Steve Jones has been a force in Hollywood for two-decades while flying largely under the radar. Now, the multi-hyphenate marketing executive, producer, and author is stepping into the spotlight, and he’s bringing a roadmap with him.
Jones’ start in the industry came by chance, but was driven by sharp instincts. As a student, he spotted a major opportunity when Destiny’s Child’s album leaked online. In the early days of the internet, record labels were scrambling to figure out digital damage control. Jones recognized the gap, took initiative and contacted Music World, and eventually Mathew Knowles. He offered to scrub the album from the internet landing him an internship with Knowles’s company—his first step into the business.
Jones told BLACK ENTERPRISE about working with stars like Jennifer Lopez and Brandy, producing high-profile content for the Oprah Winfrey Network and channeling years of experience into his debut book, Hollywood Confidential: 12 Secrets to Becoming the Star of Your Own Life.
Part memoir and part self-help, the book, which comes out May 6, is an insider’s guide for anyone looking to pursue their passion, especially Black creatives navigating an industry where equity programs are under attack.
“There weren’t resources for people like me when I started,” Jones says. “Now, I want to double down on uplifting and informing the next generation.”
Jones isn’t just reflecting on his legacy, he’s building one. And this time, he’s doing it in full view.
BLACK ENTERPRISE: Why was it important for you to create this roadmap for success?
Steve Jones: I just believe there’s a disparity between white creatives and Black creatives. There are gatekeepers, or there’s a lack of resources available. I thought it was my job, my responsibility, my call to give back in this way and create this roadmap and blueprint for success.
Each section of the book begins with an affirmation and personal anecdotes. What was your creative process for connecting those dots?
Brandy and I became friends, and she gifted me a journal for my birthday. It allowed me to get my thoughts out onto paper and then let God take it from there.
Next thing you know, I started writing affirmations. Then I started posting quotes on social media, and those started going viral. I felt like I could offer up some affirmations and personal anecdotes that might shift the trajectory of someone’s life—or just simply shift their mindset.
Hollywood Confidential is such a powerful space—full of wisdom passed down from experts and legends. Some people overlook those who came before them, but you chose to highlight them. Why?
So many people [in entertainment] weren’t successfully entering or landing their dreams. That was my priority: figuring out how to provide tools, information and resources. Then I thought, we could do two things at once. What if the information, the tools, the resources could come from legends in Hollywood who are willing to give of their time?
A line that really stood out to me was about having the “bravery to prioritize the fulfillment of your dreams.” What does that kind of bravery look like on a day-to-day basis?
It’s moving with intention. It’s about figuring out your “why,” knowing your North Star, and then setting and defending boundaries around that North Star so that you are prioritized.
You can be of service to others, but you have to prioritize the fulfillment of your own dreams above everything else. Because once you get where you want to go, then you have a bigger platform and more resources to give back to the next generation.
The book is broken into 12 chapters: “Courage,” “Optimism,” “Nuance,” “Faith,” “Ingenuity,” “Detachment,” “Endurance,” “Negativity,” Tenacity,” “Intention,” “Allergy,” “Authenticity,” and “Luminosity.” Which one was the most important to you on your journey?
Nuance.
We’re conditioned to believe that we can only do one thing at a time, but the reality is, we’re multidimensional, multifaceted human beings. If I had only stayed a marketing executive, I never would’ve become a television executive. I never would’ve grown into a journalist or a host, because I would’ve had too many limiting beliefs. I think we’re conditioned to lean into those limiting beliefs. That chapter, to me, really has the power to shift lives.
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