Global Connections RVA: Inside the Vision of Founders Isaiah King & Emmanuel Dowtin
Ju;y 11, 2025, 9:00 a.m. ET
Written by Eric Jackson
RICHMOND, VA — Persistence. That’s the first word that comes to mind when you meet Isaiah King, the founder of Global Connections RVA. Followed closely by another: Ambition, not just big dreams, but ambition with a blueprint.
Walking up to their studio, a basic folding table adorned with high-quality pieces from Isaiah’s brand 1Motion was being sold — neon green lightweight tops featuring Macaulay Culkin from Home Alone, and other designs that felt like a cross between NASCAR and vintage sports jerseys. Inside, away from the heat, is a barber studio and beyond that, two recording studios. On separate visits, I caught Richmond artists YMF Ten, another Waddie Guapo in a session.
It’s the kind of setup where collaboration isn’t just encouraged, it’s built into the space.
Global Connections isn’t just a pop-up. It’s a massive entrepreneurship summit that brought over 3,000 attendees to its first event. This July 26, it’s returning to the Richmond Convention Center with over 200 vendors from across the region and beyond: Atlanta, the DMV, Chicago, and even a ticket sale from Paris. The irony? That ticket holder didn’t attend, but to think that someone from the global capital of high fashion heard about the event, is pretty dope. The mission? Bring fashion, music, art, and entrepreneurship together under one roof to give independent creators a space to grow.
CEO & Founder, Isaiah King, of Global Connections RVA, and 1Motion Apparel, for The Richmond Seen, in front of Say Sum Studios.
“You can have a million-dollar business plan, but if you don’t have the right content or media behind it, it’s just not going to go,” Isaiah says. “So we built Global Connections to be that media machine too. We want people leaving not just with sales, but with content, photos, and exposure that actually helps scale their business.”
The vendor list is diverse and full of rising names in fashion and culture, like Forged Haven, Greyt Society, Exotic Creations, and The NVSTD Brand. But Global Connections doesn’t stop at clothes. There are tattoo artists, hair stylists, barbers, food vendors, and one of the most unique additions: a live talent show presented by Say Sum Studios.
Co-founder Emmanuel Dowtin, aka Manny Da Barber, sees it as a natural fit. “We’re helping young artists with development by having this talent show,” he says. “The music is important because it brings people together. You can shift someone’s whole mood with music.”
This mix of artistry and entrepreneurship is the core of the summit. “It’s about bringing two worlds together,” Manny continues. “Entrepreneurs and artists. You put them in one room, and there’s bound to be energy.”
That energy isn’t accidental. It’s curated. Isaiah and Manny are already refining the model for this month’s event. “From the outside, the first event looked great,” Isaiah says, “but we were like, what if we had it even more structured? Better crowd control. More engagement during the talent show.”
That attention to detail is what makes this feel more like a trade show than a traditional pop-up. Sneaker Con is one of their inspirations, but Global Connections is shaping up to be its own thing — Richmond-made, but globally-minded.
At the time of our interview, Monday, June 23rd, over 770 tickets had already been sold for the upcoming event.
Manny Da Barber, Co-Founder of Global Connections & RiskDept.us
“We’re young, and that helps,” says Manny, who had just turned 19 the day before the interview. “People look at us and realize this is accessible. That they can do it too.”
Isaiah, who also runs 1Motion Apparel and ships orders nationwide, believes the ultimate vision goes beyond Richmond: “If we can make this a Richmond thing, but take Richmond other places, show off the culture, the slang, the music, it all goes up.”
Even as they talk about brand collaborations and taking Global Connections on the road, the founders are careful to stay grounded in the community. “If we bring in a celebrity, we take away from the artists at the talent show,” Manny says. “It might bring more people in, but that’s not the goal.”
And as for the third event? It’s already booked for September. They wouldn’t disclose the location just yet. When pressed, Isaiah just laughed: “Huh?!”
You heard me YN.
If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, contact Global Connections at globalconnections2025@gmail.com.
Global Connections
Saturday, July 26 | 3–8 PM
Richmond Convention Center
@globalconnectionsrva
Tickets here.
YMF Ten (left) vibing on a new record with Manny Da Barber.
