Jamal had a life much like anyone else. Until Covid-19 shut down his world. Sinking into depression, he found his only way back was to be Unstoppable. This gave birth not only to a clothing line but to a movement and a mission. His mission: to let other people know that they are also Unstoppable.
Links:
Junior Collectibles on Facebook
Also on Instagram
Listen to Rhonda Alexia Webb's Interview by clicking here.
But I never knew that from there that a business would pop out of it.
Jamal Robbins:And I would be able to encourage other people, that they're unstoppable and
Jamal Robbins:that they can do it every single day.
Jamal Robbins:hey, I've been through these things, but it says unstoppable cuz no
Jamal Robbins:matter what, I am unstoppable.
Cliff Duvernois:Hello everyone, and welcome back to Total Michigan.
Cliff Duvernois:I am your host Cliff DuVernois.
Cliff Duvernois:As usual, I run across these stories out there, and I think to myself, I
Cliff Duvernois:have to interview this person because their story is just too compelling.
Cliff Duvernois:And for today's guest, I'm gonna let him go ahead and introduce himself.
Cliff Duvernois:But, for ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the show Jamal Robbins,
Cliff Duvernois:CEOs of Juniors Collectibles.
Cliff Duvernois:Jamal, how are you?
Jamal Robbins:I'm doing fine.
Jamal Robbins:How are you?
Cliff Duvernois:I am doing awesome.
Cliff Duvernois:Thank you for asking.
Cliff Duvernois:So I know somebody in my audience right now just did a head snap.
Cliff Duvernois:So why don't you tell us how old you are?
Jamal Robbins:I'm 13 years old.
Cliff Duvernois:Okay.
Cliff Duvernois:You're not like 13 and a half.
Cliff Duvernois:Almost
Jamal Robbins:almost 14.
Jamal Robbins:my birthday's in August.
Cliff Duvernois:All right, cool.
Cliff Duvernois:Happy Birthday.
Cliff Duvernois:It's coming up here in just a couple days.
Jamal Robbins:Thanks.
Cliff Duvernois:Why don't you tell us a little bit about
Cliff Duvernois:what Junior Collectibles is?
Jamal Robbins:Okay.
Jamal Robbins:I basically started Juniors Collectibles to encourage people
Jamal Robbins:through merchandise and motivate them to be the best versions of themselves.
Cliff Duvernois:Okay.
Cliff Duvernois:So when you say you wanna motivate people, what do you mean by that?
Jamal Robbins:I wanna motivate them to not only be the best versions of
Jamal Robbins:themselves, but to remember that they're unstoppable, um, and that they can
Jamal Robbins:keep going, even when it gets hard.
Cliff Duvernois:So why is that important to you?
Jamal Robbins:Well, it's important to me because when I went through
Jamal Robbins:depression, people would always encourage me to be the best versions of myself.
Jamal Robbins:And so when I got out of it, then I wanted, um, to encourage other
Jamal Robbins:people to, you know, just be the best versions of themselves.
Cliff Duvernois:And so I want to, I want to delve into this a little bit.
Cliff Duvernois:But first let's take a step back.
Cliff Duvernois:What made you decide to become an entrepreneur in the first place?
Jamal Robbins:Well, it all started when I had to do a fundraiser for the
Jamal Robbins:Washington DC trip, for my school Sasa.
Jamal Robbins:Cuz I didn't have like enough money cuz it was like two of us that had to go.
Jamal Robbins:So I had to do fundraisers for that.
Jamal Robbins:Um, cuz I didn't wanna do the candy bars.
Jamal Robbins:So I came up with these cups that have affirmations on the front.
Jamal Robbins:And candy on the inside.
Jamal Robbins:So it says You're Unstoppable or, I am enough, or just very like motivation,
Jamal Robbins:inspirational stuff on the front.
Jamal Robbins:And so then I sold those and it made people very, very happy.
Jamal Robbins:So I was like, man, I could do this like all of the time.
Jamal Robbins:So that's why I started Juniors collectibles a
Cliff Duvernois:a very, it's always nice when you have that feeling
Cliff Duvernois:of like satisfaction, like you're really touching people's lives.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:That's the best part.
Cliff Duvernois:So you got your taste of being an entrepreneur.
Cliff Duvernois:Now what I'd like to do is if you're okay with it, you mentioned before about
Cliff Duvernois:how you had gone through depression.
Cliff Duvernois:Talk to us a
Jamal Robbins:little bit about
Jamal Robbins:the reason why I fell into depression was because uh, of the pandemic.
Jamal Robbins:In March, they told us that we were gonna be like going home for like
Jamal Robbins:two weeks and then coming back.
Jamal Robbins:But it ended up becoming three weeks and then it was, seemed
Jamal Robbins:like it was gonna be forever.
Jamal Robbins:And so I'm a very interactive person.
Jamal Robbins:I have to be in class learning, and have that interaction with people.
Jamal Robbins:So I just broke down.
Jamal Robbins:It was very hard to like, get out of that stage.
Jamal Robbins:But you know, I did it and with the help of everybody else, so now I can just
Jamal Robbins:encourage other people to get out of that.
Cliff Duvernois:So when you're going through this depression and you're coming
Cliff Duvernois:out of it, what would you credit as that really helped you to start moving forward?
Jamal Robbins:My parents and my therapists.
Cliff Duvernois:Okay.
Cliff Duvernois:Was there any key piece of advice that you remember that they gave
Cliff Duvernois:you that just really helped you out?
Jamal Robbins:To just really not, what's the word?
Jamal Robbins:So they basically told me that I could get through it.
Jamal Robbins:That, I could do anything that I'm unstoppable, which was one of the
Jamal Robbins:words um, that, I put on my shirt.
Jamal Robbins:So that unstoppable word really touched me.
Jamal Robbins:And so that's why I put it on the merchandise.
Jamal Robbins:So I think them telling me that I could do anything, that I put
Jamal Robbins:my mind to, really helped me.
Cliff Duvernois:So at what point did you decide to marry your interest in
Cliff Duvernois:entrepreneurship with your lessons that you learned from your depression?
Jamal Robbins:I combined it them, based on, the thought that I would be able to
Jamal Robbins:just go to like many different places at the vendor events and, at the kids'
Jamal Robbins:room, our events and all this stuff.
Jamal Robbins:I would just be able to go to those different places, um, on my free time
Jamal Robbins:or just any time to encourage people.
Jamal Robbins:So I put those two ideas together because hey, I can make money
Jamal Robbins:to start the, special surprise that I'm gonna say at the end.
Jamal Robbins:And I could also encourage people.
Cliff Duvernois:Nice.
Cliff Duvernois:Now, what made you decide to do merchandise?
Jamal Robbins:Well, I really love shirts, hoodies and hats and stuff.
Jamal Robbins:because I really love just shopping and clothes and all that stuff.
Jamal Robbins:So, um, I did merchandise so that, I could, it's like something that I like,
Jamal Robbins:something that everybody can like wear on themselves to show other people.
Jamal Robbins:Cuz you know, people go up to other people and it's like,
Jamal Robbins:hey, so what does this mean?
Jamal Robbins:What's the meaning of your shirt or what's on here?
Jamal Robbins:And then it can be like, hey, this young kid told me that this is unstoppable
Jamal Robbins:and what it means and all of that stuff and what it means to them and
Jamal Robbins:how I can encourage other people.
Jamal Robbins:And now many of other people are being encouraged and hey,
Jamal Robbins:I want this shirt, I want this.
Jamal Robbins:And now I can pour back into the community.
Jamal Robbins:Um, and the people that helped me.
Cliff Duvernois:Oh, that's awesome.
Cliff Duvernois:So I gotta ask you this question.
Cliff Duvernois:You decided to be an entrepreneur, you've got your own business up.
Cliff Duvernois:You are CEO.
Cliff Duvernois:So what did your friends say to this?
Jamal Robbins:They were like, what?
Jamal Robbins:A ceo, e o.
Jamal Robbins:Like, what's going on here, man?
Jamal Robbins:How did this happen?
Cliff Duvernois:Did they get behind you?
Jamal Robbins:Well, they were like, man,
Jamal Robbins:I'm your biggest supporter.
Cliff Duvernois:Now, when you came up with the merchandise and you're trying
Cliff Duvernois:to come up, how do you come up with, cuz I don't know anything about design.
Cliff Duvernois:I actually, I just, I go find people that know stuff about design.
Cliff Duvernois:So how did you go about designing?
Cliff Duvernois:The logo, the unstoppable being on the shirt.
Cliff Duvernois:How did you do, how did you do all that?
Jamal Robbins:I wanted it to be distressed.
Jamal Robbins:so that basically meaning that, it went through like the shirt,
Jamal Robbins:that I have on right now.
Jamal Robbins:It went through some things like it's been scarred.
Jamal Robbins:It's been pushed.
Jamal Robbins:It's been tested.
Jamal Robbins:But it's coming out.
Jamal Robbins:It came out of whatever it went through.
Jamal Robbins:And that's what made it unstoppable cuz we never gave up and all that.
Jamal Robbins:So that's why I came up with the distress looked.
Jamal Robbins:So that it basically lets people know, hey, no matter what you go
Jamal Robbins:through, you can still do it man.
Jamal Robbins:Come on.
Jamal Robbins:Just pick your stuff back up.
Jamal Robbins:Pick yourself back up, and just get back to it cuz you're unstoppable.
Cliff Duvernois:I am loving this.
Cliff Duvernois:So now the question I got for you is, the reason why you and I were able to connect
Cliff Duvernois:was because of, Rhonda Alexia Webb.
Cliff Duvernois:And for our audience, you can go back to episode 92 and
Cliff Duvernois:listen to my interview with her.
Cliff Duvernois:But she's got the program called Kids Ruled Now.
Cliff Duvernois:Yeah, but you were in that program.
Cliff Duvernois:Talk to us about your experience in that program.
Jamal Robbins:it was very cool.
Jamal Robbins:I think the first time I went was 2017.
Jamal Robbins:oh, you've been in it for a while?
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:and it was very cool.
Jamal Robbins:of course I was younger then and I was like, wait a minute.
Jamal Robbins:These, there's.
Jamal Robbins:Telling us like very important things because, this one, the 2017
Jamal Robbins:one and the previous one that I just went to her, last one, they were
Jamal Robbins:teaching us how to like, work the cameras and do all that other stuff.
Jamal Robbins:And, he was also teaching us about business, which is, another reason
Jamal Robbins:why I wanted to start a business.
Jamal Robbins:Cause I was like, Hey, this is another, another way that I can do it.
Jamal Robbins:And he told me, Hey, you're really good at this stuff.
Jamal Robbins:So, you know, might as well, just do it.
Jamal Robbins:So, um, I can get the word out.
Cliff Duvernois:And what would be some of the key lessons that you
Cliff Duvernois:learned going through that program?
Jamal Robbins:To never give up.
Jamal Robbins:Like I've heard, never give up.
Jamal Robbins:And you can do it.
Jamal Robbins:And you're not nervous.
Jamal Robbins:You're just excited.
Jamal Robbins:Hey, I love you.
Jamal Robbins:And they embrace me like with warm hugs and it's just like
Jamal Robbins:a really cool atmosphere.
Jamal Robbins:So yeah.
Jamal Robbins:Um, I've heard a lot of those things, keep going.
Jamal Robbins:You got this.
Jamal Robbins:You know.
Cliff Duvernois:I love that you're not nervous, you're excited.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:That's what Miss Rhonda said.
Cliff Duvernois:So tell us about the first time that you had a product
Cliff Duvernois:to sell, and I don't know if it was Unstoppable or not, but you had a
Cliff Duvernois:product to sell and you're all of a sudden now facing the public.
Cliff Duvernois:You got people coming in.
Cliff Duvernois:It's no longer theoretical.
Cliff Duvernois:You now have to actually get out there and try to sell something.
Cliff Duvernois:So talk to us about that.
Jamal Robbins:Well, um, like I said, it started with the Washington DC trip thing.
Jamal Robbins:Um, and so I went to the Freeland market.
Jamal Robbins:in the Midland area around, yeah.
Jamal Robbins:In the Midland area.
Jamal Robbins:And, I had to sew the different people and they were like, wow, you're doing
Jamal Robbins:such a good job and all that stuff.
Jamal Robbins:And at first I was nervous.
Jamal Robbins:I actually was, I was like, oh my gosh, how am I gonna do this?
Jamal Robbins:But, I ended up doing actually really, really good that day.
Jamal Robbins:And so I was like, I can turn this into a business.
Jamal Robbins:So that, the Kids Rule Now and everything else just Put
Jamal Robbins:together made me, want to start.
Cliff Duvernois:So in that moment when you said, I can do
Cliff Duvernois:this, what do you think changed?
Jamal Robbins:I think it was that people telling me, Hey,
Jamal Robbins:you have a great sales pitch.
Jamal Robbins:I'm gonna take you to my dealership.
Jamal Robbins:You can help me sell cars you like better than all my other
Jamal Robbins:workers on all that stuff.
Jamal Robbins:I was like, wait, so if I'm that good, then, I can have an impact on people.
Jamal Robbins:Because I normally just, it's a connection, with people that
Jamal Robbins:I try to have, like a personal connection, uh, when we're at the
Jamal Robbins:sales and just in general life.
Jamal Robbins:So I said, Hey, I can add my personality into the business ethic
Jamal Robbins:and sales pitch and everything.
Jamal Robbins:So I was like, wait a minute.
Jamal Robbins:If one plus one is two, then I can do this.
Jamal Robbins:You know,
Cliff Duvernois:You talked about your skills, you talked about your personality.
Cliff Duvernois:Why don't you share with us maybe some of the some of the things that
Cliff Duvernois:you thought, you know, like maybe you were thinking one way and then you
Cliff Duvernois:started thinking another way, right?
Cliff Duvernois:When you got into,
Cliff Duvernois:when you got into sales part of it, for instance, when you're talking
Cliff Duvernois:about that, like what was some of the, I guess the word that comes to
Cliff Duvernois:mind is preconceived notions that you had that maybe you thought, okay,
Cliff Duvernois:I thought that was gonna work this way, but naturally works this way.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:so that day, I'm not gonna lie, I didn't think I was going to do too well
Jamal Robbins:because like I said, I was nervous.
Jamal Robbins:so when I started doing really, really well, I was like, wow, you know,
Cliff Duvernois:what do you credit when you talk about doing really
Cliff Duvernois:well, what do you credit that to?
Jamal Robbins:You're saying like, to people who helped me do that?
Cliff Duvernois:either that or, what was that?
Cliff Duvernois:Did you find some confidence in you that you didn't have before?
Cliff Duvernois:Did you find the right words to say?
Jamal Robbins:I think it was the confidence.
Jamal Robbins:I found some sort of confidence.
Jamal Robbins:Because at first, like I said, I had no confidence, that I was
Jamal Robbins:gonna be able to like do well.
Jamal Robbins:But cuz I wanted to touch people, to I,
Jamal Robbins:but I didn't think I was gonna be able to do it.
Jamal Robbins:cuz you know, hey, I'm just this little kid, But, um, I ended up doing it in
Jamal Robbins:I, my cons, my confidence level boosted and, that's why I have the business now.
Cliff Duvernois:Nice.
Cliff Duvernois:I know that Kids Rule now has been working with, Saginaw Valley State University.
Cliff Duvernois:Now, were you in that program as well Okay.
Cliff Duvernois:So talk to us about your experience working at S V S U.
Jamal Robbins:Ms.
Jamal Robbins:Rhonda selected me and my sister for this program, called the Vitito Fellows, over
Jamal Robbins:at S vs U in the business department.
Jamal Robbins:Um, So it basically was like this huge boost to my business.
Jamal Robbins:It helped me come out with new merch and new just everything.
Jamal Robbins:It boosted my business to it took it to the next level.
Jamal Robbins:Nice.
Jamal Robbins:And so it was really cool being able to do like a pitch presentation in front of
Jamal Robbins:everybody, which they really loved it.
Jamal Robbins:And, we had really good time with the Vitito fellows.
Jamal Robbins:And I actually really missed them.
Cliff Duvernois:For our audience, we're gonna take a quick break to thank our
Cliff Duvernois:sponsors and when we come back, Jamal's gonna tell us about that future project
Cliff Duvernois:that he's keeping for the end of the show.
Cliff Duvernois:We'll see you after the break.
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Cliff Duvernois:Hello everyone, and welcome back to Total Michigan.
Cliff Duvernois:I'm your host, Cliff DuVernois.
Cliff Duvernois:Today we're talking to the rather extraordinary Jamal Robbins,
Cliff Duvernois:C E O of Juniors collectibles.
Cliff Duvernois:Now, Jamal, before the break, we were talking about your experience working
Cliff Duvernois:with the Vitito Fellows, and I hope I said that correctly, at S V S U.
Cliff Duvernois:Why don't you talk to us a little bit about what has happened
Cliff Duvernois:since your experience with them?
Jamal Robbins:Well, um, I've been very blessed to, receive a lot of offers to
Jamal Robbins:go speak to people, which is what, I wanted to become or, and still want to
Jamal Robbins:become, which is a motivational speaker.
Jamal Robbins:So I've gotten offers to speak at Bavarian Inn in, um, Boys and Girls
Jamal Robbins:Club in various, other places, and I'm very excited to, do it.
Cliff Duvernois:That's absolutely wonderful.
Cliff Duvernois:Has there been any other doors that have opened up for you because of that?
Jamal Robbins:Oh, I've gotten new merch styles.
Jamal Robbins:So not just the distress look that I talk about earlier.
Jamal Robbins:Um, I've also gotten one that says unstoppable and then like a line and
Jamal Robbins:then says every scar has a story on it.
Jamal Robbins:Not just new merchandise, but new logos and everything.
Jamal Robbins:And an Instagram account.
Cliff Duvernois:Oh, nice.
Cliff Duvernois:And we'll have to delve into that.
Cliff Duvernois:when we get closer to the end of the show, what I would like to
Cliff Duvernois:do is talk maybe about another, I see that you are also in a band.
Cliff Duvernois:Yes.
Cliff Duvernois:You're quite the musician.
Cliff Duvernois:Talk to us about, I have you always had a love for music.
Cliff Duvernois:How does that work?
Cliff Duvernois:Yeah,
Jamal Robbins:Yeah, I've like, since I was four, I've
Jamal Robbins:always had a love for music.
Jamal Robbins:I play, can I tell you the instruments that I play?
Jamal Robbins:Uh, please do.
Jamal Robbins:Okay.
Jamal Robbins:so I sing, um, I play piano.
Jamal Robbins:I play the drums, the ukulele, the guitar, the bass guitar, the trump, the ooh,
Jamal Robbins:the trumpet, the baritone, the tuba.
Jamal Robbins:And some other instruments that I forgot.
Jamal Robbins:I kind of forgot.
Cliff Duvernois:Oh man, I love it.
Cliff Duvernois:Yes, I played one instrument and I was lucky to do that.
Cliff Duvernois:So you played 'em all.
Cliff Duvernois:Excellent.
Cliff Duvernois:So what made you decide to pursue this?
Cliff Duvernois:Because I see that you got videos online posted, you got like an
Cliff Duvernois:actual band that's going on there.
Cliff Duvernois:You got all kinds.
Cliff Duvernois:So what, why pursue this?
Jamal Robbins:because, Since the Kids Rule Now event, the first
Jamal Robbins:one that I went to, I, I've had a passion for business since that age.
Jamal Robbins:and I really wanted to pursue this, at, not just in entrepreneurship wise,
Jamal Robbins:but um, also at S V S U, going there for like college and stuff and like
Jamal Robbins:having minor in music or something.
Jamal Robbins:So ever since like my inspiration to have a business or become a young entrepreneur,
Jamal Robbins:that in music have been like, tied for first place of like my most, like
Jamal Robbins:the things that I really love to do.
Jamal Robbins:And, and it's not just become like a hobby or whatever, but like it's actually
Jamal Robbins:something that I, it's like a dream for me or you've actually gotten gigs.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:Tell us some of the places that you played.
Jamal Robbins:We've played at the Red House by the Temple Theater.
Jamal Robbins:I forgot what it was called.
Jamal Robbins:But the Big Red House and it was like some sort of club, not, community club.
Jamal Robbins:Okay.
Jamal Robbins:I forgot what the name was.
Jamal Robbins:But yeah, it's like this red building by this temple theater and a lot of bands and
Jamal Robbins:everything come to play um, like really cool music from jazz to like regular,
Jamal Robbins:like actual band, like orchestra stuff.
Jamal Robbins:So, um, we've played there and various of other places.
Cliff Duvernois:Because this has come up a few times during your talk
Cliff Duvernois:between the music and entrepreneur, and I'm just curious as well, is there an
Cliff Duvernois:entrepreneur out there that you admire?
Jamal Robbins:Miss Rhonda Alexia Webb.
Cliff Duvernois:Boy.
Cliff Duvernois:I could just hear her laughing right now when she hears this episode.
Cliff Duvernois:That's gonna be cute.
Cliff Duvernois:What is it, what is it about Rhonda that you, that you truly admire?
Jamal Robbins:Her always having a smile on her face and, always
Jamal Robbins:has this like warm embrace.
Jamal Robbins:She always tells me the nervous or you're not nervous.
Jamal Robbins:But you're excited.
Jamal Robbins:That whole thing.
Jamal Robbins:And she just like, The first time that I met her in 2017, I was
Jamal Robbins:like, wow, this lady is amazing.
Jamal Robbins:Like, So it's just, we've always had that like bond or whatever, ever since.
Jamal Robbins:So yeah, she's like a really amazing person and she's the reason why I
Jamal Robbins:wanted to start this special thing again
Cliff Duvernois:Yes.
Cliff Duvernois:So let's talk about this special thing.
Cliff Duvernois:So the question I got for you is, cuz I know this is off to the future,
Cliff Duvernois:but tell us what the future holds.
Jamal Robbins:In the future, the very near future, when I turned 18, so roughly
Jamal Robbins:around 2027, I want to start a nonprofit organization, um, like Kids Rule Now.
Jamal Robbins:Like I said, Miss Rhonda is my inspiration to start it.
Jamal Robbins:Because I don't want people to just buy from me to be encouraged.
Jamal Robbins:But I want this business to be able to grow so that I can support that
Jamal Robbins:nonprofit, when I turn 18 because I want to be able to do it for free.
Jamal Robbins:Like not just people buying from me.
Jamal Robbins:Cuz I've always just wanted to be like, Hey, like basically over Oprah Winfrey.
Jamal Robbins:Hey, you get this.
Jamal Robbins:You can do anything except I'm motivating people.
Jamal Robbins:and encouraging them to like be their best.
Jamal Robbins:So the nonprofit will actually really help me do that.
Jamal Robbins:Um, Instead of just going to sales and stuff and selling stuff.
Jamal Robbins:So my business that I have now can support the nonprofit in
Jamal Robbins:the future, which is my plan.
Cliff Duvernois:What is the nonprofit?
Jamal Robbins:The nonprofit.
Jamal Robbins:I don't know what I'm going to name it.
Jamal Robbins:I'm still deciding that.
Jamal Robbins:So
Cliff Duvernois:the mission of the nonprofit?
Jamal Robbins:mission to just encourage people, No matter what, tell people
Jamal Robbins:that they can do it, go to like various different places, like around the
Jamal Robbins:country and hopefully around the world, um, to just spread the message that we
Jamal Robbins:are unstoppable and we can do anything.
Cliff Duvernois:I know when you talk about inspiring people, and that's a
Cliff Duvernois:very laudable goal, when you talk about inspiring people, what is it exactly
Cliff Duvernois:do you want to inspire them to do?
Jamal Robbins:like I said, be the best versions on themself.
Jamal Robbins:Just try to be positive, instead of looking at the negative things
Jamal Robbins:in life because there's always a bright side to to a story.
Jamal Robbins:And some things happen to make greater things happen.
Jamal Robbins:you could, your car could break down, but next thing you know, hey, there's this car
Jamal Robbins:for sale for that's very affordable in.
Jamal Robbins:Now look, it's just basically in your hands and, hey, I have this new
Jamal Robbins:nicer car, better than the other one.
Jamal Robbins:So sometimes things happen for a good reason.
Jamal Robbins:And so sometimes when bad things happen, people um, get down and sad.
Jamal Robbins:Like I did when Covid happened.
Jamal Robbins:But I never knew that from there that a business would pop out of it.
Jamal Robbins:And I would be able to encourage other people, that they're unstoppable and
Jamal Robbins:that they can do it every single day.
Jamal Robbins:Even though I had to go through some things to come out and be like a
Jamal Robbins:better person and have um, the business so I can encourage other people.
Jamal Robbins:It just, it's just wow.
Jamal Robbins:It's amazing cuz I'm able to do it now.
Jamal Robbins:So, yeah.
Cliff Duvernois:Why don't you talk to us about some of the new
Cliff Duvernois:merch that you've been working on?
Jamal Robbins:I know earlier that I mentioned, about
Jamal Robbins:hoodies and hats and shirts.
Jamal Robbins:So I already had shirts, before the Vitito.
Jamal Robbins:But the Vitito at, the Innovation Lab, with, I believe his name is John.
Jamal Robbins:I could be wrong, but anyways, we made hoodies that says every scar
Jamal Robbins:has a story underneath unstoppable.
Jamal Robbins:Um, and those like all sold out at the event.
Jamal Robbins:The pitch presentation that we had to do.
Jamal Robbins:They all sold out.
Jamal Robbins:So I had to make some more, so that, you know, I can,' sell
Jamal Robbins:'em, But that was amazing.
Jamal Robbins:I
Cliff Duvernois:Oh, that's okay.
Cliff Duvernois:I was actually gonna lead right into my next question that I had for you when
Cliff Duvernois:you were talking about, now talk about the Innovation Lab and part of the S
Cliff Duvernois:V S u and I missed this part before.
Cliff Duvernois:The innovation lab is where you can actually go and make products.
Cliff Duvernois:So when you talk, when we talk about making products,
Cliff Duvernois:is it like a one-off thing?
Cliff Duvernois:Could you like run a hundred t-shirts?
Cliff Duvernois:Could you do a thousand hoodies?
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Jamal Robbins:I can.
Jamal Robbins:I actually I can't remember how much I made.
Jamal Robbins:I think I made 50 to a hundred different like hoodies or shirts.
Jamal Robbins:And so it's actually really cool process.
Jamal Robbins:So you have to, it fits, um, a gray hoodie, like how we had to do
Jamal Robbins:with the gray hoodies and shirts.
Jamal Robbins:You have to put it in this like big red machine and then it
Jamal Robbins:like, coats it with something.
Jamal Robbins:And then you iron it and then you put the, ink on there for the
Jamal Robbins:thing, and then you iron it again, and then bam, there's a shirt.
Jamal Robbins:I had the really cool opportunity, with the Vitito fellows to go to the innovation
Jamal Robbins:lab, and make the products myself.
Jamal Robbins:Um, And it was like a very fun experience.
Jamal Robbins:So I can really just go there, anytime, but like I have to set up a date or
Jamal Robbins:something, You know, plan it out with him.
Jamal Robbins:So yeah, I can just go there and just make stuff, for my business.
Cliff Duvernois:Talk to us about the first time that you held up one of your
Cliff Duvernois:shirts and you saw your logo on there.
Cliff Duvernois:This is now your product.
Cliff Duvernois:Talk to us about that.
Jamal Robbins:So when they came to my house, and my mom showed me, I was like,
Jamal Robbins:whoa, that's, I'm gonna be selling these?
Jamal Robbins:And I was like, wow.
Jamal Robbins:Really?
Jamal Robbins:was that bad?
Jamal Robbins:No, it was good.
Jamal Robbins:Um, I was like, wow, it's, this is actually like really happening.
Jamal Robbins:It was only like a dream, some time ago.
Jamal Robbins:But it's like, wow, it's actually happening now.
Cliff Duvernois:And It became a reality.
Cliff Duvernois:And you sold out.
Jamal Robbins:Yeah.
Cliff Duvernois:So what does that tell you?
Jamal Robbins:That I can do it.
Jamal Robbins:This is just living proof that I can, and that anybody can, do whatever they
Jamal Robbins:put their mi their minds to, which is what I was told the entire time,
Jamal Robbins:before I had my business started.
Jamal Robbins:Little did I know that it was actually going to manifest that I could do
Jamal Robbins:anything that I put my mind too.
Cliff Duvernois:That's great cuz that seems to be a
Cliff Duvernois:reoccurring theme today yeah.
Cliff Duvernois:For you to be able to do that.
Cliff Duvernois:Nice.
Cliff Duvernois:so with regards to, the nonprofit, the question that I got for you is
Cliff Duvernois:this, cuz having a nonprofit is tough.
Cliff Duvernois:So why do the nonprofit?
Cliff Duvernois:Why not just do speaking engagements right underneath of your company now?
Cliff Duvernois:Why make a separate entity?
Jamal Robbins:I really don't know.
Jamal Robbins:I just, it's just something that was put on my heart to do.
Jamal Robbins:Just one day, it was just like an idea.
Jamal Robbins:Because how Ms.
Jamal Robbins:Rhonda's Kids Now, really touched me and it was like all just for free.
Jamal Robbins:It's just was set in my hands.
Jamal Robbins:And I could do whatever I wanted to, do with it and be encouraged and everything.
Jamal Robbins:I was like, Hey, I don't want to do this when people have to pay for it.
Jamal Robbins:I wanna do it for free.
Jamal Robbins:And yeah, that's why I wanna do the nonprofit because I don't
Jamal Robbins:want to take, I wanted to do it with my business that I have now.
Jamal Robbins:I don't want to take like anything out of it.
Jamal Robbins:I don't want to earn any money.
Jamal Robbins:I don't wanna do that.
Jamal Robbins:I'd rather get a job, somewhere else.
Jamal Robbins:But I was like, wait a minute.
Jamal Robbins:This business could be funding another thing um, that I
Jamal Robbins:wanna do for the nonprofit.
Jamal Robbins:And so I was like, Hey, this is actually gonna be a cool plan.
Jamal Robbins:It's actually gonna work out.
Jamal Robbins:and so that's why I did that versus, my other plan.
Cliff Duvernois:Okay.
Cliff Duvernois:Another question I got for you is circling back to the, to the speaking gigs, right?
Cliff Duvernois:People saying, Hey, we want you to come talk to us.
Cliff Duvernois:Is it just doing your business presentation?
Cliff Duvernois:Or is it you inspiring people.
Jamal Robbins:It's me inspiring people, both, really, but
Jamal Robbins:more of the inspiring people.
Jamal Robbins:Because people that showed up to the event and people that wasn't
Jamal Robbins:able to make it, but heard about it.
Jamal Robbins:They were like, wow, this dude is like, He's, he's encouraging people.
Jamal Robbins:He's doing this.
Jamal Robbins:He's telling us about Unstoppable.
Jamal Robbins:And so, um, they wanted me to go to other places and tell them about Unstoppable.
Jamal Robbins:So I believe at the Bavarian Inn it's going to be like a a staff day.
Jamal Robbins:So like they relax, whatever.
Jamal Robbins:And I can encourage the staff to keep going and keep doing what they do, um, and
Jamal Robbins:doing what they're, what they really love.
Jamal Robbins:So it's like a mixture of both.
Cliff Duvernois:And for your speaking engagement, so I asked this question
Cliff Duvernois:because this is something that I'm getting into myself, but for your speaking
Cliff Duvernois:engagement, do you have already an outline prepared of what you're gonna say?
Jamal Robbins:I'm actually working on that.
Jamal Robbins:right now.
Cliff Duvernois:Cool.
Cliff Duvernois:Anything you can share with us?
Jamal Robbins:I'm going to tell people about Unstoppable.
Jamal Robbins:in every car, in every scar has a story.
Jamal Robbins:And what that means to me.
Jamal Robbins:And I've been coming up with an acronym for Unstoppable, or
Jamal Robbins:either every scar has a story.
Cliff Duvernois:Where did you get every scar has a story?
Jamal Robbins:Well, um, that was another thing that was just like on my heart.
Jamal Robbins:Every scar has a story.
Jamal Robbins:Because like I said, with the distressed look, the distress tells or it shows
Jamal Robbins:people that, hey, I've been through these things, but it says unstoppable
Jamal Robbins:cuz no matter what, I am unstoppable.
Jamal Robbins:And those scars tell stories.
Jamal Robbins:And, yeah.
Jamal Robbins:So how we come out of those scars and how the scars can still be
Jamal Robbins:there, but, it doesn't change you, you know what I'm saying?
Jamal Robbins:It just, it makes you better.
Cliff Duvernois:Jamal, for our audience, if anybody's listening to
Cliff Duvernois:this and they want to connect with you, they wanna follow the excitement
Cliff Duvernois:and the journey that you're on.
Cliff Duvernois:And I know you mentioned instagram before, is there a website we can
Cliff Duvernois:direct people to social media?
Cliff Duvernois:What's the best way for them to get in to, to follow you?
Jamal Robbins:The best ways for them to follow me or get in contact
Jamal Robbins:with me is Facebook and Instagram.
Jamal Robbins:Instagram, I believe, if I'm not mistaken, it's at Junior's Collectibles.
Jamal Robbins:Um, Or you can just look up my full name and hit the search button.
Jamal Robbins:Don't forget the search button cuz it won't work.
Jamal Robbins:But my full name.
Jamal Robbins:And then hit the search button.
Jamal Robbins:And then it should be the first one up there and it says Junior Collectibles
Jamal Robbins:with my red hat for my logo.
Jamal Robbins:And then on Facebook you can either just look up junior
Jamal Robbins:Collectibles or my full name.
Cliff Duvernois:Awesome.
Cliff Duvernois:Jamal, thank you for taking time to come and chat with us today.
Cliff Duvernois:It's really great and There's a lot of great things and I actually
Cliff Duvernois:look forward to having you back on the show in the future so you can
Cliff Duvernois:tell us how everything's unfolded.
Cliff Duvernois:So thank you.
Jamal Robbins:Thank you for inviting me.
Cliff Duvernois:And for our audience, you can always go to total michigan.com,
Cliff Duvernois:click on Jamal's interview and you will see all the links that he mentioned above.
Cliff Duvernois:We'll see you next week with another exciting story.