We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rickey Robinson II a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rickey, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I got my work ethic from both of my Grandfathers, PH Austin and WH Robinson. Even with heart surgery, I witnessed PH work non stop plowing the fields of Mississippi. He once told me that it hurt him more sitting down than it did of him working. I also witnessed WH run a successful shoe repair business in Jackson, MS. These two men were an intricate piece of my life and motivated me to not sit around waiting on handouts. I would also love to give kudos to my parents Rickey Robinson and Mary Robinson. Their guidance prepared me for this world and how to deal with both letdowns and triumphs.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Rick Deuce but most people call me @MisterPublicFigure. I am originally from Jackson, MS but have made a home in Dallas, TX. I began @PublicFigureClothingBrand after I turned a misunderstanding into an iconic brand. In 2012, I jokingly made a shirt stating, “I’m a Public Figure.” Little did I know this would evolve into an overnight success in my city. I started taking it extremely serious once people in other states started inquiring about the shirt. I moved to Dallas two years later and started pushing my brand.
As a child, I was not the most fashionable nor the most popular, but my creativity and passion has allowed me to cultivate, empower and promote positivity within myself and my community. My philanthropic efforts include the Jackson Public School District, Neighborhood Christian Center, The Boys and Girls Club of Jackson, in addition to staged community cleanup programs, voter registration with sponsored trips to the polls, and donating money, uniforms, and supplies to various schools in underprivileged areas.
Over the years, my commitment to the same dream I had before taking this journey to Dallas, has put me in rooms that I could’ve never imagined. I have done work for hit TV shows and networks: POWER, PVALLEY, ESPN FIRST TAKE, OWN, BET, MTV, and has even walked out on SHOWTIME PPV BOXING with Gervonta Davis and Rapper Lil Uzi.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
THE 4 P’s:
Patience, Perseverance, Persistence, Purpose
In order to achieve something, you must have all four. This is what I use daily to remind myself of why I initially started and to keep me moving forward. This journey has not been easy. It was some depressing, sleepless, and hungry nights but in the end…it’s all been worth it!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Get closer to GOD and THERAPY! As a black man, I used to shy away from both thinking that my will power could see me through. I quickly learned that without GOD nothing is remotely possible and it’s imperative that praise is given through the good and bad times. As prideful as I can be, THERAPY has allowed me to be vulnerable in a setting where I can just express my thoughts, views, and feelings. If any black man out there is reading this, I want you to know that it’s okay to have emotions. You’re human. Once I realized that…not only did I become a better individual, I became a better entrepreneur with plans to become a mogul.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.IAMAPUBLICFIGURE.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/misterpublicfigure?igsh=MWQzcjVndnZxZG4xNA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickey-robinson-ii-213974307?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/publicfigureclothingbrand/profilecard/?igsh=MTJtNGMxMmU2NWx1cA==
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
