Larry Miller is the Chairman of the Jordan Brand Advisory Board and former President of the Portland Trail Blazers, whose career is a masterclass in global brand expansion and corporate leadership. His life story, marked by a transformative journey from incarceration to the highest levels of the footwear industry, offers profound insights into the power of second chances and the importance of authenticity in business.

Infographic for "Lessons from Larry Miller".

Part 1: The Path of Redemption and Second Chances

  1. On Personal Growth: "Redemption is possible when a path is provided and you have the will to take it." — [Source: Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom]
  2. On Defining Identity: "You shouldn't be judged by the worst thing that you’ve done in life." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  3. On the Weight of Secrets: "The burden of keeping a secret for decades was like carrying a heavy backpack every single day; letting it go allowed me to finally breathe." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBS News)]
  4. On Human Potential: "A person can change their life if they are given the opportunity and the tools to do so." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]
  5. On Overcoming the Past: "There is no shame in overcoming obstacles, no matter how large or how dark they may seem." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Highsnobiety)]
  6. On Transparency: "Coming clean wasn't just about my past; it was about being my whole, authentic self in every room I entered." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with HBS Cold Call)]
  7. On Forgiveness: "Meeting the family of the person I hurt and receiving their forgiveness was the most powerful moment of my redemption." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with The Guardian)]
  8. On Social Stigma: "We have to stop writing people off forever just because they made a mistake at sixteen or seventeen." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Black Enterprise)]
  9. On Internal Peace: "I used to have migraines and nightmares every night; once I shared my truth, they vanished." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBC)]
  10. On Future Hope: "My story is proof that your beginning does not have to dictate your end." — [Source: Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom]

Part 2: The Architecture of Brand Building

  1. On Brand Mission: "Our mission at Jordan Brand isn't just about selling shoes; it's about inspiring people all over the world to achieve greatness." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBC)]
  2. On Consumer Authenticity: "If a brand’s message isn’t real or authentic, consumers today will see right through it." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  3. On the Power of Storytelling: "The best brands are built on stories that people can see themselves in." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Aurum Bureau)]
  4. On Brand DNA: "Everything we do must reflect the characteristics of Michael Jordan: hard work, determination, and a refusal to lose." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Footwear News)]
  5. On Evolving After Retirement: "We realized the Jumpman could stand alone; the brand had to become bigger than the man playing on the court." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Masters of Scale)]
  6. On Emotional Connection: "A brand is successful when it creates an emotional connection that goes beyond the physical product." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with House of 1212)]
  7. On Global Appeal: "Greatness is a universal language, which is why the Jordan Brand resonates in China just as much as it does in Chicago." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Temple University)]
  8. On Strategic Growth: "Expanding into women's sports and lifestyle apparel was about recognizing that the spirit of the brand wasn't limited to a single demographic." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  9. On Consistency: "Consistency in your brand promise is what builds long-term trust with your community." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Ebony)]
  10. On the Jumpman Logo: "The logo represents excellence; our job is to ensure every product that carries it lives up to that standard." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Highsnobiety)]

Part 3: Leadership and Corporate Culture

  1. On Empowering Teams: "Leadership is about cultivating a culture where every individual feels valued and motivated to perform at their highest level." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Aurum Bureau)]
  2. On Learning from Failure: "Failure is a critical part of building a high-performing team; you have to create a safe space for people to make mistakes." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with House of 1212)]
  3. On Strategic Focus: "You have to be able to say no to good ideas so that you can focus all your energy on the great ones." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Masters of Scale)]
  4. On Street-Smart Leadership: "The resilience I learned on the streets of Philly actually prepared me for the pressures of the corporate boardroom." — [Source: Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom]
  5. On Trust: "Building trust requires open dialogue and a shared mission that everyone believes in." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with HBS Cold Call)]
  6. On Influence: "Use your influence to build infrastructure and create tangible solutions rather than just giving speeches." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]
  7. On Collaboration: "There is no greater reward than seeing a team develop a bold strategy and then watching it succeed in the marketplace." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Temple University)]
  8. On Professional Demeanor: "I learned early on to maintain a hard shell and focus on getting things done; in business, you have to take care of the work first." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  9. On Culture of Excellence: "If you set the bar high and provide the necessary support, people will almost always rise to meet it." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Aurum Bureau)]
  10. On Mentorship: "My role now is to reach back and provide the guidance for the next generation that I wish I had when I was starting out." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Black Enterprise)]

Part 4: The Transformative Power of Education

  1. On Education as an Escape: "I realized early in prison that education was a way out—that I could literally learn my way into a new life." — [Source: Larry Miller (Masters of Scale Podcast)]
  2. On the Impact of a Degree: "Earning my accounting degree was the first time I felt I had a legitimate path to the corporate world." — [Source: Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom]
  3. On Reducing Recidivism: "Statistics show that if an incarcerated person earns a degree, the chance of them returning to prison drops nearly to zero." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Black Enterprise)]
  4. On Lifelong Learning: "You never stop being a student; the moment you think you know everything is the moment you stop growing." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Temple University)]
  5. On Skill Acquisition: "Giving people a trade or a skill while they are inside gives them a reason to stay outside once they are released." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]
  6. On Intellectual Curiosity: "I used my time in the library to expand my world far beyond the prison walls." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBC)]
  7. On Educational Reform: "We need to focus our prison systems on education and counseling rather than just punishment." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  8. On Credibility: "Education gave me the credibility to stand in rooms where my background otherwise would have kept me out." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with HBS Cold Call)]
  9. On Self-Worth: "Learning that I was capable of academic excellence changed how I viewed my own value as a human being." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with The Guardian)]
  10. On the JUMP Project Goal: "One of our main goals is to ensure that education is accessible to everyone, regardless of their past involvement with the system." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]

Part 5: Social Impact and Systemic Change

  1. On Systemic Bias: "The criminal justice system is fundamentally broken and disproportionately affects poor people and people of color." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  2. On Second-Chance Hiring: "Companies like JPMorgan Chase and Lowe's are proving that second-chance hiring is good for the community and good for the bottom line." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBS News)]
  3. On Rebuilding Lives: "Coming out of prison is an incredibly difficult transition; we need to build systems that support people during that first year." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]
  4. On Collective Responsibility: "We all have a responsibility to help fix the parts of society that we know are not working fairly." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Ebony)]
  5. On the Goal of Incarceration: "Prisons should be places where people go to become better versions of themselves, not worse." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview via YouTube)]
  6. On Economic Mobility: "Creating jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals is the most effective way to strengthen families and communities." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Black Enterprise)]
  7. On the Power of Advocacy: "I’m using my platform at Nike to speak for those who don’t have a voice in the corporate world." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with Footwear News)]
  8. On Long-term Impact: "JUMP's goal is to reduce recidivism by 50% by 2040; we are playing the long game for systemic change." — [Source: Larry Miller (Justice and Upward Mobility Project)]
  9. On Legacy: "I want my legacy to be about more than shoes; I want it to be about opening doors that were previously locked shut." — [Source: Larry Miller (Interview with CBC)]
  10. On Human Resilience: "The human spirit is incredibly resilient; with the right support, anyone can make the 'jump' to a better life." — [Source: Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom]