Meet Eric Thomas: Black Men Advocate

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eric Thomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eric, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I created The Quintessential Gentleman back in 2016 because I didn’t see a platform dedicated to telling the stories of Black men outside of the fashion and music genre. I didn’t see any lifestyle platforms that solely focused on millennial Black men. I also didn’t see platforms that focused on the positive life of Black men. I created this platform to uplift, engage and educate Black men. I also had the hope of building a community of like-minded men who are interested in changing the narrative that was currently being circulated about Black men. 

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The most exciting part about building The Quintessential Gentleman brand is the response we have received from Black men. We have received messages from Black men and women who are appreciative that there is a platform that is dedicated to showcasing the positive attributes of Black men. We got to where we are today by being consistent and remaining authentic. We do not create content that we think people want to read or engage with. Instead, we create content that the team is interested in and we attract a community that is interested in that content. From a business standpoint, it has taken longer for us to build an audience because people gravitate to negative stories rather than positive ones. But we are remaining true to the mission of “guiding modern-day men into modern day gentleman.” I have learned so many lessons but the most important lesson I’ve learned is to follow your passion. It will take you far!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is all about culture and food. You never know who you may see anywhere. Depending on the time they visit, there may be an event or 2 that you could attend and see people. Places to visit : The Trap Museum, The Culture Experience, The National Civil Rights Museum, The malls, Botanical Gardens and depending on the weather a stroll through the Beltline. Places to Eat: Brunch at Fin and Feather Blaze steakhouse and seafood (Todd and Kandi) OLG. Todd and Kandi Nancy’s Pizza Gocha’s Breakfest spot Slutty Vegan Virgins Kitchen Nouveau Bar and Grill

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This shoutout is dedicated to all of the Black men that are aspiring to be the best men that they can be.

Website: theqgentleman.com
Instagram: theqgentleman
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickthomas/
Twitter: theqgentleman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheQuintessentialG/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnMksH2s8vogewj87AdLkYA/featured