About the Editor

 

gresham harkless_smaller copyGresham Harkless Jr. is an entrepreneur and writer.  He has a Bachelor of Arts in English from Howard University, Washington, D.C., and a Masters in Sports Industry Management from Georgetown University, Washington D.C. Most recently, he founded CEO Blog Nation, Exemplary Editing and co-founded Men of Character of Virginia. He is also runs a digital marketing company focusing on website design, SEO and social media called Blue 16 Media. He is a member of Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity,  Sigma Tau Delta International Honor Society and the AmeriCorps Heads Up program. He has been on the grant writing team for Men of Character of Virginia ($1,000), Capital Cause ($3,000) and American Humanics ($100,000). He serves as a consultant for the TC Wallace Foundation board.  One of his favorite quotations is “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.” He is also working on a book. 

16 INTERSTING Things You Should Know

  1. Without a doubt, I’m a “work-a-holic.”  It doesn't seem like work because I love it and I'm extremely passionate about the projects that I work on.  However, at the end of the day life comes down to the number of times you can smile.
  2. My first editing job was a family newspaper I started when I was in 10. I sold year long subscriptions, and I changed the title every month to reflect the theme.
  3. Huge Dallas Cowboys fan, although I grew up in Redskins territory.  They are America’s Team and I have had them winning the Superbowl at the beginning of the year every since I realized there was actually things on TV after 8 P.M. It's also, my dog Star's favorite team (hence the name).
  4. I’m afraid of heights, and recently I went skydiving to face that fear.  Greatest experience ever and I plan to go again more than once. If you ask, I will send you the pictures and the video. P.S.-I think I left most of my face in the sky.
  5. 11 out of 10 times you probably won’t realize the I’m joking.
  6. I became an English major largely because I bombed my first paper in college. My backup plan was to be a rapper.  After 30 seconds, my friends won’t let me go back in the booth =).
  7. My first entrepreneurial ventures was selling necklaces that I handmade from beads I bought from MJ Designs.  My VCs were my parents. I also sold potato chips, candy, fruit snacks at school
  8. Basketball was and still is my first love, I don’t have a favorite team, but I have favorite players.  I root for the Washington Wizard by default.
  9. I write a “business plan” for my life every year with things I hope to achieve and goals I have.
  10. I’m a member of Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity. At the end of the day being able to give back is what it’s all about. I volunteer and work with a lot of nonprofit organizations #apotheosis.
  11. I have a huge collection poetry that I’ve been writing for a long time. I also collect quotes.  If you want to challenge me to a quotathon then let me know. (As an English major and member of Sigma Tau Delta, I’m allowed to create new words).
  12. The quote that I live by is “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”
  13. (G) HEAR-preneur pretty much started when I tore my Achilles Tendon.  I was stuck in bed and had to do something because I didn’t have enough hair to pull out.  (H) I tell everyone that I either tore my Achilles Tendon doing the dunk that Blake Griffin did in the dunk contest and even though I don’t have the tapes, I made the dunk or fighting crime.  If you haven’t seen it, go to YouTube and type in “Blake Griffin dunks over a car” :-).
  14. My favorite show is Pardon the Interruption on ESPN.  One day I randomly ran into my favorite sportswriter–Michael Wilbon–coming out of Filene’s Basement in Bethesda instead of telling him how much I would love to work for him instead I stood there grinning like a 4 year old on Christmas Day.
  15. My capstone/thesis for my Masters program at Georgetown was on Sports Entrepreneurship. My favorite part of the program.
  16. Sixteen is a very important number to me.  It’s my line number and I did a lot of “homework” about the number 16 and it's significance. It's also the reason behind my digital marketing company called Blue 16 Media.

P.S.S – Contact me for anything!