 photo by steed media service
|
His Mission: As an associate
professor at Texas Southern University’s Barbara Jordan-Mickey
Leland School of Public Affairs and chairman of the board of the
Houston Citizens Chamber of Commerce, Carroll G. Robinson has one goal:
spreading prosperity in the community by any means necessary.
His mantra: “Don’t try to find a job, create your own job.”
The reasons for his success:
His parents. “My dad always said, ‘Get a good education,
nobody can take it away from you.’ ”
His “sidekick,” his brother.
Education. “The good education I got at Stockton State College
and the two people who helped me there, Harvey Kesselman and Jean
Jones, who ran what we called the educational opportunity fun
program.”
“Moving to Texas and getting involved in Texas politics and
having worked for Sen. Rodney Ellis. And then the last thing is just
that I’m blessed by God to be somebody who wants to make a
difference.”
Robinson’s 411 –
Five strategies black entrepreneurs can use to thrive, despite an
economic downturn: “Hire a lawyer. Have a real business plan.
Make sure you have a great banking relationship, just don’t have
them take your money in terms of a deposit and you don’t have
your own banking officer. Make sure you take care of your customers and
have no fear.”
Robinson’s Rules:
“My first rule is I know everything. The first thing I know is I don’t know everything.”
“Be bold, but don’t be too bold; in other words, don’t be crazy.”
“Always volunteer to write the report.”
“Let the boss be the boss; you handle the money.”
