As a child, one of Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s first jobs — at the age of 16 — was a janitor. But he dreamt about being a CEO. The experience formed his work ethic and made him realize that anything he would achieve would come through education.

In an exclusive interview as part of the Thinkfinity Education Speaker Series (TESS) presented by the Verizon Foundation, Johnson, the CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, sat down with Foundation President Rose Kirk to discuss the critical role that schools and teachers need to fill to support student achievement in and out of the classroom.

During his conversation with Kirk, Johnson also encourages students to “never give an excuse” despite adversity. That everyone is capable of “reaching out and touching someone.”

Johnson credits his love of school as the catalyst for applying his vision of being a business man to Magic Johnson Enterprises. Johnson built his business to foster economic empowerment in ethnically diverse urban communities. The Magic Johnson Foundation is the company’s philanthropic arm and supports the same effort through educational empowerment.

Through the foundation’s Community Empowerment Centers, urban communities are provided with access to technology resources and programming that educate and empower individuals to better themselves. Eighteen tech centers around the United States provide at-risk students and their parents access to computers and more.

“These technology centers mean so much,” Johnson said. “It’s one thing to have them there. It’s another thing for someone to say, ‘I improved my life because I went there.’ That’s what it’s all about.”

Kirk said, “What struck me about Mr. Johnson was his accessibility. Students identify with him because, despite all of his success, he is authentically connected to urban America through his business and philanthropic ventures.”