We were lucky to catch up with Tiny Adams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tiny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The business I will touch on is my non-profit organization Leader Breeders Inc. Leader Breeders’ mission is to implement change for inner city youth in Baltimore. Our focus is youth development in any capacity.

During the pandemic I drove around my neighborhood to get some fresh air. Throughout that drive, I had come into contact with way more young people than expected. In Baltimore we have what is known as the Squeegee Boys and young people that camp out at gas stations with hopes of earring a couple dollars through labor. After coming across both, I had a conversation with them and simply tried to gain an understanding of why they were where they were. In those moments I wished that I had a space I could tell them to come to. A space that would empower and enlighten them as well as help them figure things outs. After that experience I started the process of obtaining my non-profit. 3 years later the goal is still to get that space, but we’ve been able to make an impact in multiple ways across Baltimore. Currently we operate out of recreational spaces and schools.

Tiny, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Tiny Adams. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY but Baltimore has been my second home since 2006. I am a former professional basketball player, collegiate coach, entrepreneur but most of all Humanitarian. My passions include basketball of course but I also thoroughly enjoy helping others – especially the youth.

Right now my goal is to make an impact on the youth in Baltimore. I want to help guide them to figuring out their passions and figuring out how to turn them into careers. I want to instill confidence in the youth so that they’re able to chase their wildest dreams. Ultimately I hope to open up multiple youth development centers to make sure im able to serve the youth and community for as long as I can.

I’m proud of being a source of motivation for both my peers and the youth.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe my past achievements and genuineness allowed me to build a solid reputation in the non-profit field. A lot of people know that I am very goal oriented and have always moved with integrity. With those things being tied to my name, often times people support me without even knowing me.

When you’re genuine and do things the right way all the time, people tend to want to help you.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One lesson I had to unlearn was expecting people to do the same things for you as you would/or have done for them. Most of business is based on ROI – return on investment. Just because you’ve supported someone doesn’t automatically mean they will support or go into business with you.

Starting out as a new non-profit, it’s hard to garner support – especially financially. People are skeptical and businesses want to see what you’ve done before working with you. Instead of being bitter about the process, I’ve learned to build those relationships with businesses I feel are aligned with our vision so that when we do have the numbers and experience, it would be an easy transition.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.leaderbreeders.org www.tinyadams.com
• Instagram: @leaderbreeders @coach_ta9