Entrepreneur Richard Johnson Talks Luxury Clothing Line Borgata and What He Really Meant When He Said “I Sell Things” in That COVID Vaccine Commercial

Little Rock Arkansas clothing designer and entrepreneur Richard Johnson never expected that three words would change his life forever. The co-founder of Borgata clothing line and father of five went viral last year, after saying “I sell things” while appearing in a covid vaccine commercial.

Despite the positive intent behind appearing in the commercial, Johnson’s appearance would be met with controversy; the internet deemed him a criminal based off of those three words. But in fact, Johnson is the opposite; he’s a devoted father, businessman, and motivational speaker, who, in true entrepreneurial fashion, took this opportunity and turned into gold.

“It’s important for people to know that hustling doesn’t mean you’re selling drugs, it means that you found another way to make money,” Johnson says.

And he did just that, finding a way to monetize the incident. Johnson immediately bought Isellthings-dot-com and whipped up merchandise with I sell things branding. This is normal for lifelong entrepreneur like Johnson, for whom taking dreams to the finish line is what he was born to do. He grew up surrounded by some of the most intelligent, educated people in his city who worked honest and hard. As young Richard grew older, it was clear that there were limitations on what his hardworking parents could provide so he turned within himself where the innate qualities of entrepreneurship were beginning to emerge.

“Back when I was 12-years-old I remember saying to my little brother, ‘I understand that mama and daddy don’t have it to give’ but I’m going to grab this lawn mower, you’re going to grab the rake, and we’re going to knock on everybody’s door, and tell them that we will do their front and back yard for $25 dollars. By the end of the week, we will have enough to buy whatever we want to buy,” said Johnson.

It was there that his journey into entrepreneurship started and as time progressed it expanded to include multiple enterprises including luxury clothing line Borgata, which he co-founded with his fiancée Danielle McDaniel in 2019. “My parents didn’t have entrepreneurship but now that I understand it, it’s important for me to teach my three sons and nine-month-old twins the power of ownership and to create generational wealth,” Johnson tells The Hype Magazine.

Johnson’s passion for entrepreneurship reached new heights of visibility this past summer, when he was chosen to star in a COVID-19 vaccine commercial that was advertised across the country. Then came the controversy: some viewers assumed that Johnson was referencing illegal activity when he said he was “selling things” while other viewers took umbrage with the fact that he could have been a paid actor promoting the vaccination to a group of people who opposed vaccinations. Everyone from media personalities to every day facebook users dragged Johnson, attempting to eviscerate his character.

“I was like woah, they’re serious,” Johnson said. “Ironically, I was both amazed and dismayed. Amazed because my name and brand were being talked about– good or bad. Dismayed, because my character was being assassinated with assumptions and conclusions that people jump to without knowing all the facts. Because the truth is, you can’t find my name in anybody’s motion of discovery from here to Mars.

“I knew that at some point in time, the truth would come to the light. I just had to be patient about it.”

The relationship that brands, public figures, and celebrities have with the media can sometimes mirror a love affair – love, hate, misunderstandings, miscommunications. But Johnson remained very clear about what he said, where he stands, and what he means when he says “I sell things.”

Since then, he’s made the best of the controversy, using it to further expand his influence, inspiring people to legitimately get out there and establish enterprises. And with his family as his motivation and his hustler mentality, Johnson knows that there is more than one way to make money. He continues to use his platform to inform and inspire current and aspiring entrepreneurs to make their dreams a reality.

Johnson spoke with The Hype Magazine about co-founding luxury brand Borgata, what he really meant when he said ‘I sell things,” and his mission to educate and inspire entrepreneurs globally.

Tell us about the concept behind I Sell Things.com?

When COVID happened a lot of people’s jobs got shut down, careers got shut down and a lot of people got sent home – to work from home or not to work at all. The whole world had to find alternative hustles– more than one way to make money. You build it from the ground up, you put your feet in the mud, and you keep kicking until you come up with gold.” So when I said “I sell things” I actually was talking about Borgata. If people go back and look at the commercial and they actually look at what I had on, my entire outfit was Borgata. When I said that I sell things, I was actually talking about Borgata. I then used the hype surrounding the media’s infatuation with the term “I Sell Things” and established I sell things, LLC and isellthings.com. It’s about connecting with other entrepreneurs and legit hustlers. My definition of a hustler is someone who knows how to make money in more than one way.

I sell things was a phrase I said in the commercial. The internet made it viral and made it a situation so I made it a business. I purchased I sell things LLC and I also purchased a domain I sellthings.com and you can purchase the t-shirt I sell things on that but it’s not just about that. It’s about connecting with everybody that’s an entrepreneur and legit hustlers and they can come on and sign on as vendors in the marketplace and they can sell things or services. It’s basically a hub like Amazon, it’s not just about me, it’s about everybody that’s just like me that has a hustle, an entrepreneurial spirit, and they have something to sell, be it a product or service. It’s all about entrepreneurs and legit hustlers gathered together from around the world in one place. Any product and service can be paid for with crypto and bitcoin on the platform.

It’s important to know that hustling doesn’t mean you’re selling drugs, it means that you found another way to make money. For example, I used to pay a lady $40.00 a week to braid my hair, she was hustling on the side for extra money. The dude with the mobile detail that comes by your house to detail your car, he is hustling. Again, hustling doesn’t mean you sell drugs, it means that you found another way to make money.

The biggest misperception was that I was a paid actor and that when I said “I sell things” that it meant something illegal. For the record, when I did the commercial, it wasn’t a script. They asked me like 6 questions in a row and I just answered all 6 questions organically and authentically – it was on the spot, without rehearsing any answers. They didn’t tell me what to say, I said what I wanted to say and if they used it, they thought that it was great content because my fiancé and I had just gotten vaccinated and with nine-months-old-twins at home we didn’t want to take any risks and it was a personal decision that we made.

The second misconception was what I said while doing the commercial. I said I’m a hustler, I’m an entrepreneur and that I sell things. When “I sell things went viral” there were some people who made it a situation, I made it a business. I bought I sell things LLC and I sell things.com and now you can go to that website and buy the t-shirt that says “I sell things.” The website was established to connect and help other entrepreneurs and legit hustlers that “sell things” to come on as vendors and sell what they sell. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone else. I was just blessed with the gift to be able to put it all together. People can pay for items and services with crypto and Bitcoin on the platform.

You’re known for your inspirational story and for being a powerful motivator. How do you stay encouraged and inspired as an entrepreneur?

I have a spirit that says that there is no way that I can lose any kind of way, shape, form or fashion. I don’t know how to give up, quit, none of that! I do what I do because I have so many reasons and my reasons are my family. I don’t have the option or the luxury to get tired, to get winded, or any of that because I’m doing this for them, it’s not even about me. I was just blessed with the gift to be able to move forward with making things happen – entrepreneurship and everything. I’m a natural motivator, if you were to tell me right now that you have a dream, because I’m a dreamer, I’ll ask you if you are you sure this is what you want to do. If you say yes, I’ll put forth all the effort to help assist you to do this because I believe in dreams. There is nothing bigger than a dream. As a motivator, I always encourage people to continue to dream and to know that you can do anything that you want to do in life because there’s a reason your idea and vision exists. God has given us infinite abilities to do whatever it is that we want to do in life and that’s why it exists.

Tell us about the Borgata luxury clothing line. What does Borgata mean to you and what type of impact do you want the brand to have on the culture?

The name Borgata was actually derived from family and power and It means the empowerment of one’s self. Through our brand experience, you know that you can do anything that you want to do when you put on Borgata or think or the word Borgata. It means there are no limits, we are limitless and that we have infinite ability. The impact that we want Borgata to have on the culture is for it to be a household name here and overseas and abroad. For people to basically get up, wake up, do whatever it is that you want to do, and for people to look super fly at the same time. The word is power and once you figure out how to have power over yourself there’s nothing that you cannot do or accomplish.

Follow Richard Johnson on IG @mrisellthings and Facebook @isellthings and LinkedIn@mrisellthings.

For Borgata Luxury clothing, Follow on IG @borgatabga and on Facebook @Borgata. www.borgata.shop

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.