#10: Web Summit 2023: Interview with Larry Miller, Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike.

Written by Keyvan Thomsen Bamdej

November 29, 2023 / 6 min. read

Grilled by TechBBQ #10

Exclusive interview with Larry Miller, Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike

I attended Web Summit, one of the world’s largest tech conferences, representing TechBBQ and Danish media.

Thanks to its size and profile, Web Summit attracts some of the biggest names in the technology sphere. I had the opportunity to interview some of these speakers, who kindly took time from their busy schedules to share insights from their lives and experiences.

In 2023, November 13-16, the conference had over 70,000 attendees from 153 countries.

"GRILLED by TechBBQ" aims to inspire and connect Nordic audiences with voices from the global tech scene.

Panel topic: "The business case for hiring people with criminal records". Panelists: Daniel Yanisse (Co-founder & CEO of Checkr, far left), Beverly Parenti (Co-founder of The Last Mile, centre left), Larry Miller (Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike, centre right) & Rhett Power (Contributor at Forbes, far right). Photo: Web Summit / PR

“

»People I was close to and worked with for years had no clue about my criminal background. On top of that list were Phil Knight and Michael Jordan. Once they heard about it in 2020, they both told me that "I should share my story," which inspired me to speak publicly about it.«

— Larry Miller

Chairman of the Jordan Brand at Nike

Interview with Larry Miller

Keyvan Thomsen Bamdej:
»Great to meet you, Larry. How are you?«

Larry Miller:
»I'm good, thank you. I arrived for Web Summit, and I'm excited about the event as it's my first time at the conference and in Lisbon, Portugal, more broadly.«

Keyvan:
»Why is Web Summit an important platform and event for you to attend to?«

Larry:
»Someone approached me from the team at Checkr (who does employee background screening for companies). They thought it would be good for me to join, and when I was told what the topic was about, I was like, absolutely, I'll be there.«

Keyvan:
»What is the topic about?«

Larry:
»It's about 'the business case for hiring people with criminal records'. I'm in a panel with Daniel Yanisse from Checkr, Beverly Parenti from The Last Mile, while Rhett Power from Forbes will be moderating.«

Larry Miller took part in a panel at Web Summit 2023 to discuss "The business case for hiring people with criminal records". Photo: Web Summit / PR

Keyvan:
»So, the panel is more broadly on how to change the perspective on the future of the workforce and the paradigm of what is typically defined as a talent. But it's mainly your personal story that you'd like to share with the audience, right?«

Larry:
»Yeah, so, since my story came three years ago, it's been my focus to get the message across that people involved in the criminal justice system, like myself, can turn their life around if only they are given a second chance.«

Keyvan:
»It's a compelling story and a powerful message. But why did you wait so long to share it?«

Larry:
»It's interesting because I was hiding the story inside for years. My oldest daughter, Laila Lacy, convinced me it could inspire and motivate people if I were willing to share it. So, I agreed to do it. But it took us over ten years.«

Keyvan:
»Why so long?«

Larry:
»Well, I dragged it out as long as I could because I was concerned about the reactions, but once we got to a point where we knew we were going to write a book and go public with the story, I had a list of people that I wanted to talk to, so they hear it from me rather than from someone else or the news.«

Keyvan:
»Who were they?«

Larry:
»People I was close to and worked with for years had no clue about my criminal background. On top of that list were Phil Knight and Michael Jordan.«

Keyvan:
»How did they take it?«

Larry:
»It was during the pandemic in 2020, so I had to do it digitally, and I first shared the story with Phil Knight (Former CEO of Nike). I sent him a text message before the online call. He said: "When I saw your text, I didn't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't this. I can tell you that".«

Keyvan:
»He was clearly surprised, but how did he take it?«

Larry:
»His first comment to me was: "I agree with your daughter. You need to share your story. And if I can help in any way, let me know". A few days later, I had the same conversation with Michael Jordan, who said the same thing and was very encouraging. Once I got the confirmation from those two, I said to myself: "Hey, I must be doing the right thing here".«

The panel which could turn into a paradigm shift on how you might view talent took place on Stage 5, Pavilion 2, next to the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. Photo: Web Summit / PR

Keyvan:
»It must undoubtedly have been a difficult step to include Phil Knight and Michael Jordan in such a private matter. And maybe potentially risking your relationship with them as well. I guess the question is whether you would have shared your story if they had not been reassuring. What do you think?«

Larry:
»I probably still would have shared it, but I would have been a little more reluctant because I got so much respect for these guys. But for both of them to be supportive and say: "Hey, you should do this", that was like, OK, that inspired me and pushed me to say, "I'm doing the right thing. The world needs to hear my story".«

Keyvan:
»What were your concerns?«

Larry:
»My main concern was that I didn't know how people would react to it. Especially people I care about and respect. I've received mostly positive feedback, but I'm sure some don't feel so positive about it. And that's alright, too.«

Keyvan:
»What have been some of the positive impacts of the story being shared publicly?«

Larry:
»One of the things that I feel good about as far as the story is concerned is that Harvard Business School did a case study based on my story. They not only told the story, but they built context around the story, and one of the charts that they included in the case study talked about the recidivism rate.«

Chart from Harvard Business School shows that recidivism rates diminish with the level of education. Photo: Harvard Business School

Keyvan:
»Sounds interesting. Do elaborate, please.«

Larry:
»You might know that in the U.S., the recidivism rate is high, around 77 % on average, which ultimately means that incarcerated people who get out of jail are back behind closed doors within two years. Harvard Business School's chart showed that the recidivism rate drops to 30 % if someone learns a new skill. Now, if someone gets a bachelor's degree, it falls to 6 %. For the Master's degree, it's 0 %. So, in short, if people are allowed to get an education, learn a skill, something that will enable them to build a living wage and to have a life, the crime stops.«

Keyvan:
»What do you hope to get from speaking at conferences such as Web Summit? And are you doing it full-on?«

Larry
»It's not full-on, but I'm doing a lot of speaking. I recently spoke in New York in front of parole and probation officers.

I hope the community and the people in decision-making look at things differently when they want to hire new employees. If I could somehow change their perspective to say: "You know what, maybe I'll give this person, regardless of a criminal background, a fair chance," then I think I've made an impact sharing my story.«

Keyvan:
»Why do you think there is such a stigma around this topic?«

Larry:
»I think people have the perception that someone who's been incarcerated is not going to be a good employee. They might not be trustworthy persons. But what companies need to realize is that those coming out of penitentiary who are serious about changing their lives and make a positive contribution, that you won't find anyone more dedicated and hard working.«

A quick backstage profile photo of Larry Miller at the interview booth in the Media Lounge. Photo: Keyvan Thomsen Bamdej / Bamdej Communication ApS

Keyvan:
»What's been the most rewarding moment for you in this entire process?«

Larry:
»Early on, when the story first came out, I didn't connect with the family of the person, Edward White, that I shot as a 16 year old. That got a negative spin. But through that, I was able to communicate with the victim's sister, his son, and his daughter. I got to sit down with them and say how sorry I was, and express my remorse for what I did. Each of them spoke about how the loss had impacted them. At the end, they each said, "I forgive you," whereafter we hugged, and there were tears.«

Keyvan:
»That must have been some moment.«

Larry:
»I understand and recognize the severity of what I did. I wish I could go back and change it, but I can't. So, the fact that they were willing to forgive me for what happened was one of the best things that could come out of this.«

Keyvan:
»I understand that this is a vital topic to you, but does it take away attention from other important subjects you might want to address?«

Larry:
»It's okay because I think I can weave them together. I'm able to talk about things I've accomplished from a business perspective, but then also talk about how I got there and what I had to go through to get there.«

Keyvan:
»I see.«

Larry:
»I used to feel I was cheating the audience when speaking to young people about my career because I wasn't telling them the whole story. I was talking about my career but not the things I had to overcome to get to that point. But now I feel like I can tell the whole story. That's rewarding. And the fact that I now can share the story on my terms has also made a big difference, instead of defending it because it somehow got leaked out by accident.«

Keyvan:
»How long did you keep the secret inside?«

Larry:
»40 years! I used to have migraine and nightmares and wake up in the middle of the night in a sweat. I went to the hospital, and there was nothing wrong with me physically, but it was just the stress and pressure of maintaining this secret inside.«

Larry Miller and his eldest daughter, Laila Lacy. Photo: Nike

Keyvan:
»How did talking to your eldest daughter about your criminal past help you?«

Larry:
»One of the positive outcomes for my physical and mental health was the more I spent time with my daughter, Laila Lacy, talking about my story while writing the drafts of the book, the better I began to feel. The migraine and nightmares stopped, and the burden seemed to lift for me as I was opening myself up to the world outside.«

Keyvan:
»What was the exact turning point for you? How did you turn your life around and overcome all the obstacles?«

Larry:
»This might sound crazy, but the best thing that ever happened to me at such a young age was the last time I went to jail. I had like five armed robbery charges at the time, and things looked extremely dark. But getting incarcerated for the second time at age 25 saved my life because of all the trouble I was involved in at that point. I would have ended up either dead or in jail for the rest of my life. So, getting arrested the last time provided me with an opportunity to change my life for good.«

Keyvan:
»Why specifically the second time you got in prison?«

Larry:
»That's when I took advantage of a Pennsylvania state education-release program offered to incarcerated people in that prison, and was able to graduate with honors from Temple University.«

Keyvan:
»Are you still in touch with inmates that you were incarcerated with back in the day?«

Larry:
»I've definitely maintained contact with people from prison as I don't ever want to forget where I came from. My best friend, when I was in jail, Wazir Mu'Min, got out a few years ago after doing 52 years. I think he must have been 18 or 19 when he got locked up. I would visit him and see his mother to stay connected while he was serving time. Apart from him, it blows my mind that another inmate, my next-door neighbour from Philadelphia, is still behind bars after more than 40 years.«

Keyvan:
»I guess it's an extra incentive for you to speak up about this subject as often you can now, is that correct?«

Larry:
»Yeah, I figured, since I decided to do this, I want to make it as impactful as possible.

The more I can get out and share my story, the better. Not only in the U.S., where I've been talking all over the country, in Memphis, Alabama, New York City, as well as Philadelphia but also in Europe, like here at "Web Summit" in Lisbon and "The Business of Fashion Conference" in London, where influential icons like Malala Yousafzai were speaking.«

Keyvan:
»On that note, we would be happy to see you at TechBBQ in Copenhagen for our 2024 edition!«

Larry:
»I've actually never been to Copenhagen or Denmark. Just like Lisbon, here in Portugal was a new experience for me, Copenhagen would be too, so I would like to go one day.«

Larry Miller at Web Summit

At Web Summit 2023 Larry Miller was on centre stage to discuss “The business case for hiring people with criminal records”. After his talk, I had the pleasure to have an interview with him.

Larry Miller's Journey:

In the video, “From Prison to Nike’s C-Suite: Larry Miller’s Journey,” Miller looks back at the night he shot Edward White at the corner of 53rd and Locust Streets in West Philadelphia. He reflects on what it took to turn his life around and the success of the Jordan brand. He discusses how education can break the street-to-jail cycle and why business leaders should give formerly incarcerated people a second chance.

In an article by Harvard Business School Journal, the editor Dina German, wrote: “At age 32, feeling far removed from the violent street crimes that had consumed his teens and 20s, Larry Miller just knew he was nailing a job interview with a senior partner at Arthur Andersen. That is, until he came clean about his troubled past. 17 years earlier, when Miller was 16, he had shot and killed fellow teenager Edward White. Miller had served four years in juvenile detention for that murder and had later spent five additional years in prison for a smattering of armed robberies.”

CNN reporting from West-Philadelphia:

CNN video from February 20, 2022: "At 16, Larry Miller killed another teen. At 72, the Nike executive is ready to apologize".

About the Jordan Brand:

Air Jordan is a line of basketball shoes produced by Nike, Inc. Related apparel and accessories are marketed under Jordan Brand. The first Air Jordan shoe was made for basketball player Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in late 1984 and released to the public on April 1, 1985. The shoes were designed for Nike by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, Bruce Kilgore. The Jordan Logo, known as the "Jumpman", originated from a photograph by Jacobus Rentmeester, taken before Jordan played for Team USA in the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Learn more About Larry Miller

About the book:

One of the most successful Black businessmen in the U.S., Larry Miller, who led Nike’s Jordan Brand from a $200M sneaker company to a $4B global apparel juggernaut, tells the remarkable story of his rise from gangland violence to the pinnacles of international business in the book "Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom".

"Jump: My Secret Journey from the Streets to the Boardroom"

Read more