Russ started out working for himself. When his grandmother, then an employee at the Detroit Medical Center, gave him multicolored pens from her job, he turned requests for a pen into a small business.
“Whenever I took one to school, classmates would ask if they could have it. I always refused, but one day someone offered me $1 for a pen,” Russ said.
“I sold it and asked my grandmother
for more. I sold a pen nearly
every day for the rest of the
school year and made $150.
Russ sees Detroit Vs.
Everybody growing into
a global brand. “The dream
of creating an all-encompassing
apparel ecosystem in Detroit
will be realized, serving as a
benchmark for cities worldwide,”
Russ said. “Ultimately, my
enduring legacy will be a blend
of business innovation
intertwined with meaningful,
lasting community impact.”
First job
Where he hopes to be in 10 years
