Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmie Lewis III.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jimmie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
During my sophomore year, I started a brand to benefit those who have huge goals and aspirations. I started my brand called Lavish Styles Hats, which consisted of dad hats with powerful messages. I believe that everyone receives a blessing from God, and this privilege allows you to achieve whatever through hard work and dedication. I strive for greatness in life, utilizing hard work, virtues, and determination despite life’s obstacles. I eventually expanded the small brand to t-shirts and jerseys as well. Many individuals at Prairie View A&M University would wear the hats and t-shirts that depicted powerful messages in the African American culture.
As I matured as a young man and within my major at Prairie View A&M University, I used the clothing brand as a personal brand to have an impact on others as well. My twitter name is @lavishsuperior. I use my social media network to affect many individuals’ lives that I came in contact with throughout my undergraduate years. I used my brand to start two mentoring organizations called Student Partnerships & Outreach Team, and the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience at Prairie View A&M University. I also started a mentoring group through my fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc for freshmen young males. One of my callings is to mentor students who are not as fortunate and turn their lives into lavish beginnings.
Recently, since I have graduated, I have expanded my brand by investing and working in the real estate field. My parents invested in a lot of rental properties during their younger days when they attended PVAMU and have given me the privilege to manage their properties since they are very busy and getting older. They aren’t very tech-savvy and don’t use social media, therefore I used my social media marketing skills to expand the marketing of the apartments. The twitter page is called @TJEnterprises52. We rent them out to students and locals who are looking for a cheap decent place to reside. My goal with this business is to continue to expand and continue to renovate the houses so the business can stay around for the next century, and so I can become the CEO of the business.
This is my story of the branding of Jimmie Lewis, III
Currently, the biggest challenge with my brand Lavish Styles Hats is expanding the images of the clothing brand. I was very involved with my brand freshmen and sophomore year when I had fewer classes and fewer obligations. Another challenge is finding driven brand ambassadors who want to push the movement forward. Lastly, I have been trying to find businesses that want to sponsor our company as well which has been pretty difficult.
With the business, T&J Enterprises, the hardest challenge is having to wear multiple hats. I have to think about things like marketing budgets, marketing methods, branding, and generating leads… all while trying to pay the bills. Nevertheless, these struggles are important because business skills take practice to sharpen, and don’t come overnight. Yet every challenge is something new to overcame and challenges are what make you become a better entrepreneur.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
If I were Picasso and had to paint a mural that would be representative of who I was, who I am, and who I will become it would be a harmony of colors. This painting would be a prolongation depicting yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The imagery behind my mural shows a story which is exclusively mine as I travel down the road of life. Many strangers would declare both disappointment and lack of expectation, followed by condolences instead of congratulations. This was the reaction I received from a lot of individuals at first, therefore, I hid the fact for over two years that I had twin sons while raising them to be exceptional young kings. I was a twenty-year-old father, a sophomore in college, a new father of twin sons, a stereotype to society. I took a break from being an entrepreneur to focus on my new responsibilities as a new father.
A painter usually starts with the color blue. Blue represents the color of hope and dreams that I have fostered. However, all of a sudden, I felt as if the mortal error had been committed and everything that preceded it was embarrassing. Being young and naive, I use to care about other opinions, therefore I wouldn’t tell my peers or associates that I had sons. Growing as a better man and better father, my focus changed that allowed me to see my purpose as a young father.
Being an undergraduate scholar at Prairie View A&M University presented me with new challenges as a young parent during the beginning of my junior year of college. I wasn’t used to taking care of kids since most of my siblings and cousins are around my age. My life as a new father was marred by many obstacles that tested my strength and willingness to endure the uncertainty of what was to come. I did not think I fully grasped what it would be like, what it would mean, to be a new father for a greater part of my academic and social life. I had to study more during the week when I knew I would get my sons on the weekends and had to miss plenty of social gatherings due to my new responsibilities. To provide for my sons, I relied on my campus job and financial support from my parents.
The color purple which represents self-awareness and realization on my mural also influences my personal growth. I needed to abandon all previous habits of yesterday because they cannot be incorporated into my goals as a young father and man as well. Tomorrow is colored gold for the promise. Tomorrow is full of promises and opportunities. I am carrying the torch that was passed to me; just like I walk in other footsteps, therefore my twin sons can have the possibility to pass the burning torch. I have overcome most of my obstacles and currently, continue to perfect my side hustles while succeeding in graduate school.
“Believe in yourself, take on your challenges, dig deep within yourself to conquer fears. Never let anyone bring you down. You got to keep going. Our ability to handle life’s challenges is a measure of our strength of character.”
-George S Patton
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge how grateful I am for everything that my lovely parents, have done for me. Thank you for providing me with an abundance of opportunities while I was growing up. From vacations to being involved in Top Teens of America, becoming an Eagle Scout for Troop 1985 and being involved in Jack & Jill of America. If there was something I wanted to do, you did your best to make it happen. I’ll certainly never forget our many family vacations. Discipling me and encouraging me to pursue my passions has allowed me to be in the position I am today. I also want to give a shoutout to all my friends for supporting my endeavors and continuing to push me to become greater. These factors have played a meaningful role in my story.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 832-474-9356
- Email: jimmielewis3@gmail.com,
tjenterprises52@gmail.com - Instagram: https://twitter.
com/lavishstyleshat?lang=en - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
lavishstyleshat?lang=en https ://twitter.com/TJ_Enterprises2 - Other: https://twitter.com/
lavishsuperior?lang=en
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