We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Amir Fralin. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Amir below.

Amir, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission statement is allowing and assisting with the growth of student achievement holistically. Holistically is the key word. Holistically deals with the entire person, both inside and out. I want to work with students who desire to be great in college, a career, a trade and at the same time build their character as well. It’s one idea to be accepted to a HBCU or even an Ivy League institution. It’s another to be accepted and FEEL accepted! Stepping into those spaces and know that you belong there. Allowing allows students to be who they are and meeting them where they are. Assisting is different from helping. Helping to me means you can’t do it on your own. Every student has it in them somewhere to be great. I “assist” because they can figure it out without me. I am just here to assist with pulling it out of them. After working in Higher Education Admissions for a few years, the most important aspect of the position was getting to know the students I worked with. Having real conversations with them and their families. If I was able to get an idea of what they really wanted, it made it easier for them to make a decision while getting to know me, holistically. Getting to know the me beyond the job title. And to me that’s how I wanted to know them: beyond the name on a piece of paper.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Amir Fralin, creator of PRES! Please. I stumbled into this industry after spending a few years working as an Admissions Counselor at a few higher education institutions. It was my job to recruit students from various areas and “counsel” them on the necessary steps to get into that institution. After working in that space I started to realize that I wanted to work with students before they got to this part of deciding what they wanted to do post-graduation. It came more about when I would work with BIPOC students. Students who looked like me, from the neighborhood I grew up in, or had similar experiences and didn’t really know or understand the college application process. I left higher education and had the opportunity to create an alumni support position at a high school, with the support of the school’s principal.

From then on I have been crafting dope opportunities that opens the door to what it is students have a heart for in the community I grew up in and more. I provide workshops, one on one sessions, and advising/counseling to students and families on various topics to assist with students figuring out what it is they would like to do. Whether that be college, trade school, and or a career they receive my full support.

The problems that I assist with solving for my clients is what is the best fit for them. Assisting with understanding why one financial aid package is better than the other. Introducing them to individuals that look like them, and who do not, that can provide guidance along the way. Work on their confidence by buying them an outfit for their first job interview. It’s more than being qualified. It’s also feeling good about it. That’s what sets me apart. I am willing to show up at the basketball game in the neighborhood in a shirt and tie to let them know that I am invested in everything that they have going on. I will sit with them in the middle of the mall while eating lunch and mapping out what the next day looks like.

I am most proud of my clients that have gone through there own personal struggle and has trusted me to support them when the finish line didn’t seem visible. But they made it. My goal is for them to know I am always here in the background of their success. They don’t ever need to say my name in public but always know I am here in private.

The main things that I would love future clients to know is that everything that I educate students on are things that we taught to me. I have been a student who has been through the worst possible thing, losing my twin brother during our Freshman year of college. I lost my full academic scholarship because I was dealing with passing. I am still a student who loves to learn from my clients experiences. That’s how I can meet them where they are. It is my passion to be the connector. Connecting students to their future aspirations while looking good doing it. This brand was crafted from an individual who had the team of individuals who supported him through it all. I am only assisting with giving exactly what was and is still given to me.

Have you ever had to pivot?

We all have had an experience with COVID. Mine was a little different. Pre-COVID, I had setup a partnership with the high school that I graduated from. I was elated! It was something that I had wanted to create for years. I had a meeting with the principal and the chair of the guidance department where we figured out what needed to be done to make this dream become a reality. Then a week later, schools started closing because of COVID. I was devastated and had a feeling of defeat. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. After speaking with my mentor, he empowered me in a way that I wasn’t considering. He said this is my time to flourish. Attack this challenge in a way that others aren’t thinking. If you are meeting students where they are, they are virtual. From that conversation, I started offering virtual workshops. I was able to facilitate workshops with colleges & universities, non-profit organizations, and still would attend workshops in person via COVID guidelines. It was a pivot but one that allowed me to grow my skillset and become even more creative.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been being completely transparent with my clients. I talk to them as if they are regular people. Why? Because that’s how I would like for them to see me. I tell my students that the only real difference is our age. I never act as if my experience is better than what they may have going on in their lives. We all go through some sort of hard time. It’s all about how we navigate it. I give my clients the space to be open and educating them on being open to the newness of it all. I actually have a hard time calling my students my “students.” I often refer to them as my team. My team because we work together. This strategy has been the most effective because clients have said to me “I only did this because you showed us how to do it by just watching how you move.” “Big bro you set the trend. We just followed what you did.” If I am able to be transparent, my walk with show you the type of individual that I am.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.presplease.com
• Instagram: @pres_please
• Facebook: PRES!
• Linkedin: Amir Fralin

Image Credits
Matt Bempah, Anthony Phiri, Khayriy Tilghman