Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Merrin.
Phillip, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am a 31 year old Haitian- American CEO of a non profit organization called The BLITZ Corporation in south florida. I am the 5th of 6 kids and I always had the passion to dare to be different. I saw that growing up it wasn’t just me but everyone around me lacked understanding of what to expect when we became adults. As I became a professional, a husband, and a father I understood that if I learned the importance of credit, overall importance of financial literacy, mental health awareness and professional development. I got the idea 7 years ago to start a non profit organization that teaches these principles to the younger generation to better help and prepare them for the challenges of adulthood.
Great, 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?
Nothing is ever smooth about running a non-profit! It is built upon a lot of relationship building and repetition on a day to day basis. I joined over 10 networking groups and went door to door to businesses connecting with professionals who can help talk to kids about their journey and supporting my vision. I was balancing being a husband, father, and a 45 hour a week leadership role at a telecommunications company. The ability to prioritize and ensure that I was maximizing every hour of the day to build my curriculum was crucial to the success of this program.
The BLITZ Corporation of South Florida – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The BLITZ Corp is about unlocking the potential of every individual we meet. I recently did an interview with Kenny Stills of the Miami Dolphins (Link is below) as we addressed the importance of life skills in the black community. We are hosting our 1st annual 2019 Men of Honor event celebrating fatherhood and the positivity of dads. We are honoring Dedicated and Driven dads who are great leaders in the home and role models in the community. We are best at helping people improve their situations while also learning new skills to help provide to the community. We are about addressing challenges and working to create positive change for our neighbors. In the non profit sector there is no true competition because we are all working together to help people. Our ultimate goal is to change the community one day at a time.
Is there a specific memory from when you were younger that you really miss?
I was apart of a non-profit group in high school called Gear-Up Express and we went on a college tour. It was my first time out of South Florida visiting Gainesville and Tallahassee and I fell in love with the culture on campus. I never knew what was outside of my neighborhood and being exposed to bands, sports, fraternities and making new friends was everything. It was the moment I told myself I wanted every kid in my neighborhood to experience this.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 7865108776
- Email: theblitzofsfl@yhoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblitzofsfl/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblitzofsfl/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/blitz_south
- Other: https://youtu.be/ItBSeWLhxKc
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