“The best time to start a business was yesterday; start right now, with whatever you can, wherever you are.” – Dr. Mario McCoy, Founder, and CEO
Can a watch brand both inspire and uplift Black entrepreneurs while showcasing the strength of its maker? For Dr. Mario McCoy, CEO, and founder of NCMPRBL, the stunning wrist displays are just the beginning of his revolution.
“Watches are as much a status symbol as they are a way to showcase personality,” McCoy explained. “Why not use the space to elevate your intention to support creators and those that are building their dreams into a reality.” McCoy’s watches aren’t just for those that dream bigger; they are an investment piece that he believes states, “Creator’s matter, and dreams matter. NCMPRBL specializes in advancing your look but utilizing advanced, affordable style to speak directly to our audience’s ego and emotion. By doing such, creates the opportunity to build brand loyalty and a global community called the NCROWD.”
Taking a cue from a hardworking, single mother who instilled in him the belief to “never leave home without a watch,” McCoy made his dreams a reality in 2019 when he launched NCMPRBL, pronounced “incomparable.” The brand has steadily grown to include a full line of products, including watches and accessories. Pulling in over $200,000 just last year, the line of coveted limited-edition pieces has captured the attention of men and women across the globe.
“I went from being a college drop-out to an award-winning entrepreneur who needed to rescale and reinvest in his dreams,” explained McCoy. “I know one thing is certain: consistency is what creates champions, and I’m putting in the work each and every day.”
In just two short years, the company has won the MLK Lifestyle Entrepreneur of the Year award, as well as the Comcast Rise Award. McCoy was also a 27th Annual Pinnacle Awards Upstart Finalist in NCMPRBL’s headquarters in Houston, TX. With products for the modern minimalist, the designs are an homage to famous leaders, artisans, musicians, and sports stars who have left an undeniable impact on creative culture and confidence.
“The greats always had one thing in common; utilizing their platform to advance global culture before their time, and that is a key reason of why NCMPRBL exists,” McCoy mused. “Jackie Robinson and Nipsey Hustle are represented in our limited release Prolific 42 blue face collection watch.” With a stunning blue display and smartly packaged in a navy, embossed case dial, the watch is as timeless as its function.
With ads in GQ, Essence, as well as commercials on MTV, ESPN, CNN, and Discovery, McCoy is as mindful with his marketing as he is with his design. “I want to cultivate awareness and attract advocates for our brand in a meaningful way,” he stated. “Our watches are for those who know that exclusivity is essential but also want the ultimate fashion accessory at an attainable price point.”
Leading with core values of focus, authenticity, value, and experience, McCoy and the brand’s commitment to staying true to who they have the watches globally worn proudly in Paris, Morocco, Canada, Chile, and Trinidad, to name a few. Combining minimalist designs with superb craftsmanship, each collection is a limited release designed to be a feeling and a look. With a design in the elegant petite collection dedicated to McCoy’s mother’s favorite watch color combination of black and rose gold commemorates her surviving death at birth after weighing 1 pound and 12 ounces and is dubbed, “Miracle.“
Raised in an economically disadvantaged and racially segregated inner-city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin who holds one of the highest achievement gaps in the nation, McCoy learned early that standing out meant moving ahead and always staying focused. It also meant lifting others and being unapologetically authentic to pave the way for future creators.
Earning his Doctorate in Education in 2020, McCoy has his sights set on the launch of a new nonprofit, Legacies Live Forever Foundation, which is establishing a scholarship fund [KH1] for underrepresented and minority youth to inspire entrepreneurship. “Step-by-step, I’m building the future I wanted when I was a child,” McCoy mentioned. “I want others who are in the shoes I once was in to rise and know that they can create and achieve anything they want; I’m determined to help pave the path for a better tomorrow.” McCoy has committed to a future of growing and showcasing the nation’s next entrepreneurs but staying focused on the task-at-hand.
Creating a masterclass called “Advance Your Entrepreneur- AYE,” [KH2] McCoy is inspiring others with the class’ tagline, “Built to Empower. Created to Educate. Designed to Execute.” McCoy states that the class is chock-full of his early learnings, and it offers “mental meetings of the minds with the objective to develop a roadmap to spark the brain of the creative CEO (you.).” Including a Facebook community and access to McCoy for a Q+A, it retails for under $300.
“I learned from an early age that being normal or regular wasn’t going to give me the life I wanted,” shared McCoy. “Launching NCMPRBL has given me the opportunity to share with so many others that resonate with my upbringing from a global scale while inspiring the masses to don’t be regular, be incomparable (NCMPRBL).”
About Dr. Mario McCoy
Dr. Mario McCoy is the Founder and CEO of NCMPRBL Watches. Handcrafting limited edition collections that feature a minimalist design, the timepieces can be found all over the globe. With a core focus of creating the ultimate fashion accessory to be a feeling and a look for the modern minimalist,, each collection is a limited release and helps fund Legacies Live Forever’s bi-annual Create Over Conform Scholarship Program. Find out more at https://ncmprblwatches.com.