Background information:

Where are you from? 

I’m from Fort Worth, TX, the Southside to be exact.

What do you do? How did this “role” come about? How are you best known by others?

I currently work in sales but have always had a passion for men’s clothing, suits in particular. I wasn’t a fan of the off the rack selections or the fit, so I decided to start my own suit company. I’m also a part of a group called Black Dandies. We’re a group of young gentleman who cares about our appearance but is also aware of what’s going on in our community. Not only are we aware, but we make sure we do something about it by giving back.

Did you attend college and/or have formal training in your respective field or industry? If so, please elaborate on the year you graduated and from what institution.

I graduated from Midwestern State University with a Bachelors in Business Marketing. So I learned aspects of running a business and got my start in Men’s suit by working for Jos. A Bank and Brooks Bros.

What factors of your upbringing influenced your career goals? 

I came from a single parent home and my mom busted her butt to make sure I and my sister didn’t go without and we looked good. This taught me the importance of appearance at an early age so that influenced me a lot.

How long have you been in this career? What did you do previously?

I’ve owned my own company for a little over a year now. I previously worked for Jos A Bank and Brooks Bros for over 6 years.

What long-term goals do you have? What steps are you currently taking in this direction?

Well, I’ve recently merged with one of my friends who has his own custom suit company, Franklin and Anthony. One of our goals is to have showrooms across the world and be a household name. We’re growing our presence and working to increase brand awareness to reach our goals.

Tell us about your social media presence. Do you use it in your line of work? Why or why not, is it important in your day-to-day responsibilities, platform or career?

Yes, I definitely use it. It’s a must in my industry. I post work, on my business page, that I’ve done for my clients. My personal page just gives credibility to what I do in business. I use Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. I’m also working on starting my own YouTube channel and producing a fashion vlog.

 Which public figures, role models and or historical figure shaped your goals as a child and in adulthood? Any that embodies your personal values?

I admire guys like Magic Johnson, P Diddy, and 50 cent. What they’ve done in the business world is remarkable.

What does it mean to you to be a millennial? How do you share that with others in your life, those you meet and with your peers?

Being a millennial to me means being innovative and finding new ways to create success. I think that gets lost when trying to explain it to the older generation. We just want to be great and do it our way, with hard work of course.