David Robinson
Manufacturing Renaissance
Chicago, IL USA
"I don’t chase money. I chase helping people—which, in turn, gives me everything I need."
Career Roadmap
David's work combines: Business, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Find a mentor. Mentors have been very influential throughout my journey. It's incredibly helpful to have someone on your side with good, solid information to help guide you through uncertain moments.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Journalism
Morehouse College
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
As a kid, I won a few writing awards, so my mother encouraged me to follow my writing and pursue a career in journalism.
2.
I went to Morehouse College and earned my bachelor’s degree in journalism.
3.
Upon graduating, I got a job writing for the Detroit News.
4.
A few years later, my parents convinced their friend Harold Washington to run for mayor of Chicago, Illinois—he was elected and I joined his think tank, the Department of Economic Development.
5.
I initially thought that working in policy and programming would be a brief stint and I’d go back to journalism, but as I gained experience and got promoted, I fell in love with the work.
6.
Throughout my career, I’ve ventured down other paths—from entering the corporate world to owning my own company—but I’ve always made my way back into roles where I could help my community.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I'm invincible. It's all about me.
How I responded:
When I was younger, humility was foreign to me. The bad things that happened to other people couldn't happen to me. I wasted a lot of time thinking about myself. It took time but I eventually learned that it's not about me—it's about service. For others in a similar headspace, it takes time to learn humility. Volunteering your time and service can help. You may also have to survive a few hurdles to get to that point. As long as you don't end up crazy, dead, or in jail, you can make a change.