Keysean Jenkins, Dios Primero | Business Stories Magazine

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself: where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My name is Keysean Jenkins, and I’m originally from St. Louis, Missouri. I’m currently based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I’m a senior at Robert Morris University studying Business Management. Along with being a college student, I’m also a student entrepreneur and the founder of Dios Primero, a faith-based clothing brand that inspires and encourages people to put God first. My goal is to continue growing Dios Primero into a business that I can manage across multiple states while applying what I’m learning in college to become a better business owner and professional.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now.

One thing I love about where I live now is that Pittsburgh gives me plenty of opportunities to walk and stay active. I enjoy going on walks, and with all the hills around the city, Pittsburgh definitely keeps me exercised!

Tell us a little more about what your company does and how it started. How does it help your customers?

Dios Primero is a clothing brand that encourages and inspires people to seek GOD ALMIGHTY through high-quality apparel. It all started in 2021, when I was in high school and taking a business elective class as a junior. The substitute teacher I had at the time was very passionate about expressing to his students the importance of building a positive name for yourself, as he stated, “Going to college and getting a degree isn’t good enough.” Looking back, I can say today that hearing those words changed my life. From that day forward, as I entered the classroom, I began to think to myself: How might I build a positive name for myself and leave a good impact on the world?

Putting God first was something that I wanted to not only incorporate into my business, but it was also something I wanted to encourage others to do as well. At the time, the brand name “God First” was unavailable to use, so I was inspired to connect back to when I took a Spanish class and translate “God First” from English into Spanish. I opened a translator app, typed in “God First,” and the name “Dios Primero” appeared. In that moment, I felt something in my heart saying, “This is it!”

Dios Primero started with the mission “to encourage all people to put God first.” I launched the brand on December 20, 2021, and began by using a heat press and Cricut machine, which allowed me to make all the clothing by hand. At first, the clothing featured only the business name, Dios Primero, along with a few symbols, such as a cross or wings. About two years later, I was blessed with the opportunity to advertise my clothing in Times Square in New York, which motivated me to take the business to the next level. From that day forward, the clothing was no longer made by hand. Instead, manufacturers overseas began producing the clothing, allowing me to incorporate more details and focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

This inspired me to change my mission from “encouraging all to put God first” to “produce high-quality clothing which inspires and encourages all people to seek GOD ALMIGHTY.” Glory to the Almighty, I fulfill this mission by incorporating Scripture into each piece of clothing, which helps point my customers and others toward a way, a truth, and a life that can lead to goodness, positivity, and true light.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

Take a leap of faith! As a business owner, there is and will always be room and time for growth. When I first started my business, I truly didn’t know where it would go or what doors would open, but as I continued to trust the ALMIGHTY and walk by faith and not by sight, it has allowed me to be where I am today.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded and positive people is also very important. Early on, before launching my business, I had moments when I felt like giving up. When I expressed those feelings to a friend, he encouraged and motivated me through his words to keep pushing forward and not allow other people’s journeys, positions, or status to determine my feelings and what I want to accomplish in life.

What is one piece of feedback from a happy customer or client that you won't forget?

During college, at one of the campus cafeterias, I was wearing a Dios Primero jacket with the wording “Covered by the Blood of Jesus” on the back. A worker walked up to me and told me that reading the message on my jacket touched her and caused her to ask God to forgive her for all of her sins. This was a true moment that didn’t fully hit me when she first mentioned it, but looking back now, it is a blessing to see how the ALMIGHTY is allowing His Word to be seen and is touching many people in different ways all around the world.

Where do you see your company in the future?

If it be in the will of the ALMIGHTY, Dios Primero will be a company that spreads the Word of GOD through high-quality clothing, accessories, apps, and other experiences that allow the ALMIGHTY to be glorified and His Word to reach people around the world. It is deeply my mission to have clothing stores in multiple states, with a variety of clothing pieces inspired by Scripture, so that people around the world can connect their faith with what they wear.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

A misconception about the clothing industry is that it is simply about creating something that looks good and selling it. In some cases, that can be true, but there is actually a lot more that goes into building a clothing brand, from developing the designs and finding quality manufacturers to marketing, ensuring customer satisfaction, and creating a strong message behind the brand. For Dios Primero, the clothing is more than just apparel. The purpose is not just to make clothing, but to create clothing that has a purpose and meaning, using Scripture to inspire faith, spark conversation, and encourage others to seek GOD ALMIGHTY.

What has been one of your biggest struggles building your business, and how did you deal with it?

One of the biggest struggles in my business happened recently. My mission as a business owner is to put forth high-quality clothing, and I recently experienced a time when I thought I was fulfilling that mission, but I didn’t take the necessary steps to ensure the quality of the product, such as getting and testing a sample before releasing the clothing worldwide. This was a business moment that I could have taken as a loss, but instead, I took it as a lesson in how I can do better moving forward. I handled this by going to the ALMIGHTY in prayer and reaching out to previous customers and business mentors for input, which allowed me to correct my mistakes and increase in knowledge.