School of Hard Knocks Graduate Creates His Own Job During Tough Economic Times

Online, April 29, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Rob Wilson knows a thing or two about recession depression. During the last recession in the late 1980's, he had a string of bad luck: He was laid off from his job. He lost his home. And
then, his fiance left him. As Wilson lamented his situation with friends over a cold beer he declared: "I feel like a graduate of the School of Hard Knocks."

Inspiration struck. Wilson created his own business, School of Hard Knocks Gifts (www.schoolofhardknocksgifts.com.), where he sold diplomas and t-shirts for graduates of his alma mater.

When the country's most recent rash of job layoffs, corporate bankruptcies and declining stocks took hold, Wilson knew that enrollment in the School of Hard Knocks was about to skyrocket. He came out of retirement, revamped his company's online presence, and booked himself into biker rallies, art shows, and community festivals.

Wilson says: "I've had a great response to my diplomas and T-shirts. They give people a chuckle and help to cheer them up." Even the price on Wilson's products is recession friendly: For $25, self-appointed alumni receive a t-shirt and a realistic, high-quality Master of Misfortune diploma signed by tenured faculty members like Noah Luck and Ima Broke. The diploma is sure to add class to anyone's home, shop, office or prison cell.

As a founding member of the School of Hard Knocks, Wilson brings a message of hope. Today, the semi-retired Vietnam veteran lives comfortably in his own "little piece of Floridian paradise" next to a crystal-clear spring-fed stream. "I'm an optimist at heart", says Wilson, "I believe in laughing at misfortune because the other option just makes you even more miserable. I want the humor in my diplomas and t-shirts to bring encouragement to those who are going through tough times." To underscore the benefits from an education at the School of Hard Knocks, Wilson points to the tagline on the back of his t-shirts: "Learning to Cope Restored My Hope".

And, just like the spring-fed stream that runs near his home, Wilson's hope springs eternal. "My goal is for my diplomas to be the next pet rock", he announces. "And, if things go well, I hope to employ my fellow Vietnam veterans. I plan to give a percentage of my profits to homeless veterans as well as those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Wilson is proof of the adage that one can learn more from the school of hard knocks, than from most any university.