LESSONS from LEADERS: Julius Hollis

This podcast will help you understand why the name Julius Hollis needs to be included when anyone discusses business pioneers from Atlanta, GA. 

Julius Hollis describes himself as a "proud product of Atlanta" but he's actually more than that.  He's actually someone who understood what a person is supposed to do when he is the recipient of something priceless, like a legacy.  Julius is one of those rare people who never took the people around him for granted.  

Former Atlanta Mayor and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Andrew Young gave him his first full-time job and his relationship to the Black godfather of Hollywood was important enough that he was interviewed by Netflix in a documentary about Clarence Avant.  He is a graduate of Morehouse College and considers himself mentored by the man who is credited with forming the intellectual foundation of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, Dr. Benjamin Mays. 

However, most people think of him as a businessman or banker.  Those are both accurate descriptions.   He spent years working for the Export-Import Bank in Washington, D.C. before moving back to Atlanta to help his brother, Michael, make history by founding Air Atlanta.  The airline was a bold endeavor that stopped flying in 1987. After it ended, the brothers went their separate ways.  

But Julius took all of the experience and advice poured into him from his childhood, his family and his mentors and began sourcing mega-deals.  Some were with power companies and brought stable access to utilities to people in the Caribbean.  Others were in Africa and helped developing nations do a better job of standing independently.  All showed his master negotiating skills and heart for underserved communities all over the world.  

One true key to his success is his understanding of what it truly means to be interconnected and how effectively applying that civil rights concept to commerce can be life-changing.