The Anthony Reeves Experience

When I first started podcasting back in the early 2000s, I didn't have a clear goal in mind. I was thrilled to have a platform to interview people and discuss various topics, without a specific focus in sight. During that time, I decided to create a series called "Examining Black Leadership: The Future of Black Organizations." Originally, my plan was to interview members of different organizations. However, serendipitously, my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, was in the midst of its national presidential election, leading me to interview the candidates. To my surprise, nearly all the candidates agreed to be interviewed, which made me feel honored and excited about my podcast's recognition. I hadn't realized that people outside my immediate circle were paying attention to my work. One day, Brother Willard Hall, the Executive Director of our fraternity, reached out to me. Despite having been a member for almost 20 years, I had never interacted with the national leadersh...

Throughout my life, I have never viewed myself as a leader, despite having achieved various things that might indicate otherwise. As a result, I haven't actively sought out leadership opportunities. However, the fall of 1993 presented a unique turning point for me. Dancing had always been a passion, and I had even choreographed several routines. But that year, I did something quite out of character – I stepped up and asked for the opportunity to lead. Back in graduate school, I regularly performed stepping routines with the undergraduate brothers. Our fraternity chapter had a tradition of collaborative efforts in creating step shows. Despite this, I took a leap and approached the new chapter president, expressing my interest in being the step master, the head choreographer. To my surprise, he agreed. To this day, I am unsure what drove me to volunteer for this responsibility. Our chapter had a history of winning competitions, enjoying a five-year winning streak. Some questioned why...

As I prepared to return home to Pine Bluff, Arkansas, from college in Tampa, Florida, for spring break, there was one phrase I never thought I would hear: "Can I come back to Pine Bluff with you?" Those were the words uttered by my roommate, Frank. Although I understood his desire to get out of town and not stay at college for spring break, it still perplexed me. In my mind, Pine Bluff had nothing to offer, especially not to someone like Frank. His neighborhood in Queens was larger than my hometown, and Queens itself was almost as populous as the entire state of Arkansas. He grew up in the city that never sleeps, while I grew up in a town that shut down at 9 o'clock. Despite my reservations, I was excited about taking my friend home with me. However, I must admit, I didn't know what Pine Bluff would have to offer. Surprisingly, Frank didn't need Pine Bluff to offer anything. When we arrived, we weren't just tourists trying to find something to do; we were two ...

During my college days at the University of Tampa, I had the chance to reside in a coed dorm, Delo Hall. After spending my first semester on the ninth floor, I moved to the fourth floor with my eventual best friend, Frank. It was during this second semester that I met Stacy, a fellow resident on the fourth floor. Little did I know at the time, but this chance encounter would go on to have a profound impact on my life. As a bit of an introvert, I was hesitant to connect with new people. However, Stacy's warm and friendly introduction broke through my reservations. We danced together at a party, and as time went on, she became an invaluable source of support during my fraternity pledging. Knowing her stepfather was one of my biology professors gave me a sense of familiarity and ease. What made the most significant difference, though, was the fact that Stacy came to my room to introduce herself when I first moved in. At that point, I was struggling emotionally due to a challenging fir...

  When I started my own law firm back in 2007, I convinced myself that this was a journey I needed to make on my own.   I did not plan on starting or running my own firm but when I did, I had convinced myself that I had to do it by myself.  The problem is that when I did this I did not take advantage of all of the resources I had available to me.  I did not talk to the marketing executives, the accountants, the other lawyers, the banking executives, supervisors and countless others who had a wealth of knowledge and expertise.    As such, I made a lot of mistakes early.  As time I went on, thanks to my wife, I started reaching out to my friends for their insight.  At each juncture, each friend asked the same question “Why did you not ask sooner??”.   Unfortunately, I had convinced myself that I had to suffer through this on my own.  The reality is, I did not have to suffer. Despite our beliefs, you don’t always have to suffer.   The ...