Meet L’Shawn Rhodes Sr of Urban Boss Agency in Tempe

Today we’d like to introduce you to L’Shawn Rhodes Sr.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
How I got started with entrepreneurship honestly comes from my younger days. As a young kid in Cleveland, Ohio I knew out of anything that I may do in life I was going to succeed, just didn’t know how. A lot of my high school friends and teammates knew it would be football or some type of sport. Some came from wealthy homes so they were naturally ready. For me, I just wanted to make money and put my family in the position to win.

When I moved to Arizona in 2015, that was the first leap of faith I ever took on a big scale. I was enrolled in the Art Institute of Phoenix where I took up Fashion Marketing and Mangement. Developing not only the education that I moved here for but also a mindset to grow my business.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth roads just don’t exist in the entrepreneur lifetimes. I mean granted it is a good time when building a legacy but smooth roads, no. I know the entrepreneur life brings frustrations when you’re committed to building an empire but no frustration hit me harder than 2018 senior school year.

Last year July 4th, 2018, the Art Institute of Phoenix decided to close its doors in December. After up and down struggles the school closed all the campus locations and online courses 11 weeks before I graduated. I was furious, confused, sad and most of all disappointed. I have had a lot of struggles in life when I was little. Growing up in co-parenting situations, being bullied in elementary, getting my car repoed as an adult but none of that broke me like the school shutting the doors through an email.

It will never be a smooth road but through all and all my motto in life is “Become Legend, So Your Family Becomes Legendary.” I won’t stop until that mission is accomplished. So no road will ever be smooth to me.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
Urban Boss Agency is my umbrella that houses my many business endeavors.

Today I look forward to the soft launch of Forever Homies Clothing in the Fall/Winter of 2019 with a full launch in the Spring/Summer of 2020. Forever Homies is a streetwear clothing line with the goal is to become a brand that grows with our clientele. We look to be iconic like Shawn Stussy and universal like Vans. This clothing line came about from older conversations between my late friend Octavius Willform and myself as well as my current friendship with Alexandria Burkfield. Those two people no matter how far we may be apart, we will forever be homies.

I also do motivational speaking through most social media platforms with the intentions to uplift, educate, and motivate Millennials to want more than what’s currently offered in life. A lot of us dislike that society calls us the microwave generation but in all honesty we are. When speaking I feel very passionate about my topics so it is very contagious. Passion is contagious, understanding Passion plus Hustle equals Dreams Turned into Reality allows another millennial entrepreneur to get out the mindset of today’s judgment that we are the microwave generation. The podcast for motivational speaking is Free Game Motivation 101.

My daily job and one that I am excited about every day is I am a barber. I currently cut hair at Make N’ The Cut Barbershop in Goodyear, Arizona. Under the mentorship of Marshall Knox, I have not only grown my business as well as goals but I have also grown my vision. Being a barber is amazing and the lifestyle ties into everything that I do daily.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Ambition. Man, if you don’t have the ambition in you that’s okay. I got plenty to give through Free Game Motivation 101. The story that I am writing will be passed on to my son and any future kid I have. The same game can be passed on to yours. Having that ambition to start is what you need, then starting is what you have to do. Understand the mountain of life will never be finished but the ambition to keep climbing is what you need.

Contact Info:

• Email: urbanbossmarketing@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebighomiefresh/

Image Credit:
Alexandria Burkfield @zandriadreams

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