The biggest lesson I learned about branding in the digital space is…
Be the best you can be. You never know whose paying attention. I’m always tweeting little comments about fashion, about ways to dress better or why [something] didn’t work. Someone from Ebony contacted me based on the response received on my timeline and wanted to know more about me. That led to the Ebony feature. Also, I’ve booked recent gigs and features on other blogs from people who weren’t following me, but were paying attention.
I measure success based off…
Recognition and the ability to do more work.
The secret to making a heavyset man fashionable is…
The secret is not approaching it differently from any other sized man. Size should be used as your guidelines, not a limitation.
The best way to stand out among a sea of men’s fashion blogs is to…
Find your voice and why readers will connect with you. Present that in the most authentic and creative way possible.
The best piece of business advice I ever got was…
“You clearly have the vision, now it’s time to do the work.†Tim Gunn gave me that advice during a chance meeting at fashion week my first year in New York City.
In business, you should you never be afraid to…
Ask for help. While I don’t believe in handouts, I do believe in using your network. A lot of times the answer you are searching for is literally at the fingertips of a colleague or peer. I’ve never been afraid to ask for help. Whether it’s an intern I need to hire, whether it’s a PR company who has a client I really want, or if it’s other bloggers, I have no problem asking for help.
My advice for anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps is…
Be genuine and be who you are. No one likes a phony, no matter how well dressed they are. Be focused. Don’t let what you’ve heard deter you from what you want. I don’t fit any of the stereotypes a man in fashion is supposed to be; yet I’m here, building a career in the industry I’ve always wanted.
Also, build a team. No one can reach their dreams without one. Even if it’s some friends, get a team that can help you make it. You can’t be good at everything and that’s why you need some other people to help.
If I weren’t blogging, today I…
Wouldn’t be relevant. So I’d be doing my best to get there.
Be sure to check out the rest of the digital thought leaders as they’re revealed each day by logging on to BlackEnterprise.com/BlackBloggerMonth.