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David Robinson
David Robinson
01:29

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

Director of External Affairs

I work toward creating sustainable development anchored in manufacturing.

01:10

Day In The Life Of A Director Of External Affairs

My Day to Day

A lot of my work revolves around communicating with various people and organizations. For example, I'll communicate with people at the Wall Street Journal or NPR to get a story out about a facet of our work. I'll also spend time writing releases. I'll communicate with Congresspeople and their staff to discuss policy. I also make sure any informational interviews are set up for success in terms of space, tools, and people. Every day typically consists of several meetings as well.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

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.

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.