We had the good fortune of connecting with Zuri Godfrey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zuri, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I was a student-athlete at Howard University (HU), three HU freshmen reached out to me, all within a one-week radius, seeking mentorship. Instead of agreeing to mentor them one-on-one, I pioneered group mentorship. As a result of mentoring them intensively for a year, they all received internships and eventually full-time job offers from a Big 5 Tech company. From then, I knew I had a recipe for success in developing intelligent people and effective professionals. So, I would go onto formalizing the Group Mentorship Program under a previous business he started (Build & Brand U). While the Group Mentorship Program (GMP) was under Build & Brand U (B&BU), it scaled to amassing over one hundred mentees and over twenty mentors in the span of approximately two years. Shortly after sunsetting B&BU, I still yearned to mentor so I scaled GMP down, rebranded as “The Village” which is our DBA, and began mentoring again. That was in 2022. Since then, The Village has started to scale again with its more than one hundred mentees and over twenty mentors, to date. Group Mentorship Program (The Village) is now a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps college students and recent graduates achieve their career and life goals.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is The Village, a group mentorship program designed for college students and recent graduates to achieve their career and life goals through a DNA of Development, Networking, and Accountability. We operate year-round in two six month cohorts that run from January thru June and July thru December, and include two meetings per month fixated on DNA. What sets us a part from others is the unique structured mentorship that is group based compared to traditional mentorship that’s one-to-one. I am most proud that we have played a significant role in helping over ninety percent of our community land jobs. I got to where I am today business-wise by graduating and applying what I learned from the Howard University School of Business where I majored in Business Management. That coupled with growing an expansive network in LA and several other key markets, enabled me to get to where I am today. It was not easy but with prayer, productivity, diligence, and diligence, it has been possible and remarkable. I overcame challenges by leaning on experts in areas I am not an expert in and by learning from past mistakes my mentors may have made. Two pertinent lessons I have learned along the way are to (1) over deliver and (2) over communicate. Over delivering doesn’t mean imply that you under promise. It means that whatever the call of duty is, you try your best to exceed expectations, every time. Over communication has accelerated both my career as a marketer in Big Tech and as a businessman. I truly believe it’s one of the things that separates the good from the great. I want the world to know that I am a man of God based in LA delivering groundbreaking marketing campaigns and providing local college students and recent graduates deep mentorship that continues to change careers and lives of the next generation. Oh and I want the world to know that it takes The Village.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting LA for a week and I wanted to show them the best time, below would be the itinerary as they are some of the most fun and interesting places and spaces to do and check out.

Monday – Brunch at Highly Likely, go see Hollywood Sign, Hollywood Walk of Fame, etc., and dinner at Cento

Tuesday – Acai bowls from Ubatuba Tume Tennis, shop at Rodeo Dr. and Beverly Center, and eat at Laurel Hardware

Wednesday – Breakfast burrito from a street food truck, go to Santa Monica pier, Venice Run Club, and then Cosm

Thursday – Breakfast from Erewhon, ride to Malibu and eat a light dinner Nobu before going to Keep It Runhundred

Friday – Coffee from Hilltop Kitchen + Coffee before going to the Culver Stairs, Melrose, The Grove, then Roscoe’s

Saturday – Basketball at Venice Beach, lunch at Jame before Leimert Park, and end night at Apt 200 then street tacos

Sunday – Church at Oasis, Openaire after service, roller skating at Fountain Valley, and In-And-Out before LAX dropoff

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to Jesus Christ, my parents, and my mentors. First and foremost, I am a Christian who is devoted to sharing the gospel and giving glory to God as He continuously opens doors for me, orders my steps, and provides direction and protection. Second, shoutout to my mother and father (Dawn and Ernest Godfrey). They instilled in me the values and characteristics that I display today. Without the solid foundation that was laid for me, I am confident that I would not be in the position that I am in. Last but not least, my mentors deserved to be recognized too. As a brand builder, it’s industry leaders such as Arinze Emeagwali, Brandon Viney, and Richard Palmer who guide me in my corporate endeavors. As an entrepreneur, I lean on Halleemah Nash, Malcolm Johnson, and Nicholas Perkins for help cultivating my nonprofit organization.

Website: https://zurigodfrey.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/zurigodfrey

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zurigodfrey/

Other: https://groupmentorshipprogram.com

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