Real Moms, Real Talk: Janeane Davis, President/CEO – James, Davis & Associates

C: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you got started in business?

JANEANE: I was a girl from West Philadelphia, came from a regular old poor family and I wanted to go to college. My position was that my parents couldn’t afford to pay for me to go. So I knew I had to work and go to school at the same time. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. So I got a job studying business and met my husband (both tutors in college). We got married a year before I graduated college, when I was twenty-three. It took me longer than most people to finish school (about seven years) because I was paying for it myself. When I had money, I took five classes. When I didn’t, I took one class. But it taught me that if you really want something, then you go out and get it.

After that I went to law school and that was fun because I didn’t have to work. I had my husband to take care of me so all I had to do was go to school and have fun being a student. I ended up starting my own law firm when I graduated from law school because my little girl was born during my last year in law school. If I had gone to work for a firm, I would’ve been working 70-80 hours a week. I’d never see her, I’d never see my husband. So working my own business gave me the flexibility I needed. I still had to put in 70-80 hours. But the difference was that I could put those hours in at home as opposed to the office. I can’t even tell you how many briefs I wrote while nursing children, how many conference calls I made while changing diapers. My children have all been to court and talked to the judges and things like that. But I think when it’s something that has to get done, ‘you just put your big girl panties on’ and do it.

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8 Comments

  • Cocoamommy
    December 5, 2012 at 2:28 AM

    Janeane all around great advice on balancing work,marriage and kids. I just had the same conversation tonight. Cool that your kids have their own blogs, my son loves to write so you just gave me an idea. I loved the interview definitely inspiring! Bravo, Shades, Bravo

    • Christine St.Vil
      December 6, 2012 at 4:31 AM

      I completely agree Cocaomommy! She is doing some awesome things, and so glad she shared all of her great advice with us.

  • T. Espi
    December 5, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    Awesome interview. I can only imagine what that conversation was like LOL. I love that all of your kids have blogs. I’d love more info about how the five year olds do with that. I have a five year old and the child never. stops. talking. If I could get him to put some of those words somewhere else I can only imagine how much quieter my nights might be *dare to dream* LOL

    • Christine St.Vil
      December 6, 2012 at 4:29 AM

      LOL. I really liked the idea of the kids…especially the 5-year-olds…having a blog. I will definitely start one for my son. I think it would be a fun thing for us to do together. 🙂

  • Hanifah Munadi
    December 5, 2012 at 5:13 AM

    Beautiful interview. Powerful Sister. True testimony of will and determination.

    • Christine St.Vil
      December 5, 2012 at 4:06 PM

      Thanks so much Hanifah! She really is an inspiration and it was my pleasure to interview her.

  • Uneeka Jay
    December 9, 2012 at 5:08 AM

    “And the reality is that if I want to work uninterrupted, I have to wait for bedtime. I try to work my life around theirs instead of the reverse, otherwise we’ll all be miserable.” This is so powerful! This is my truth also. Our house is so full of life that I have to wait until every eye is closed before I can even focus.

    • Christine St.Vil
      December 10, 2012 at 4:31 AM

      I hear you Uneeka! I’ve had to learn this lesson a few times. But it makes for a more peaceful mommy if I just focus all of my attention on the babies until they don’t need me to focus on them anymore 🙂

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