Craig Jones’ entrepreneurial journey began in a breakfast restaurant in Kansas City, Kansas, when he interacted with the restaurant’s owner who shared insights into the business world, including the importance of financial management and accounting principles. Inspired by these conversations, Jones made a pivotal decision to change his college major to accounting and finance.
Over the years, Jones climbed the ranks within the finance industry ultimately joining DuPont in the Management Leadership Development Program where he gained more experience in sales, business development, product management, and strategies of a large, global company.
These experiences took him to Mexico City to help grow the Transaction Services Group in Latin America. Jones now serves as the chief financial officer at SolomonEdwards to help guide the company to the next stage of growth.
SolomonEdwards LLC specializes in blending people, processes, and capabilities to achieve critical business objectives and help clients succeed. Jones plays a pivotal role in guiding the company’s financial strategy, managing investments, and ensuring fiscal responsibility during periods of rapid growth and expansion.
Jones has studied the great chief financial officers in global businesses and said he firmly believes the best executives – the titans of industry – are able to see around corners. “By anticipating future trends and customer needs, we are able to position the company to capitalize on opportunities before customers do,” he said. “It is important to recognize that the financial landscape is constantly evolving, so staying ahead requires a commitment to continuous learning.”
In today’s world, Jones said the most important attribute of a leader is taking a servant leadership approach to managing the team. “Servant leadership means that no act is too small for me to take on and that my team knows I am here to make sure they perform at their best each day,” he said.
In addition, Jones said that his ability to accept failure as normal, even necessary, has allowed him to continue to be successful in a number of different environments. “If you want to learn another language, you have to accept that you will make some big, even humorous mistakes in the process,” he said. “Similarly, if you want to improve your golf game, it is important to accept the fact that you need help to improve. Without this ability one stays in their comfort zone, and all learning and growth come with discomfort.”
