Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rico Williams. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rico, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about serving the underserved.

Tribe X is an inclusive brand that highlights black people and others who identify as minorities. Historically, black people and minorities have not received the credit, respect and recognition that we deserve in many facets of life but certainly when it comes to fashion. We are trendsetters, influencers, and are now stepping into the brand owner role. Prior to the advent of social media; we’d create styles, dances, and establish what’s cool to only be copied by the mainstream and not be properly compensated for our work. However, I believe that we are realizing that we can be more than just trendsetters and influencers, we can also be the boss and make sure our contributions aren’t overlooked or copied by big corporate brands.

Tribe X is looking to spark meaningful conversations through our clothing to uplift those who have historically been oppressed whether for their race, religion, or economic means.

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

Growing up in South Florida, sports reigned supreme. Football was and still is the way out for most kids. So I never envisioned myself doing anything else as an adult except playing in the NFL. However, when we weren’t playing football, my friends and I always wanted to be the “freshest” kids at school. So I guess that’s where my passion for fashion really started. As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to look good and having nice clothes made it easy to look my best. I remember wearing brands like FUBU, Sean John, and Enyce among others back in 2000 as an elementary school kid and pairing my outfits with the latest Iverson or T-Mac sneakers. And fast forward 20 years later and I’m the owner/founder of my own brand Tribe X. I started Tribe X back in 2016 and initially I only sold hats and for a moment I thought it would only be a headwear brand but demand grew and grew; now I’ve put out a number of apparel pieces and accessories.

Tribe X is a brand with morals and tells stories with each piece. Ultimately the brand is for minorities and our allies and I consider everyone that likes, shares, saves or purchases an item family forever because they decided to become a member of my Tribe by interacting and engaging with the brand in some way. I’d say my most popular piece is my “Blessings” crewnecks and tees. Every crewneck or tee that I’ve ever sold thus far has been stitched by me and I take pride in the fact that I learned how to sew from YouTube and was able to produce a product that people love so much. Even Rick Ross recently shared us on his Instagram story and shouted out our “Blessings” crewnecks. I’m most proud of the fact that I had a dream and a vision to create something and didn’t let fear or lack of money stop me from pursuing my goal. I want readers to know that we are a streetwear brand but more than anything we are a community and a family. We discuss meaningful topics with our clothing and our platforms. Topics and themes such as race, religion, and economics can be spotted throughout our pieces. But despite our differences we can still “embrace all cultures” no matter race, religion or economic background.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I started Tribe X with only $70. I spent the initial $70 on 20 blank hats that I eventually had embroidered at a local black owned shop in St. Petersburg, FL. After selling the initial 20 hats for $25 each, I reinvested into more hats. And from there I’ve just continued the sell/reinvest strategy that I implemented from the inception of the brand. So for all the aspiring clothing brand/ business owners don’t let a lack of money be the reason you don’t pursue your dreams. My advice would be to just start no matter how big or small, and once you start the rest will come.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Starting out I’d say word of mouth is an effective strategy. When I didn’t have much product and was still be figuring out who my customer was, having friends and family telling others about the brand was very helpful and brought alot of clients my way. Nowadays I’d certainly say Facebook/Instagram ads are by far the most effective way to get product in front of my target audience and converting those folks into paying clients. Using targeted ads recently has been very beneficial to the brand and I plan to continue utilizing this strategy moving forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: Tribexbyrico.com
• Instagram: @thetribexbrand
• Facebook: @thetribexbrand
• Twitter: @thetribexbrand
• Other: Tiktok: @thetribexbrand

Image Credits
Clinton Coutain Kymoye Samuel David Hunter Morgan Williams