“I don’t see any job or opportunities in my future.” Those words came out of the mouth of a young, high school student. Those words also introduced a man to his mission, a mission that would provide that young, disenchanted high school student down a different path, a path of opportunity. That man is Christopher Meyer and his mission is ProImpact Group.

Chris was born in Philadelphia, grew up in Connecticut, and later moved to Southern California in 1993. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1985 from George Washington University in Washington D.C. in East Asian Studies and earned his MBA from USC in 1994. Since high school he had an interest in working for the U.S. government in Asia. After five years working in the international division for a US company, Chris joined the US diplomatic corps, as a senior associate for Asia.

By 1997, Chris and his wife Rebecca had two young children. He was missing precious moments at home while he was working internationally. He decided to take a job with a computer accessory company that was small but well connected in the industry with major impact players such as Apple and Dell. That led to Chris starting his own company in 2000, Security-Works. It was a hybrid consulting/product development company. At the same time, he started another business, Asia Global, an in-house supply chain management company to compliment and support Security-Works.

Security-Works’ first client was a manufacturing company in Franklin Park, Illinois. Over a six-year period, Chris helped this company increase revenue from $50M to over $150M with product development and strategic sales channel implementation.

Next, Chris embarked on a project to redesign the old AV cart and along with some very helpful educators (Christine Olmstead, Kelly Kennedy, and Mark Mariola), Security-Works eventually introduced a patented multi-media cart in 2009.

After fifteen years of running his company, technology changed. Google introduced its Chromebook which had a major impact on how the education system used technology. That had a significant bearing on his business. It was time to do something different. Chris knew from the beginning that whatever the new direction would be, it had to make an impact; it had to move the needle.

Chris began his journey by volunteering at a school district’s juvenile facility where he learned how good kids got involved in a life of crime. Part of the problem is that young people in some segments of society are very sheltered and simply don’t see any opportunities for themselves. Chris says the students he mentored in juvenile facilities “are the ones you want on your youth sports teams; they are also the ones you’d want as sales trainees in a start-up.” Unfortunately, there are forces at play in immigrant communities that actively recruit the best and brightest (at an early age) so when it’s not clear what opportunities exist, many of these kids get dragged into situations they come to regret with no off ramps to take.

At the same time, Chris was working with a business consulting firm that scheduled appointments for him with business owners in Orange County, California. Many owners proclaimed today’s young people were “uninterested in working.” He knew that businesses were looking for good people and the young people he knew were in search of an opportunity; to be given a chance. There was a disconnect between the schools and the businesses. Chris being a person of solutions, set out to find his answers. Chris became a business partner for Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs in California. This is a dynamic part of the education system where students can earn certifications in a wide array of in-demand fields. CTE is giving many high school seniors job opportunities that help lift them and their families out of poverty.

Chris got an opportunity to hold a seminar with the top students in a local high school, all of whom were prospective 1^st generation college students. These students accomplished academic success with no help at home and they were ready to take the next step but needed plenty of guidance and information about the options available in higher education. Roamn, a student Chris mentored had already been declined at his first choice in early admissions, but Chris helped him overhaul his applications and the student was accepted to the next five he applied to and wound-up attending USC’s engineering school with a school scholarship and an outside scholarship that included a paid summer job after his freshman year. It was an incredible rush!

Chris decided to create an online mini-course that helps first generation college students position themselves to get accepted to and earn large scholarships from leading colleges and universities; a sort of runway to take off on their new journey and trajectory into life available in a format that is accessible anytime, anywhere. Chris has compiled a database of over 300 schools that will offer scholarships to the right kids. Chris is now reaching out to school districts and offering the online course for free to schools that engage with ProImpact in Train-the Trainer or Let US Do It arrangements. Hopefully the online course will be a great resource for schools that may be hard pressed to find enough qualified college counselors. There’s also an opportunity for businesses to underwrite the services and earn cause marketing benefits in return.

ProImpact Group has two additional services: Authentic U is a service available to high school students to help secure admission to college while alleviating the pressure that goes along with it. American U evangelizes our American colleges and universities globally. The United States has an abundance of high-quality learning institutions that need to be taken advantage of; here and throughout the world. Sometimes they just need to be introduced to potential candidates; including those who never thought that college would ever be an option. Chris just launched a new company website proimpactgroup.com and utilizes social media content that the kids can better relate to in an effort to reach a wider audience.

Starting a new company comes with lots of moving parts: planning, financing, design, development, etc., but probably the two most key elements are faith and courage. I asked Chris what his thoughts were on that subject:

“I believe God is always available when I knock and that I get guidance in all areas of my life when I ask. Faith is like a river with floating logs that you have to navigate to get to the other side; sometimes you have to wait before you jump, but the opportunities always come by if I stay alert. Courage is the confidence to take the next step and do the right thing when the opportunity presents itself. The key is to have a plan. I got a job after college and when I went for the training no one would help me except this one experienced sales rep. It wasn’t much but he gave me a basic plan. I focused on that plan and committed to it. I became very successful. So, make a plan, even a little one, then surrender to it and be adventurous.”

How has your family played into your journey?

“Family is a blessing and creates an opportunity to get plenty of help honing my values. There are a couple of major things I learned along the way. First, take time to spend with your family, and second, try to meet your family where they are. When my children were young, I spent a little too much time on work. I can’t get those lost hours back. Now, it’s important to me to understand where my adult children are. I only know that by listening. I was always good at listening to customers, now I see how vital it is to listen to family.”

Besides your family, who else has inspired you?

“In the 1990’s I was in Washington D.C. working with the Diplomatic Corps. One day I went into a coffee shop and saw Michael Deaver. He had been a Deputy Chief of Staff under Ronald Reagan and a political commentator for NPR. He invited me to sit with him and we talked about things for at least three quarters of an hour. He told me to not stay in a comfortable government job. While you’re young go out there and innovate, and do something you really love-create something. Those words went from his lips to my heart and completely changed the trajectory of my life. Within a year I left my government job and went back to school to get my MBA. Later, at one of the first groups that I volunteered with, The Mary Lind Foundation, I learned that Michael Deaver was one of the non-profits largest donors.

If you could do something about anything, what would that be?

“I want to do something about racism in the United States. One way to do this is by helping 1^st generation college students. I think the fact that our country has a pathway for anyone to bootstrap themselves with education and create a better life, well, this is part of the economic miracle of America! America is a tapestry of people from all over the world with the dynamism that creates…this is what makes America great. How do so many Americans have things backwards today??”

What do you think is the main problem of the nation?

“I noticed some time in the 1990’s the right side of the US political spectrum hardened and radicalized. I honestly believe that anyone on the right who wants to pull the entire structure of democracy down in this country should first move to Russia or China and live there for two years before they do anything.”

What do you think needs to happen for things to be “better”?

“Prayer, lots of prayer.”

Author’s Note:

I usually begin my conversations by asking them to tell me something interesting about themselves. Chris responded by telling me that he was growing 6 lemon trees and 6 avocado trees from seed. Next, he wants to graft them and plant them so they will produce much fruit. I didn’t think much about it since I’ve had some pretty unusual answers to that question, but his response stuck with me. It was a few days later when I realized why. His something interesting was a metaphor and a great summary for his article. The lemon and avocado trees were not the normal tomato and green pepper plants that most people plant-something like seeking scholarships for underserved populations are not the normal population that tend to be served. Then there is the nurturing to help the plant grow-I don’t think that needs to be explained. And finally, grafted and replanted so the trees can produce great fruit. Mr. Christopher Meyer is a man who has it in him to seek out something different, nurture and train the trees to grow and spread everywhere. I think we need more people like him to be planting more lemon and avocado trees.