Inspiring Conversations with Robert Miller II of IN THE BEGINNING: 1ST WARD PROJECT (NPO) & BREAKING BREAD ENTERPRISES LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Miller II

Hi Robert, 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?
Born and raised in Flint, MI., I graduated from Flint Central High School in 2002, then attended Texas Southern University to study Architectural Engineering. My stay at TSU only lasted 1 semester, as I my Financial Aid wouldn’t allow, & I wasn’t as proactive with acquiring grants & scholarships as I should have been, so I returned to Flint following the semester. My mother had previously moved to Memphis, TN. with her job at General Motors when I was in the 10th grade, & desired for me to relocate to Memphis with her, so I did. I resided in Memphis for about 2 years, attending Southwest Community College studying Business Management, & working at the FedEx Hub. I then visited my hometown friends in Atlanta for 2004 NBA All-Star Weekend, as they were students at Clark Atlanta University & Morehouse College.

That experience enticed me to relocate with the intentions of attending Georgia State University but faced challenges of enrolling because I had a balance at TSU, not releasing my transcripts, & non-transferrable credits from Memphis, so I began working as an administrative clerk at a Real-Estate Company. Unfortunately, the Real-Estate company moved the company to Alabama, so I was laid-off. After layoff, I began working at ESPN Zone & Sports Authority to stay afloat. Meantime, my friends/roommates were introduced to hosting college parties & events, so we took a stab at starting our own entertainment company – SEVEN Entertainment.

We hosted multiple events for the college demographic & young adults & various venues in Atlanta, while some of our members produced music. Upon the conclusion of our events with the graduating class, one of my partners were working close with a music label, & the need for a manager’s assistant presented, & he referred me as a good candidate. I communicated with the manager & learned he was seeking an assistant, in support of R&B artist – Ray Lavender, & his Konvict Muzik label, led by national recording artist – Akon. After our initial meeting, I packed my bags for a 2-week promotional tour & onboarded the project as assistant manager & tour manager for 10+ years.

After touring nationally & internationally for years, I got a little homesick, & returned to Flint to make attempts to creating similar opportunities, locally. Learning the new landscape of Flint, I pivoted my small-business efforts to building a nonprofit organization – IN THE BEGINNING: 1ST WARD PROJECT (501(c)3 organization) (www.1stwardproject.com), founded by my 1st cousin Jamelle Glover, to be an active resource to our community in assisting the residents with affordable-housing, community outreach, & youth development and support focuses being the foundation of our operations. Launching in 2018, we have been diligent in servicing those that could use the assistance the most and have established a Neighborhood Association Hub facility – 5917 N. Saginaw St. Flint, MI. 48505 – in the Flint’s 1st Ward to centralize our accessibility, in one of the most under-served areas of the city.

With the understanding through our experience as an independent & non-funded nonprofit organization that our programming & assistance derives from our direct time & financial investments, we decided to create a for-profit business – BREAKING BREAD ENTERPRISES LLC. (www.breakingbread810.com), to generate revenue to sustain our community efforts & commitments. We have leased a dual-suite on the eastern-side of Flint to service venue space for the community’s needs – 3487 Richfield Rd. Suites 3 & 4 Flint, MI. 48506, alongside small-business support services for early-stage entrepreneurs & professionals to assist in their business endeavors. We have been fortunate to establish various businesses that we can nurture, to reciprocate for the communities that raised us throughout the city of Flint!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but being able to work towards a righteous living makes it blessing. Challenges with balancing family responsibilities & commitments, personal desires, & essentially establishing an adequate foundation to re-invest & sustain my businesses to accommodate a scaleable life, wihtin a city that has been abandoned from support are all factors, but are also sacrifices that return in abundance for lives other than mine.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Co-Founder / VP of Operations of IN THE BEGINNING: 1ST WARD PROJECT (NPO), which is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Organization that specializes in Affordable-Housing, with owning multiple single-family homes for lower-income residents, various property lots for future commercial development, 1 commercial building utilized for the nonprofit organizations’ Neighborhood Association, & community outreach programming that supports resident resources, & youth and adult life-skills development. www.1stwardproject.com

I am Founder of BREAKING BREAD ENTERPRISES LLC., that supports small-businesses with various operational support services, coupled with a multi-purpose venue space that is open for the community to utilize for gathering & conference space, & a professional hub that is structured to be used as a remote kiosk for small-businesses, brands, & professionals. www.breakingbread810.com

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What I value the most about my city is what was instilled within our community when we were the smallest city in the nation, while making the biggest impact, thanks to the foundation led by the Durants, Motts, & more recognized – General Motors, by putting the world on wheels. That created a culture of resilience, expectation, & drive that most natives possess til this day.

What I am saddened by my city the most, is that being a small city affected by various short-comings such as the dissolving of our primary industry – Automotive; the deterioration of our educational system – the mass closing our public schools; & a decade long water-crisis that is still affecting the health & sustainability, all causing for a mass-relocation of concerned residents, & the overwhelming strength & endurance for those who currently reside.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.1stwardproject.com ; www.breakingbread810.com
• Instagram: @swavrobb ; @1stwardproject ; @breakingbread810
• Facebook: @1stwardproject ; @breakingbread810
• Youtube: @1stwardproject