Former Reebok Marketing Guru Urges Pennbrook to 'Focus Dreams'

It's cool to be smart and focus your dreams.

Henry "Que" Gaskins knew this was the key to success at an early age, when his parents instilled in him to strive for excellence. It was further strengthened during his junior year in high school when Gaskins was selected to be in a Leadership Education and Development MBA program at University of Virginia.

"It changed my life. I've never looked back since," he said.

Gaskins would go on to make a career of changing lives, and he was at Pennbrook Middle School in Upper Gwynedd on Tuesday to inspire students to do the same with their lives.

To the student body, Gaskins may have been an unknown up on that stage, but the celebrities he has worked with in his career were anything but — Allen Iverson, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Dwayne "Wow" Wade.

Gaskins was instrumental in cementing the $40 million contract that turned Allen Iverson from a Nike lover to a Reebok devotee. It was that success that moved Gaskins from his native Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, in order to invest in Iverson the right way.

Today, after being a marketing and advertising guru for Reebok, American Eagle Outfitters and Nike, Gaskins now runs Que-In, a branding and marketing strategy agency that works with pharmaceutical companies, websites and sports associations to make them more relevant and authentic. Recently, Gaskins worked with Miami Heat basketball star Wade to introduce mega-Chinese shoe company Li-Ning to the United States. (Think of Li-Ning as the Chinese equivalent to Nike in America).

Gaskins said he was at Pennbrook on Tuesday to offer insight and wisdom on his background, so that students could walk away with something invaluable to them.

"Black History Month is a chance to review the past, with the intent on how to create a better future," he said. "How important is my present, and how can it help create a better future for me?"

Gaskins promised the students they would be as successful in their lives as Gaskins has been in his life.

"We all have many dreams," he said. "My dreams have afforded me opportunities to work on a lot of interesting projects and meet a lot of interesting people. I never truly dreamt it would be my reality. I truly dreamt to be inspiring and excellent at what I do."

Gaskins said he loved sports and he loved being cool as a youth. He wanted to take all the things that were positive and passionate in his life and turn all of that into a career.

"I get paid to make others' lives and dreams come true, whether it's a brand or a person," he said. "I get paid to use my imagination, creativity and smarts to help people and other brands become cool."

Gaskins encouraged the students that they too can create a lifestyle and future for themselves like his own, but it requires them to have passion and commitment.

In today's middle school world, being "cool" and "smart" are not seen as the same thing; they are not an accepted pair.

"Not only can you have that cool understanding, but the smarts to back it up," he said. "Smart people always get a chance to connect with something cool. As long as you're smart, that will happen to you."

Be it science or art — if you are the smartest at it, Gaskins guaranteed you would engage in something cool at some point in your life.

"If you're cool, no one gives you the credit right off the bat for being smart," he said. "Use your smarts to make you cool."

Gaskins wrapped up his presentation ensuring students focused on making their dreams realities. He gave the students a road map for that success: D.R.E.A.M.S.

"I dare you to be unique. I dare you to dream big. I dare you to take risks," he said, referencing the "D" in his road map.

The "R" stands for Respect for yourself and others, being a good person and having respect for your dreams. The "E" stands for Enlightenment: Get an education, get the experience and make the efforts.

"Put your mind, body and spirit in things you are passionate about," he said.

"A" is for Access, he said.

"You have to be a bridge. If you want dreams to become realities, you have to get things out and let things come in," he said.

"M" in Gaskins' road map for success stands for Matter: Make sure whatever the dream is that it matters to your family, community and self.

The final letter stands for Support, he said.

"No dream anyone ever achieved was done by themselves," he said. "People say 'Follow your dreams.' No. I'm going to focus my dreams. The important thing to me was to stay true to myself and do the right thing." 

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