FLINT, Michigan -- Flint native Jonathan Quarles has always been interested in solving problems.
As a successful social entrepreneur, the ethos that he cultivated as a kid growing up in Civic Park was spurred to action in the face of the 2014 Flint water crisis. Quarles launched Quartz Water Source, an organization that views itself as a second line clean water solution that supplements, not replaces, municipal water anywhere it is needed. Quartz also has a donor-advised fund called Water to the People for people interested in helping fight the global water crisis. The fund is managed through the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. Proceeds from an apparel line from Flints Eight One Zero brand support the fund.
We want to be the hub for any community in the world to have clean drinking water and access to clean water, Quarles said.
After graduating from Florida A&M University, Quarles worked in private and public sector jobs and founded The BTL Group, a business development and relationship management platform. Quarles has also been a fellow from the Aspen Institute, German Marshall Fund, and the
Global Entrepreneur Summit. He was honored by Ebony Magazine, Black Enterprise, D
Business Magazine as 30 under 30, and Crains Detroit Business as 40 under 40.
His first book, Making Dollars While Making Change: A Playbook for Game Changers, will be available on Amazon on January 7, 2021, and has already sold out pre-order copies.
Were going to be doing some cool things that are very Flint-centric, Quarles said. The first place well be delivering the book to is Comma Bookstore downtown.
Quarles talked with Flintside about his background, growing up in Flint, his career, and the process he went through writing his book.
Flintside: Tell me a little bit about your background in Flint. What neighborhood did you grow up in?
Jonathan Quarles: I actually grew up in Civic Park and went to Sobey Elementary, which is closed now, Whittier Middle School, which is closed now, and graduate from Flint Northern, which is also closed.
I turned 18 and went off to school in Florida at Florida A&M University and got my MBA there and from there started working and eventually moved back to Detroit.
Flintside: How did the city shape you as a person and your career? What does it mean to you to be from here?
Jonathan Quarles: It means a lot. Flint taught me grit, persistence, community. The idea that to whom much is given, much is expected. It also kind of set a bar high for me so that when I left, I realized that I have to come back but also that every day, everything that I do in life, its a representation of Flint. You dont ever want to do anything to embarrass home.
That inspired the whole start of Quartz Water Source and inspired the book. All throughout the book, I talk about lessons I learned growing up in Flint. I was in a gang. I lived kind of two realities. One part was, I grew up knowing that because my family came from humble beginnings, I realized the only way we could get out of poverty was to create ownership and be able to own our own future. That was one part, but in the midst of that, in order for me to get out and go to college and do things, I had to be safe. So in the late 80s/early 90s when gangs were really rampant, for me, I had to walk to the bus. So there were a lot of dangerous places I had to walk through and experience, so being a part of a gang gave me an association that protected me while I was going back and forth while my parents were at work.
Flint taught me that having character, doing business and being a person of honor and integrity, are so important. Flint is not a big city, so if youve done something wrong, your reputation spreads throughout the community, so its important to be a man or woman of your word and do things honorably. You burn someone, you wont ever be able to do business with anyone else or be friends with anyone else because people talk.
Flintside: What was it that sparked that interest in business for you? You mentioned seeing it as a way to escape poverty, but just general interest-wise, what drew you to the business and entrepreneurial world?
Jonathan Quarles: Ive always had this ability to connect with people and Ive always been a problem-solver. I always looked at business as solving problems. I might have been like 5 or 6 or something, and I started a detective agency. I made business cards out of cardboard and literally had binoculars and flashlights and would go around the community spying on people. That was, in my mind, solving a problem to help make the community safer.
It really wasnt until I was a paperboy. In my paper route, I had one territory and there was another person who quit, so I was given an opportunity to expand. So at one point, I was actually one of the highest grossing paperboys in Flint. So from that point, I started really seeing how to build a business, and started bringing in all my friends to kind of help roll up papers and deliver them in the morning.
You had to interact with people too. Back then, you had to knock on doors and ask people to increase or have their monthly or yearly subscription. It actually developed a muscle in me. I learned how to be persistent at the age of 8, 9, 10.
So it was just seeing how money could grow, and you could actually start from nothing and solve problems and close deals. The greatest feeling used to be when people would say, Yes, Ill get a new subscription. That was everything to me, and I just felt super accomplished.
So I translated that into starting a t-shirt company, a printing company, I had a janitorial business, I had all of these different hustles. I love the idea of starting something from nothing and seeing it flourish, but also I wanted to have money. A lot of my friends sold drugs or did things that are illegal, but I didnt do that because I had a mother and father that were very involved in my life. So I had to figure out other hustles in order to grow money. That was my way of trying to build wealth so I could get my parents out of the neighborhood we grew up in and then be able to provide for my future family.
Flintside: With your book being available in January, what was it like for you sitting down to write your own story? Did you learn anything from that process?
Jonathan Quarles: I had actually been, in my mind and kind of casually, been writing my book for about three years. Because of COVID-19, it allowed me to sit still. Previous to COVID-19, the work that I do requires a lot of travel internationally and domestically.
In 2017, I wrote in my journal that I want to be an author, but I dont have time and I dont think Im a great writer. I struggled with those insecurities. But being stuck in a house in February, I started just journaling. I had an outline for Making Dollars While Making Change, and what I found is I just started getting in a flow.
Writing also became therapy. I was having some anxiety issues from being stuck in a house and not being able to go anywhere. I dont know if Ive ever actually been in the house every day for a whole week without leaving. Writing let me release myself.
The book is half memoir and half playbook that intersects business and social impact. The first half, I talked about seeing my best friend get murdered when I was younger. I talked about things that Id never really opened up about publicly and allowed myself to be vulnerable and even talked about my anxiety I was dealing with for the first time in my life. I talked about how important mental health is, and how I started seeing a therapist.
The book to me, when I got in a groove with it and started finding my voice, I just couldnt stop writing.
Flintside: Things like mental health are topics that just dont get talked about, especially in poor cities or in majority Black cities like Flint. How important is it for you to share your experiences in the book with not just a wider audience, but also an audience in your hometown?
Jonathan Quarles: Thats probably my favorite part of my book. For African Americans, particularly in poor communities, historically mental health has been something thats really taboo. We dont really talk about it or address it, or were not really informed about it.
I talk about mental health and how to address it, as well as the things we should be putting into our bodies. I talk about my diet, and natural plants and herbs that stimulate our bodies, drinking a lot of water, exercising. I exercise 4-5 times per week, but as Im getting older, Im realizing that my body is functioning better than a lot of people my age because of overall health and wellness being a priority.
Flintside: Your book sold out of pre-order copies. How did it make you feel to know theres so much interest in your story out there?
Jonathan Quarles: It feels good. I sent my manuscript to a few people just to get their thoughts and feedback, and everything has been positive. Reading the reviews has really touched my heart, because again, I never thought I was a good writer. I had to find my voice. Because Im a business person for the most part, I usually write like business documents. The book is not just a business book, its an overall personal development book. I had to be more creative, more descriptive, talk about how I felt, what stuff tasted like, what did I see.
In writing a book, you have to expand and provide more details and be creative.
Flintside: One of the things about Flint in every generation of people from here, theres always people who have big dreams and big goals. Now that youre established in your career, what advice would you give to young people growing up here now, who are sitting in some of the same spots you were and have their own big dreams?
Jonathan Quarles: I think theres a couple of things. One, its so important to have a good support system. People who support you through good and bad, and who celebrate small wins as well as big wins. A lot of times we get so busy trying to accomplish these bigger goals or vision, but every day has small wins to celebrate and a support system is important.
I also think health and wellness is certainly important. The reason why I eat the way I do is the work I do every day requires a lot of thinking. So I need food that is a helping hand or complement to those tools I need for peak performance.
Discipline is extremely important. Every morning, I have the same routine. Every night before I go to sleep, I meditate and reflect on the day. Im always intentional about creating magic in peoples lives, whether thats through my work or whether its just being outside.
I would also always say persistence. When youre thinking about game-changers or entrepreneurs, youre going to fall, there are going to be a lot of nos, a lot of peaks and valleys. But being persistent in the midst of triumph or disaster is something that defines those that succeed.
Success to me is not money or awards or accomplishments. Success to me is love, is having a family that you can appreciate and spend time with, is doing something thats bigger than yourself and impacting the world. You may not actually reap the rewards from it, but generations to come will.
Flintside: You have a passion to do things or contribute to things that have some societal or public good attached to them. You dont always see that in the business world, where a lot of the focus is just on how much money you can make. How did you blend those two passions?
Jonathan Quarles: At a very young age, my dad always instilled in me to whom much is given much is expected. He said that he needed me to never work for anyone, because I always had this mindset of ownership and a little bit of stubbornness. I have my way and I want to figure out how to make it happen.
You never forget where you come from. I want to be successful so that I can help more people. Jay-Z said, I cant help the poor if Im one of them. So for me, my motivation for being a successful businessman is to make a profit, because you obviously have to be profitable so your business lasts. But for me, I want to be as successful as possible so that I dont have to ask the government or someone else to do something for my community that I can do myself.
What are you doing for others? Thats what I learned in the church I attended growing up. Whatre you doing to serve people? For me, my lifes mission is to be thoroughly used. When I die, I want to be remembered as someone who was thoroughly used. What you do for other people is what lasts.
Excerpt from:
Everything that I do in life, it's a representation of Flint - Flintside
- Intentional Community and Capitalism - Shareable - April 10th, 2024 [April 10th, 2024]
- How alternative communities have evolved from pacifist communes to a solution to the ageing population - The Conversation - March 12th, 2024 [March 12th, 2024]
- Georgia Power Announced T. Dallas Smith named to Georgia ... - All On Georgia - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- CSRWire - Thought Leaders Gather for Critical Community ... - CSRwire.com - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- EPA centers diversity with first-ever environmental youth advisory council - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Rigor, Relevance, & Reality: Education Collaboratory at Yale ... - Yale School of Medicine - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Gaza: UN experts call on international community to prevent ... - ReliefWeb - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Fathering Together Announces Acquisition of City Dads Group - PR Web - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Company to pay over $50 million in largest environmental lawsuit settlement in D.C. history: Health risks to the public - Yahoo News - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Student death is now part of the routine at Middlebury - The Middlebury Campus - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- We welcomed an abandoned dog into our family. But dog dumping ... - Kansas Reflector - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The National Climate Assessment Goes Woke - Dallasweekly - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- A Conversation about History, Race and the Meaning of True ... - Philanthropy Roundtable - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- The color of community | WORLD - WORLD News Group - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Kindness has good benefits | News, Sports, Jobs - The Review - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Georgia Power Foundation awards grant for BIG Edge ... - Georgia Southern University Newsroom - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- "Chilling": Maryland lawmakers threaten to cut aid to immigrants ... - Salon - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Three water options come with high cost | News, Sports, Jobs - Evening Observer - November 18th, 2023 [November 18th, 2023]
- Welcome to the Team, Kintan! | Office of Immigrant Affairs - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Recognized for Its DEI Efforts - DSNews.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Fannie Mae Named 'Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion' and ... - Fannie Mae - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Focused on progress - Weekly Challenger - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Good Ancestors and Messengers of Hope - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Make it intentional': 3-N-1 Trinity Services helps young ... - Longview News-Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- 'Latinistas' is the World's First All-Latina Fashion Doll Line - hiplatina.com - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- CSU Releases Findings of Three-Year Research Study on NAVA'S ... - InvestorsObserver - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Press Ganey's Physician of the Year on a cardiology 'game changer ... - Becker's Hospital Review - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- City Officials Join Summer Campers and Local Artists to Kick Off ... - Philadelphia Water Department - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Merrill and Linda Hutchinson on Communication for a Summer of ... - Digital Journal - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Feathers installed as Rotary District Governor | News, Sports, Jobs - The Inter-Mountain - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Theatre at St. Luke's: All Shook Up to The Little Mermaid - Orlando Sentinel - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Culture wars rage on, forcing marketers to decide whether to ... - Marketing Dive - July 11th, 2023 [July 11th, 2023]
- Some thoughts on governance of the local variety - Resilience - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 988 is saving lives, but more awareness and support needed - Alton Telegraph - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- The Limitations of Eco-Anxiety | Atmos - Atmos Magazine - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Welcome Back: How JAPER Becomes Real for the People in Brazil ... - Just Security - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Now Is the Time to Go All In on Heat Pumps - Rocky Mountain Institute - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) celebrates 40th ... - Elizabethton.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Discrimination or bureaucracy? A Jewish community in Germany ... - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- AAP Rules And Guidelines For How To Keep Kids Safe From Cars - Fatherly - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Pine County Sheriff's Report and Jail Roster | Communities ... - Pine City Pioneer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Is a Hanan Ben Ari concert the solution for Jewish divisions? - opinion - The Jerusalem Post - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- What the LGBT wedding website Supreme Court ruling means for ... - The Atlanta Journal Constitution - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Out at CHM hosts its first 2023 event - Windy City Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- 'The time is now': Longtime friends launch support organization for ... - The Lawrence Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- La Vergne Receives Municipal League Award for Excellence in Fire ... - rutherfordsource.com - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- UW System offers status update on its five-year strategic plan (day 1 ... - University of Wisconsin System - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Hawaii Native Krystal Ka'ai Tackles Equity And Anti-Asian Hate For ... - Honolulu Civil Beat - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- News & events / News - Diocese of York - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Businesses that address social or environmental problems often ... - The Conversation - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- EFOC: Is This Happening To Me Because I'm Black? Combating ... - Essence - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Stations Telling Diverse Stories With Sponsored Segments from ... - Next TV - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings ... - The New York Times - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Bungie weighs in on the current argument raging through the ... - PC Gamer - July 6th, 2023 [July 6th, 2023]
- Myanmar: Dire humanitarian and human rights situation ... - OHCHR - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Invest in our public schools - EdNC - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- N.Y. stands up for LGBTQ equality: Having Pride 12 months a year - New York Daily News - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NASCAR, Bubba Wallace bring 'Bubba's Block Party' to Chicago - Daytona Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Fifth Third's 2022 Sustainability Report Shares Progress on Priorities ... - InvestorsObserver - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Top LGBTQ+ Financial Influencers to Learn from in 2023 - Investopedia - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- 'Retirement is so traditional,' try periodic retirement to figure out ... - Morningstar - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people brings federal ... - New Mexico In Depth - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The Astounding Power of Intentional Productivity (And How You Can ... - The Good Men Project - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What SCOTUS ruling on affirmative action means for UL schools - Louisiana Radio Network - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Community managers find the path for developers and players to ... - VentureBeat - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The EPA was ready to clean up 'Cancer Alley.' Then it backed off. - Grist - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- What Bidenomics Means for Workers and Families - UpNorthNews - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- The vital link between a healthy press and our republic - The Fulcrum - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Death, Drag, and Decadence shows off the queer joy of DnD - Wargamer - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Israeli Expats in the U.S.: 'I Speak English, but I Don't Speak American' - Tablet Magazine - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- NTSB hearings end with talks on tanker conditions, fire's aftermath - Marietta Times - June 30th, 2023 [June 30th, 2023]
- Can 'Friendship Clubs' Cure the Loneliness Created by Remote Work? - The San Francisco Standard - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- 'Men in Blazers' Podcast Comes to Higher Ground to Talk Vermont ... - Seven Days - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Mindfulness, breathwork expert preaches value of slow living to Black and brown communities - Yahoo News - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Idaho's physician shortage is here. Here's what we can do about it. - Idaho Capital Sun - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- Awards Ceremony Shines Spotlight on Caltech's Trailblazers in ... - Caltech - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The African American Museum of Iowa Announces Juneteenth ... - River Cities Reader - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- US Supreme Court Rules Against Striking Drivers Who Abandoned ... - Engineering News-Record - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Future of the Thomaston Green is Green (or should be) - PenBayPilot.com - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]
- The Elephant in the Ethernet Port - City Journal - June 4th, 2023 [June 4th, 2023]