Today we’d like to introduce you to Rico Sharp.
Hi Rico, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I wasn’t always the man I am today. I grew up facing some of life’s hardest battles — I was homeless, addicted to drugs, and arrested 19 times before I even turned 18. I lived on the edge of destruction, trapped in a cycle of pain, poor decisions, and hopelessness. But in March of 1993, inside a prison cell, everything changed. I made a decision that would alter the course of my destiny forever — I chose transformation over tragedy.
That decision became the turning point of my life. From that moment on, I committed myself to personal growth, faith, and purpose. I transformed my pain into power and my failures into fuel. Today, I am an International Speaker, Leadership Expert, Pastor, Author, Life Coach, and Founder of multiple national movements — Student Lives Matter, Teachers Lives Matter, and The Best You Leadership Academy.
My journey has taken me from the prison cell to the global stage. I now coach and mentor NBA and NFL athletes, empower students and educators across the country, and train organizations on leadership, character development, and school safety. As the creator of “Breaking the Silence, Stopping Gun Violence,” I work to make schools safer and stronger through leadership, emotional wellness, and proactive prevention.
I am honored to partner with the Orlando Magic Organization for the “Student Lives Matter Magic Night” on November 7, 2025, a monumental event that unites youth, educators, and communities around leadership, empowerment, and safety.
As the author of Bringing Out the Best in You and The Best You Leadership Academy Workbook, I continue to help people discover, develop, and deploy their greatness. I’m also the visionary behind Sharp Shoes, my luxury brand that represents confidence, excellence, and purpose.
Today, I stand as living proof that your past does not define your future. From homeless to hopeful, from inmate to influencer, from brokenness to brilliance, my mission is to help others “bring out the best in themselves” — because when you change your mind, you change your life, and when you change your life, you can change the world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No it hasn’t!
I had to learn how to 1- Believe in me
2- Never Give up.
3- Discover my greatness.
4- Give life all I have to give.
5- Keep the faith against all odds.
6- Be resilient in the face of adversity
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about As the Founder and CEO of Student Lives Matter, Teachers Lives Matter, and The Best You Leadership Academy?
My work centers on empowering students, educators, and professionals to lead with excellence, purpose, and vision. Through these organizations, I design leadership curriculums, host national training seminars, and develop school-safety programs that change lives across the United States. I am also the author of Bringing Out the Best in You and The Best You Leadership Academy Workbook—two transformational leadership resources now used by schools, corporate teams, and faith-based organizations. My business partnerships and speaking engagements include collaborations with the Orlando Magic Organization, where I am honored to host the Student Lives Matter Magic Night on November 7, 2025, uniting educators, students, and community leaders in a powerful evening of empowerment and change. Beyond education and leadership development, I’m the visionary behind Sharp Shoes, a lifestyle brand that represents confidence, class, and character—values that reflect the very foundation of my mission. Every venture I lead—whether in business, ministry, or mentorship—is built on the same principle: to bring out the best in people so they can bring out the best in the world.
I am the Founder and CEO of Student Lives Matter, Teachers Lives Matter, and The Best You Leadership Academy — three interconnected movements and organizations focused on leadership, empowerment, and education reform. My mission is simple yet powerful: to protect, educate, empower, and inspire both students and educators to bring out the best in themselves and others.
Through Student Lives Matter, I lead nationwide initiatives that promote student safety, emotional wellness, and leadership development. Our upcoming “Student Lives Matter Magic Night” with the Orlando Magic on November 7, 2025, is a monumental partnership that unites schools, families, and communities to raise awareness for school safety and student empowerment.
Teachers Lives Matter was created to restore value, support, and honor to educators — giving teachers tools, recognition, and emotional encouragement to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.
The Best You Leadership Academy serves as the training hub for personal and professional growth — a 35-module program designed to help individuals discover, develop, and deploy their gifts and leadership potential.
I also authored Bringing Out the Best in You and The Best You Leadership Academy Workbook — both foundational to my academy and widely used by schools, organizations, and corporations.
What sets me apart is that my message isn’t theory — it’s transformation. I went from homelessness, addiction, and incarceration to becoming an International Speaker, Leadership Developer, Life Coach to NBA and NFL athletes, School Security Expert, and Pastor.
I’m most proud that my brand represents redemption, excellence, and empowerment — proving that no matter where you start, you can rise, lead, and make an impact.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
My Best is utter to come!
Pricing:
- Public Speaking 5,000 an hour
- Leadership Decedent Training 5,000 an hour.
- Coaching 250 an hour
- Executive Counseling 250 hour via zoom
- Workshop Facilitating 5,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ricosharp.org | studentlivesmatter.org | teacherslivesmatter.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ricosharpmotivations/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricosharpleadership
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ricosharpmotivations
