by Cyrus Webb
Fonz, it's been great watching you build your brand and making a difference in your community the way you have. You've been succeeding, both personally and professionally. What has it been like for you to look back on all you have been able to achieve as we're going into a new year?
First off, man, thanks for the opportunity to be interviewed on your platform. Looking back on all I've been able to do, I think I've been blessed to have great people around me and great people to work with. I love networking and trying to find the common denominator between whoever I'm working with to be able to accomplish the goal. It's been a heck of a ride. Coming from where I come from and doing what I used to do to being able to do what I'm doing now, it's really a blessing.
Fonz, I first got a chance to interview you in 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky during my visit there. One of the things you care about a lot is empowering the youth? Why is that so important to you?
I feel like you have to be able to reach these youngins' and be able to show them something different than what they see daily. At the end of the day, we have a lot of kids that are getting killed or trapped into the prison system due to bad decisions or just lack of good guidance or bad decisions. You know, something that took five minutes to do is costing them 15, 20 years of their life.
Being able to empower them and show them something that they could do, that they are good at is a blessing. Everybody's good at something. So it's just about taking the time to figure out what interests them and try to point them in the right direction whenever you get the opportunity. Empowering these kids is gonna be the way we change a lot of the stuff that is going on.
You have a lot of them that are just following and mimicking what they see. They may have parents behind them and good people giving them good advice, but they're just choosing to make the wrong decisions to follow the in-crowd. But you also have those kids who are actually living and taking care of themselves and taking care of their siblings. So they have to do whatever it is they have to do out here in the streets, which is usually adapt to whatever's going on. So the people who are actually showing them and teaching them survival in the streets, is not giving the guidance that's truly needed to elevate them to any type of next level. That's where we have to come in. We have to empower them with whatever gifts they have, leading them in the right direction.
I totally agree, Fonz. That's why what you do is so appreciated. Outside of your work in the community, though, you also are a person that believes in style and loves fashion. Where did that passion come from?
As far as the fashion, I've been doing this for a while now, but there was a time growing up where I didn't have all the things that was needed to actually look fashionable, you know? So as I got older, I started paying attention to more of the fashion and being able to put pieces together. That was just something that kind of came to me, but it really took a turn to a whole other level when I actually met my wife and she was so much into fashion that it made me pay that much more attention.
We started watching a lot of fashion shows together. I actually was in the midst of putting together a fashion show when I met her, and we just talked about fashion and all types of different stuff. Then I actually got to see her closet, which was amazing. The way she actually put together different outfits was really something. We then started to coordinate and style with each other, that took it to new heights.
As for my own personal style, I just try to make sure I stay clean, stay fresh and make sure I'm ready. If you stay ready, you don't gotta get ready, so just being able to make sure that I look the part of what is going on is important to me.
That goes into my next question for you, Fonz. One of the things I respect about you a lot is that you are not afraid to blaze your own trail. What helped you to have the confidence and belief in yourself to do that?
There were a lot of people who didn't believe in me. I had a lot of opportunities to get with people, sit with people, talk with people, show people my vision and try to explain things that I was trying to put together. I was getting a lot of doors closed on me, but it just only fed my fire even more for me to just keep going and keep doing what I do. A no doesn't stop me. It only ignites me even more. It makes me figure out a way to actually do what I'm trying to do.
You have to be able to take rejection, you know what I'm saying? Rejection builds your confidence as well. It's either you gonna take the rejection and tuck your tail and run home because you got rejected, or you're going to actually man up even more, stick your chest back out there and try to make it happen. You just can't be afraid of rejection. I've never been one to be afraid to get a no. I've been consistent and persistent, and I've seen how that works when you are not just trying once or twice but you are really adamant about making sure that whatever it is you're trying to do gets accomplished.
Supporting the community and giving back is also something I've seen you do. What has it been like to hear from others how much they appreciate your efforts to make a difference in the lives of others?
As far as hearing from others I've helped in the community, one of the things that I always let them know is that it's not just me. I accept a thank you, but I tell them it takes a team to do the things that I do. Whatever project that I'm focusing on and putting my mind to do, I sit down and I find the people who have the same vision as me. People who don't mind really getting their hands dirty and putting boots on the ground and doing whatever's necessary for us to actually pull off whatever we need to do. Finding those individuals is really the key to the success, so I really can't take all of the credit.
That leads to talking about networking. Networking is also something you're big on. How has it helped you to not only connect with like-minded individuals while also being the bridge for others to connect with them, too?
Networking is something that I feel like more people need to take advantage of. I come from backgrounds where we had to do things on the street and network in one way, but when you can actually transform and start getting around people who can actually help your cause and you all can help each other some way, shape or form---that's also a great form of growth.
Being able to take the time to find the people who understand my vision and I understand theirs, and we find a common ground to get something done, man, that's always a beautiful thing. And you just never know where you may or who you may come across when you're actually putting yourself in the positions and in the locations to be able to network. Just being in the room is the biggest thing, making sure that you are sometimes just a fly on the wall and sometimes you gotta know when to speak up and say, 'Hey, I'm such and such. How are you doing? I do this...' That's what it's all about: networking and connecting the dots with people who wanna see you succeed just as much as you wanna see them succeed.
What is one of the things you are the most proud of, Fonz, when you look at your achievements so far?
When I look back on my achievements, one of the things I'm most proud of is knowing that I have had a hand in helping people in a major way in our community from clothes to shoes, to pillows, to food abd even monetarily. I'm proud that I have been a part of it and the face of it, the idea of it...and to know that people actually believe in me and the things that I do,
I also had the privilege to get the key to the city. I'm proud of that as well. To be recognized by my city means a lot. Like I said, I'm super humbled to have the type of people around me that believe in what I'm doing and wanna be a part of whatever I got going on. We achieve these things together.
Any advice you want to share with our audience about the importance of not giving up on their goals and dreams?
Yeah, man. Nothing's gonna happen overnight. That's the first thing that they have to understand. You have to be able to follow your own vision, not be a copy of what someone else is already trying to do.
I also want to say there is no need to try to reinvent the wheel. Keep your blinders on. You also have to recognize your atmosphere. The people you are around: are they helping you or are they hurting you? Are they holding you back? Make sure that everybody is on the same page. That's gonna be key. Never give up on whatever it is you're trying to do and make sure you stay consistent.
Thanks again, Fonz, for all you do. How can our audience stay connected with you?
Anyone that wants to chop it up with me can reach me on Facebook under Fonz Brown as well as on Instagram. Cyrus, I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you and your audience. Looking forward to doing it again.
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