Your best friend and fellow Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte also has fashion aspirations. Will we see a Jones/Lochte collab in the future?
We’ve talked about that. It’s definitely a possibility.  He’s more into the design aspect and I’m more of the business guy. If I had to describe my style it’s more clean cut hipster-ish like Usher. People actually tell me I look like Usher sometimes. Ryan’s style is more hip hop maybe like Lil Wayne.
It’s funny that you two are so close. Your public personas couldn’t be more opposite.
People always say that. Like I’m the “good guy†and Ryan is the “bad boy,†but once you’re in the room with us for five minutes, it’s like we’re the same person. He’s basically my brother. We train in different places now, but we were thinking about moving to LA and training together there. That would definitely add some fun to training.
Speaking of training, do you have your eye on Olympics 2016 in Rio?
Absolutely! I’ll be 32 by then and I think that might be my last ‘good’ Olympics and by ‘good’ I mean my ability to bring back multiple medals, preferably gold ones. I’ve figured out my body and what it takes for me to be successful. I also want to go out as a true athlete.
What was the biggest change in your life after you won the gold medal in 2008?
Actually, I think this past Olympics has been the one that has changed things the most for me. I think this year was the first year people got to see the swimmers’ personailities. After the 2008 games, people were like “You’re the black guy swimmer.† But now, people actually know my name, which is still weird because when were there in London we were in our own little bubble and not really aware of the public spotlight. The biggest change has been the celebrity of it all.
BlackEnterprise.com:
Our readers definitely want to know the answer to this: Are you single?
Cullen Jones:
I am single and I have been for the past seven months. I would say 80% of the reason we broke up was me having to stay focused and make swimming the number one in my life. That was a huge part to make important.  Now I can take my head out of the water though, so I’m open.
BlackEnterprise.com:
What are you looking for in woman?
Cullen Jones:
The lady has to be self-sufficient. I don’t need another mom. I already got one of those. I can cook and clean. My mother made sure I could do that before I left for college. I need someone who has a job. Please, please, please let have a job. As a matter of fact, she should take a picture with her W2 next to her and send it to me. Easy on the eyes u be nice too. My dad passed when I was 16 and I grew up surrounded by feisty ladies. In the words of Ne-Yo, I’m looking for Miss Independent.