstances in 2020, when COVID-19 changed everything, according to Angela Newkirk, program director.
“Little did I know that the pandemic was just the beginning of a new way to do something remarkable and meaningful,” Newkirk said. “It gave us an important lesson in resilience right along with the girls.”
A virtual transformation
The nonprofit held its annual pitch competition virtually, giving a new wave of little entrepreneurs $1,000 each to start their first small business. A partnership with the Ashley & Adrian Peterson Foundation provided laptops so girls could attend school online. And this year, She Is A CEO has created a full virtual entrepreneurship academy.
A 2021 Make More Happen Award will help She Is A CEO continue this powerful momentum. The award includes a donation of up to $10,000 from Liberty Mutual and Safeco on behalf of J. Archer Insurance Group—money that will be used to provide scholarships and investments for participants.
“The greatest gift I can give these girls is the spirit of entrepreneurship, from the passion to the freedom it provides and everything in between,” Archer said. “I want to bottle it up and hand it out to every girl I meet.”
Vote for this story by using the social media share buttons to add it to your feed, or simply leave a comment below to cheer them on. Then head over to their websites to learn more about She is a CEO and J. Archer Insurance Group.
This is so amazing to see.
Best wishes for the future!
Peel & Holland has my vote! Keep up the great work with Soup for the Soul!
She is a CEO is an incredible and inspirational organization; it truly empowers young women to achieve their goals and fosters their entrepreneurial spirit and confidence.
Thank you so much for making the world a better place!
Great mission to empower your girls to dream big!
This is an awesome endeavor! Keep making a difference for our future leaders!
This is a great value to every community to see such diversity. The benefits will be seen and felt for generations now and in the future.
This is the perfect age range to initiate change. These formative years are crucial!
What a blessing!
I love to see this, so inspired
I wish She is a CEO was around when I was a young lady. This is some thing every entrepreneur should be a part of. I am looking forward to assisting in anyway I can. Both with my time and money Because understanding what it’s like to be an entrepreneur before you become an entrepreneur is the key to success. My mother always said if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Let’s all help these girls plan their futures.
Well deserving organization. Johnte is so genuine and warm and truly walking epitome of the sky is the limit!!
Best wishes you deserve it!!!!
What an inspiration this story is to all young girls. I hope the She is A CEO lives on forever!
Simply love when we invest in our young women! Kudos for promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship!
What a powerful story where our girls can see what they can be through the lens of She Is A CEO!
Guidance is what these young ladies need. Thank you for your program.
Johnte I hope you reach your goal because what your doing is a beautiful blessing
Such an awesome program. What a way to pave the way for these young ladies!
Phenomenal work
This is a great program! Teaching young girls to become entrepreneurs will not only enrich their lives but all those around them.
Great program for young girls to learn about themselves
Wonderful organization with a stellar mission and purpose!
What a transformative organization helping so many young women!
Phenomenal organization helping to uplift the next class of women leaders in a positive and purpose driven way!
Good works are a blessing that inspires others…thank you for your story!
What an amazing organization
Cheering on this transformational vision and work!
Nothing better than giving people an opportunity to excel and thrive!
Amazing!
What a wonderful program providing opportunities and inspiring young women to excel.
Excellent job providing opportunities for the next generation!
What an amazing thing you are doing, Johnte’! Women empowering women! Thank you for being a role model for others and reaching beyond yourself to help other young women see the opportunities in front and ahead of them.
Truely an amazing story and what you are doing is so touching. We need more women to strive for the stars and reaching out to those that may not be reached in other ways is inspiring. Thank you!!!
What a great way to encourage young women and inspire them to be successful, leaders and the best human beings they can be……and a beautiful testimony!
What an amazing non-profit. Something I would send my own daughter to. Great work! Thank you for all you’re doing!
Love to hear African American women using their life stories to motivate! Congratulations already!
Awesomeness!!! Blessings!!!
Ms. Archer… go change the world!!
Great Job Ladies we need more mentors like you in the community. Keep up the good work.
Keep up the good work, Johnte’!!
This is outstanding!
This is fantastic!
Awesome!!
Great job!
This is an awesome organization!!
A truly inspiring program that will change lives! This is great!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this, what a caring spirit you have, Angela this is so exhilarating, we need more of this.
I am so proud of her