Marcellus Womack and the making of a business visionary

The Chief Brand Strategist of 1% Brand Agency shares how FAMU, culture, and community shaped his entrepreneurial journey and his mission to uplift the next generation of Black leaders.
Marcellus Womack stands as a powerful example of what happens when HBCU excellence, cultural purpose, and entrepreneurial ambition collide. As the Chief Brand Strategist of 1% Brand Agency and co-author of business and empowerment guides that have inspired emerging leaders nationwide, Womack has built his career around transforming vision into reality.
Rooted in the training and tradition of Florida A&M University’s School of Business & Industry, he carries a mindset shaped by discipline, leadership, and a commitment to lifting others as he ascends. Those lessons continue to inform the way he builds brands, empowers entrepreneurs, and champions Black communities through intentional strategy and bold storytelling.In every chapter of his work, Womack embodies the spirit of an HBCU-bred innovator: confident, community-driven, and committed to creating pathways where none existed before. His journey reflects not just personal success but a mission to activate greatness in everyone he encounters.
What HBCU did you attend, and what three key lessons or principles did you learn there that continue to strengthen and guide you as an entrepreneur? How do you apply those principles in your daily life and business journey?
I attended Florida A&M University’s School of Business & Industry (SBI), and three core principles from that experience still anchor me as an entrepreneur today:1. No excuses. Results only
At SBI we were taught: No excuses accepted. No amount of effort is adequate until proven effective. That means when a deadline is set or a promise is made, the only acceptable outcome is a successful, completed mission.
It trained me on how to master deliverability—for which I define as the discipline of making things happen as planned, no matter what. In my business, that shows up as going above and beyond for every client and project. 
At 1% Brand Agency, our core value is Selfless Exceptionalism: how extraordinary can you be for someone else—team, client, or community.
2. Own the room.
SBI drilled into us that if you’re destined to lead, your voice and presence must be felt in every room you enter. We were required to craft intelligent, well‑researched questions for CEOs during packed forums, then stand up in the spotlight and ask them.
That practice taught me how to add value in high‑stakes spaces and communicate from a Fortune 500 CEO mindset. Today, whether it’s a pitch, partnership meeting, or panel, I’m intentional about using my voice to be heard, respected, and remembered—and that habit has opened doors for me again and again.
3. I Am Black. I lift as I climb.
Another principle was simple and non‑negotiable: as a Black person in America, your wins are not just your own. You have a responsibility to extend a hand to every Black child, woman, and man that you can.
“Become an ancestor that your descendants can pull strength from” — Sylus Green
Every gain—every relationship, every dollar, every opportunity—should be leveraged to champion the advancement of Black people. That mandate shapes who I partner with, the stories I tell through brands, and how I measure success: not just by profit, but by impact on our community.
“It is our duty to fight for our freedom. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” — Assata Shakur
What does sisterhood, brotherhood, or community engagement mean to you as an HBCU alum and business leader? What three core principles keep you grounded in your relationships and your work?
Sisterhood, brotherhood, and community mean unbreakable loyalty and royalty—the DNA Kendrick Lamar lyrically articulated, that has carried Black people through our greatest wars. 
Understanding this transformative Transatlantic journey that bonds us, I never forget where we came from, the dreams we must continue to manifest, and the wars we must continue to fight. Our collective overcoming anchors that everlasting bond.
Three principles grounding my relationships and work:

The Platinum Rule: Do unto others as they would have done unto themselves.
Start at the top and work your way up: Whenever you reach a ceiling, turn it into a floor.
The race is already won—all you have to do is RUN IT. The manifestation mindset term I created is: MINESET: It’s mine and already done before I even do it. 

Success is what happens when you do something you know without a shadow of a doubt has already been done. “God isn’t asking you to figure it out. He’s asking you to trust that he already has.”
What are the top three things that motivate you to be an entrepreneur? How do you stay encouraged, even on challenging days?
Three motivations fuel my entrepreneurial fire:

Create the future – Peter Thiel: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Understand first – Stephen Covey: “Seek to understand before seeking to be understood.”
Embrace obstacles – Ryan Holiday: “The obstacle is the way.”

In my book Run It, I explain how true entrepreneurs can ride down an interstate where most see empty grassland—and immediately envision shopping malls, housing complexes, amusement parks, universities. As entrepreneurs, we see potential everywhere.
One of my first FAMU experiences as a freshman in SBI was me and two Chicago homeboys cornering our Dean, the illustrious Sybil Mobley. We were in our suits for the first time on campus, feeling bold. I asked point-blank: “Why aren’t there any entrepreneurship classes in the curriculum? It looks like we’re being programmed to work for corporations instead of building our own businesses.”
She looked at me silently for about 5 seconds, then said: “Ohh, I can’t teach you how to take risks or take out a 2nd mortgage to pursue owning your own business. But if you can’t see how these management, marketing, finance, professional development, and internship curriculum experiences are all needed to be an entrepreneur… the seeds of entrepreneurship aren’t in you.”
I shut my mouth. Soaked it all in. And began my school-of-hard-knocks journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur. 
On tough days, I remember: visionaries see what others miss. Chaos is a ladder. The obstacle is the way. Gold is always under the grind.
How did you choose your industry, and what does it mean to you personally and professionally to be a leader in this field as an HBCU graduate?
My path to creative marketing crystallized during my final corporate role while earning my MBA at FAMU/SBI at age 22. I supported a Black supply chain executive on a reengineering initiative and coordinated an African-American symposium (today it’s known as DEI).
During a townhall meeting panel featuring all-white Fortune 500 CEOs speaking to an all-Black employee audience, I used my SBI-honed forum skills to ask a pointed 60-second multi-premised question, ultimately asking: As masterminds to such corporate profit-maximizing innovations, how would you apply such genius to address systemic societal inequities for a workforce whose ancestors were constitutionally considered 3/5ths of a human being?
There was silence for 30 seconds. Then the top CEO grabbed the mic: “That’s not our problem—that’s yours.” Another followed with even less empathy.
In that unforgettable moment I saw brilliant businessmen reveal profound ignorance. 
That moment ignited my unapologetic entrepreneurial calling: Champion emerging Black-owned brands and align win-win partnerships and activations with Fortune 500s. 
Creative marketing and breakthrough brand strategy became my wheelhouse to elevate Black cultural uplift.
How did you choose the name of your business or organization, and what significance does it hold for your mission and the work you do?
1% Brand Agency embodies elite, top 1% performance—but even more powerfully, it’s the Pareto Principle flipped from 80/20 to 99/1.
While 20% of activity typically drives 80% of results, our agency builds ONE THING DREAM brand machines. Out of 100 activities, ONE creates breakthrough impact. We’re obsessed with that singular 1% paradigm shifting difference-maker.
“The way you do ONE thing is the way you do anything—because it’s the sole reason for everything you do.”
“The 1% don’t become the 1% by chasing the other 99%.”
What would you like people to know about supporting your business? What is one tangible action readers can take today to support you?
My superpower is ultimately reminding you of yours. These are 3 books I have authored/co-authored that champion superhero greatness:
The Savage Matrix: A breakthrough framework that reveals four distinct archetypes for channeling one’s unstoppable Inner Savage.
RUN IT: The blueprint for how to secure the million-dollar bag in business.
Dope Black Boy 2 Rich Black Man: A guide to channeling a young hustler’s ambition into the development of an empowered successful entrepreneur.
What would you tell aspiring entrepreneurs, especially fellow HBCU graduates, about the real difficulties and challenges of entrepreneurship that people don’t always talk about?
To aspiring HBCU entrepreneurs, especially Black graduates: Your value may often be undervalued, but your vision, work ethic, and ingenuity must appreciate exponentially. 
Every win carries ancestral weight intergenerationally—past, present, and future. Stay obsessed with breakthroughs.
As a great ideal for overcoming difficulties, I share In The Savage Matrix The Rubberband Effect: The farther you’re pulled back, the harder you snap back. 
The further you’re pulled back in business or life—the farther you go, the faster you get there, and the harder you hit upon impact. Any setback is a momentum builder for the ultimate comeback.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action (force) in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Similar to a football game on second down, where the QB is sacked far beyond the line of scrimmage for a significant loss of yards. There’s no question what play call must be next: Third and Long. The QB has gotta GO DEEP. This is often the makings for some of the greatest plays ever.
“The degree of difficulty and distance from the goal determines the potential for greatness to unfold.” – Marcellus Womack
When you’re facing a difficult day, what do you say or do to remind yourself that you can keep going and show up again tomorrow?
I practice deep visualization meditation. I imagine walking across the Atlantic from America to Africa, paired with powerful “I AM” affirmations. This transports me to Infinite Invisible Consciousness as the I AM, which ultimately is oneness with God.
Everything is literally light work thereafter. The spiritual realm reveals itself: pure love, peace, infinite perfection. From that space, challenges dissolve.
After you’ve reached a milestone or hosted a successful event, what is your favorite way to relax, unwind, and celebrate?
I channel that winning energy straight into the next big life moment. 
“Success isn’t a marathon, it’s a sprint with no finish line.” — Tim Grover
How do you maintain motivation and optimism during the ups and downs of running your business?
“Chaos is a ladder” – Littlefinger, Game of Thrones.
Business has chaos. I reframe it as opportunity. Setbacks aren’t pits—they’re rungs to climb higher. Every disruption creates leverage for those who see the structure beneath.
When markets shift or deals fall through, I ask: What ladder does this chaos build? That mindset turns uncertainty into my competitive edge, fueling motivation through every up and down.
What is your favorite quote or mantra that keeps you grounded and focused when times get tough?
“Anything you give to a God is good for a God” — KRS-ONE
Why is self-care important for entrepreneurs, and how do you prioritize your well-being while growing your business?
Health is wealth. Our body reflects our mind and self-care aligns our mental, physical, emotional states with our infinite spiritual essence. 
I also believe peace is always accessible. A calm, spirit-aligned mind expands creatively, confidently outthinking obstacles—which is invaluable for entrepreneurs. Self-care reconnects us to our highest frequency. And we’re always only one vibration away from a breakthrough. Self-care tools such as meditation, music, or wellness rituals help us push our inner reset button.
Why is teamwork important for entrepreneurs, and how do you build and maintain strong partnerships or collaborations in your business?
Nothing happens without relationships—and teams are the strongest systems for aligning goals, people, and resources.
Selfless leadership drives championship results. Like NBA teams chasing one banner—equal rings for every role—great businesses unite around a singular breakthrough goal that dents the universe.
That’s how I build successful brand activations and partnerships at 1% Brand Agency: Shared vision, collective investment, flow state energy, and mutual championship winning success.

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