*Amber Jones has spent nearly a decade building a reputation as one of Birmingham’s most connected power players. As the CFO and self-described “business soulmate” of Canvas Beauty founder Stormi Steele, Jones now brings her world before cameras on OWN’s newest franchise, “Belle Collective: Birmingham.” The show marks the first-ever spin-off of the beloved “Belle Collective” universe, and Jones says her reason for signing on was deeply personal.
“I wanted to be in a collective to show the world what it’s like to have friendship, sisterhood, as we work together to navigate our personal life, our business life,” Jones said. She added that the show’s diverse cast means viewers at every stage of life will find someone to relate to, whether they’re married, single, building a business, or already at the top.
While Jones is known for her sharp business acumen and elite connections spanning politicians, athletes, and faith communities, she says audiences will see a more vulnerable side of her this season. “I focus so much on business that I never prioritize Amber,” she admitted, explaining that viewers will watch her take meaningful steps toward starting a family and opening up to dating for the first time on screen.
Jones also speaks passionately about her role in introducing Steele to Birmingham’s growing landscape. “Birmingham is the center of Nashville, New Orleans, Atlanta,” she said, pointing to the city’s downtown renovations and emerging cultural infrastructure as signs of a city on the rise. For Jones, the show is an opportunity to prove Birmingham belongs on the map alongside other major Southern hubs.
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When it comes to navigating the strong personalities within the cast — including lingering friction with co-star K’la Inman — Jones draws on lessons from her athletic background. “In basketball, you have teammates who have different personalities, different backgrounds. We’re completely different people, but the goal of the game is to win,” she said.
“So I look at friendships, business, the collective, and when I meet a group of people, it’s the same thing. We’re all going to be different and trying to understand that, hey, you were raised different, I was raised different, you have different values than me, and still trying to see that side in the person to come together as a collective and give people grace in that standpoint,” Jones added.
Her philosophy on balancing friendship and business is equally grounded. “Every day we wake up with two C’s, a chance and a choice,” Jones said of how she keeps her relationship with Steele both professional and personal. She keeps the lanes clearly defined, comparing their working relationship to what happens on a basketball court — everything stays there when the game is over.
For Jones, being a modern Southern Belle ultimately comes down to one word: freedom.
“Women grow up, and we are more than just wives and mothers,” she said, while also acknowledging the legacy of hard work that made her ambitions possible. “Just to see all the hard work that our parents and grandparents put into play to be able to open it up for us to be whatever we want to be in Birmingham — that’s the part that I love the most.”
Watch our conversation with Amber Jones below.
“Belle Collective: Birmingham” premieres Friday, April 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on OWN, immediately following “Belle Collective.”
*This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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