Black Enterprise Profile: Julius Walls Jr.

Julius Walls Jr. How can a humble brownie provide meaningful work and life changing opportunities for an entire community?

Julius Walls Jr, President and CEO of the Greyston Bakery and Sr. VP for the Greyston Foundation, has the recipe.

Greyston Bakery is a $6.5 million for-profit enterprise owned by the non-profit Greyston Foundation. The company has evolved from a small storefront in the Bronx to a multi-million dollar business.

Mr. Walls says Greyston Bakery’s socially responsible policies are at the core of its success. And the company continues to grow, thanks to an all-American favorite — the brownie.

This fall, Greyston’s will launch its first product for retailing — the Do-Goody Brownie, which will be available to purchase from fine food stores, including Dean & Deluca and Wild Oats. An organic version is also being developed.

“We want Greyston’s to be synonymous with brownies — it’s our signature product, and we believe the Do-Goody is the best brownie on the market,” says Mr. Walls.

“The idea to retail the Do-Goody came to us after Greyston’s was profiled on ”60 Minutes” in 2004. After the story aired, we registered over sixty thousand visitors to our website. We learned that the public wanted to get involved with our mission, and we didn’t have the products to meet the demand,” he continues.

Greyston’s Open Hiring Policy is at the heart of the business model. By providing employment opportunities for individuals who have struggled to find employment (they hire regardless of work history), Greyston’s employees are given the opportunity to develop self-sufficiency.

“I give permission to my employees to bring their whole selves to work — their familial, spiritual and cultural selves are important to productivity. I model this philosophy myself — too often, business people have different values at work than they do at home,” he says.

“The world wants to support businesses that act responsibly and have a positive impact — our business model says that success is not just about generating incomes for a few people — it’s about providing resources for everyone, sustaining communities, and respecting the environment.”

For years, Greyston Bakery served many of New York’s best restaurants with desserts, and soon after became the exclusive provider of baked goods for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Today the business operates from a state of the art facility on the Hudson River, providing on-site training, and fair wages and benefits to more than 65 employees.

Mr. Walls serves on over ten boards. He is the Chair on the Workforce Investment Board in Yonkers, and is also a board member on the Social Enterprise Alliance, the national membership organization of non-profits that operate businesses. He speaks throughout the country on the topics of Social Ventures and Social Purpose Businesses, spirituality in the workplace, and business development in the inner city.

Mr. Walls lives with his three children and his wife, Cheryl. He is committed to a life of family, career, spirituality, and service.

“To anyone who wants to adapt a socially responsible business model, think in terms of how you want to be known as a person, and be that person in business too. Your values don’t have to conflict — you can be a caring, loving human being in all aspects of your life.”