The Oklahoma Eagle Newswire
When Dr. Calvin Bonds loaded into his family’s car to relocate from Tulsa to Memphis, little did he know that 28 years later, he would return to serve the community he once called home. Specializing in corporate change management and organizational leadership training, Bonds returns to the Heartland the second week of April to partner with an area organization to help facilitate change and growth within its staff.
For the 41-year-old Los Angeles resident, returning to Tulsa to help organizations harness the greatness within their employees is nothing short of a labor of love. Crediting his passion for community service as the foundation for the unprecedented mastery of his craft, Bonds says that growing up in Tulsa north was a great experience for his family. It was during this period in his life that he would become introduced to his hidden gift for storytelling and upon that rich foundation, he would build an acting career that has spanned close to 20 years.
“I’m a big believer in the concept of everything happening for a reason,” says Bonds. “Little did I know that when my mother volunteered me to play a part in a small Tulsa Community Theater performance that I would fall in love with the craft. Fast forward to today, and I’m still using storytelling to inspire others. Only now, I’m using that inspiration to change the way that organizations and businesses engage with their teams – and ultimately their key audience.”
“I found myself so driven to succeed in Hollywood. I wanted to be the best and developing a killer physique played a huge part in landing great roles. So, I made that my top priority,” continues Bonds. “I had been hitting the gym twice a day for a couple of months when a guy approached me and said that he knew some modeling agents that might like my look. He left me his number and much to my surprise he was legit. Before long I was walking the runways at Fashion Week. It was an amazing window of opportunity.”
Bonds relished every moment of his rising star, and as his modeling platform elevated, so did his acting opportunities. Working on hit television shows like The Parkers, Days of Our Lives, America’s Next Top Model, and booking a national commercial for Pizza Hut, Bonds was on top of the world. His modeling career garnered him work as both a print and runway model and allowed him to book work in the U.S. and abroad.
After spending years living out of his suitcase, Bonds decided to give himself a much-needed break and enroll in graduate school. Earning two Master’s degrees and graduating with honors, Bonds found himself at a crucial crossroads in his life – return to the entertainment world or pursue his doctorate. Luckily for Bonds, his path would find him, and it would come in the form of yet another chance encounter.
“I was out networking one day, and someone approached me about an opportunity to do some public speaking,” says Bonds. “I thought to myself that public speaking might be a wonderful way for me to marry my desire to use my storytelling skills and help others in the process. The combination turned out to be the next big step on my golden brick road.”
In the ten years since Bonds decided to try his hand at public speaking, he has added corporate training to his resume as well. Working as one of the most sought-after leadership training coaches in the U.S., some of Bonds clients include Nike, Payless, Converse, Mattel, Southern California Edison, Kenworth Trucks, Aaron Brothers, State Brothers, Burlington Coat Factory, Los Angeles Unified School District, Santa Monica College, California Steel, and Tulsa Housing Authority.
Determined to keep one foot in the L.A. entertainment scene, Bonds currently serves as the U.S. Rep for the London Flair Entertainment PR Firm and recently helped lead the firm’s clients to three Oscar wins (his most recent win was the 2018 Oscar for Best Short Film entitled “The Silent Child”) and two nominations.
For Bonds, it all goes back to that little boy from Tulsa north who loved acting and wanted to help others. Whether he is in the boardroom or on the red carpet, helping others is at the epicenter of all that he does.
“The Roman Philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero had a famous saying, ‘Non-Nobis Solum Nati Sumus,’ and translated that means, ‘Not for ourselves alone are we born.’ Every day, I am reminded of that truth. God’s gifts are for sharing. In all that I endeavor to do in life, I try to keep this as my motivating factor,” says Bonds.
Dr. Calvin Bonds holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership (Ed. D) from Pepperdine University and is the co-founder and Partner of the Burgeon Consulting Firm. He resides in West Los Angeles with his dog Solomon. To learn more, visit his website at www.theburgeongroup.com.
