Pass The Roc paases on the spirit of empowerment

Jarrod Greene is the epitome of the credo “to whom much is given much is expected.”

Indeed, Greene, president and CEO of the PASS THE ROC basketball clothing brand, is not only looking to use his brand to sell its apparel, but he is also using it as a way to give back to the less fortunate.

“PASS THE ROC is about empowerment,” said Greene. “There are two sides to the brand: the clothing brand that represents athleticism independent of any other brands and the philanthropy side where we give back. It is a for-profit company but there is another side that will be not-for-profit.”

Greene was born and raised in Jersey City, New Jersey. From the time he was a kid, Greene knew he wanted to do great things. He was endowed with the entrepreneurial spirit by way of his parents.

“My father was very instrumental in teaching me how to work,” said Greene. “He actually grew me into being an entrepreneur by default.”

After Greene graduated from high school, he was expected to go to business school or trade school, but watching his father work hard fueled him to be his own boss.

Although Greene worked in the secular job market, he was not particularly pleased with the environment.

“In corporate America, you deal with certain people and their attitudes,” Greene said.

“I never really excelled well there because I always had a certain mentality and somehow it may rub somebody the wrong way. I’m not going to let somebody push me over and talk slick to me. That always resulted in some type of reprimand, dismissal or not seeing eye to eye with someone.”

Nevertheless, Greene formed PASS THE ROC in 1994 and launched it in the spring of 2003. Its basketball gear was sold in 400 to 500 stores throughout the United States. The brand also secured distribution deals in Europe and in Spain.

Pass The Roc Logo

“For two years, PASS THE ROC made $5 million in business which was relatively small, but an accomplishment,” reflected Greene.

The year 1891 is also featured on PASS THE ROC apparel and for a good historical reason.

“1891 was the year basketball was invented by Nai Smith,” said Greene. “The brand adopted the year as our symbolic year of inception which makes PASS THE ROC the official basketball outfitters. “

Greene noted that not even Nike or other major basketball brands thought of that concept.

As far as competition, “there is no other specialty basketball brand out there that we have to compete against,” Greene said.

Up until 2008, Greene had been growing the PASS THE ROC brand, and then the recession hit which affected him personally and financially.

“I had to get back in the workforce and just do what I had to do,” Greene said.

“I’m an independent contractor doing sales for Verizon at the moment. This affords me to take earnings to invest back into PASS THE ROC. I’m flipping the money to build my business and my philanthropy.”

Greene also has no financial backers for the brand at the moment. “I’m doing all this by myself,” Greene said. “The revenue from everything I do helps to fund PASS THE ROC, money from secular work, money from consulting for other brands, money from the designers and apparel production. This affords me the capability of being able to take care of my baby which is PASS THE ROC.”

For a time, Greene was also homeless.

“I’ve been evicted out of my apartment and I know what it feels like to go through that,” Greene remembers. “I stayed in my car and slept on street blocks. I had gym memberships at local colleges so I would take showers there. I know what it feels like to not have food, to have a dollar and take that same dollar and try to find something to eat. What all of this was help to build my character.”

Kenny Anderson – Pass The Roc

Since Greene has bounced back, he is all geared up with all kinds of plans for PASS THE ROC. In December, the brand had a relaunch party with 100 to 250 people coming out to support him, including legendary veejay Ralph McDaniels from the classic music video program “Video Music Box.”

Greene is planning on doing launches for the brand in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Vegas.

Greene is also planning a mobile restaurant to help disadvantaged families in Hudson County as well as a reality show based on how he maintains and runs his operation which will be produced via his Greene Paper Dreams production company.

Greene credits his mother, who is deceased, for inspiring him to be caring and giving.

“My mother was such a giving person,” Greene reflected. “She had a big heart.”

Athleticism and, most importantly, empowerment and philanthropy are the three key ingredients that sum up PASS THE ROC. Greene is looking to come into the first quarter of 2014 on a higher note with excellence.

Greene also emphasized the importance of those with roots in Jersey City who become successful to not forget about the less fortunate in their hometown.

“There are celebrities who came out of Jersey City, such as big actors, who are not coming back from where they came from and say ‘I want to do something for these people just for one day’ or ‘I want to donate something for one day.’ No matter how big I may become, I will never be that type of person where will I not give back to the community from where I got my start.“

Greene said he is not looking for accolades “but I want to share with people my success and taking those three words PASS THE ROC and make them global.

”For more information about the PASS THE ROC clothing line, visit www.passtheroc1891.com and www.roc2rise.com.

Written By Stephen McMillian