Living The Dream

After meeting Jordan Mountjoy, you might wonder how he keeps it all together. Not only is he a member of the Little Rock Fire Department, he’s also building a new home for his wife and two children while working as owner of Rock Monkey Outfitters.

“I think ‘margins’ is a good way to go about anything in life,” he said. “People rarely talk about how many things you do, but they do talk about how many things you do well. So, I’d rather be rooted in the things I do really well.”

It’s a unique perspective for anyone to grasp, but when you consider this 28-year-old has achieved it while still being so young is nothing short of mind-blowing. What makes Jordan’s outlook even more admirable is that it is grounded firmly in his faith, his family and his passion to find ways to serve others.

“I already knew I wanted to start a company when I was a junior in high school,” he said. “When I started Rock Monkey, it was sort of my last chance. But I didn’t do this just to make cool t-shirts. I believed God had put me on this Earth to make a difference, and I knew I could take those things I work at to make the world better place.”

It hasn’t been an easy road for Jordan, as he looks back on the starts and stops of his entrepreneurial spirit. “When people ask why Rock Monkey has been so successful in just three years, I tell them more about the 10 years of failure leading up to this.”

But thanks to his resolve and that of his family to see their business through to success, Jordan also found a perfect opportunity to make other’s lives better thanks to the help of a friend Jordan had back in high school.

“Blake Welch is a missionary,” he said. “He always knew how much I wanted to help others, and he connected with a family halfway around the world in need.”

That family of more than a dozen currently lives in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. As Jordan tells it, they were twice successful farmers but had their land, home and lives stripped from them and were forced into the dire circumstances where they currently reside.

When Jordan learned how he could help, especially during the Christmas season, the decision was easy.

“For a lot of us, this is the time to receive or give gifts. But it’s also time to help other people. We believe as Christians, it was the day we received the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ. Whether or not people believe that, it’s still a wonderful time where we can celebrate the act of giving and selflessness. I think this is the prime time of the year to give back.”

Jordan and Rock Monkey’s goal is to raise $25,000 for this family in Kenya. It’s a project for which he feels incredible passion, and he loves sharing that passion with others. “One of things I enjoy is having those intimate one-on-one conversations explaining what the company is trying to do.”

Toward achieving that goal, Rock Monkey is donating a portion of proceeds from the purchase of their apparel toward a fund for the family. “This money we’re giving is not a handout. This isn’t intended for them to just buy food or clothes. This is meant for them to restart their lives, to buy land and to use their talents and skills to make a better life for the family.”

Jordan isn’t limiting Rock Monkey’s fundraising efforts solely to apparel sales. The company has also started a GoFundMe page on behalf of the family, and their partnering with the Summit Church in Saline County for an upcoming event.

“It’s Cookies and Coco with Santa,” he said. “They’re going to be using it as a day of service. During this service, we’re going to really push the project, because I really believe people will want to contribute and give in the spirit of the season.”

In addition to helping the Kenyan family in need, Jordan is also looking forward to 2018 and his company’s involvement with the non-profit organization Charity Water. “This organization is very dear to my heart. For them, every penny you contribute can be tracked, and you can see how it is providing clean water to benefit everyone around the world.

Jordan is helping others around the world; most of them, he, his wife and their two children will likely never meet. It’s an amazing point of view and one that’s perfect for this Christmas season.