We recently connected with Armand King and have shared our conversation below.

Armand , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump into the story of starting your own firm – what should we know?

When I first got started with my organization it was not something that I chose myself. I had no plans of being a community leader or voice for marginalized communities youth. This is something that I believe God had ordained for me and a mission that was written before I was even born. Once I recognized that I was being called to lunch and organization and even more so a movement I just began to work. And for 12 years I have done so without taking a break or stopping him. At the beginning the challenge was acquiring the necessary funding to do a work that was needed in our community. After traveling down the yellow brick road and running into brick walls in the process, finally my team began to learn what we needed to do to acquire funding. When asked if I’d do anything differently I would have to say no. I needed to go through the trails, the learning lessons, the good times and what appeared to be bad so I can truly evolve and learn. All of those lessons have made me into the man I am today, putting me in a position to help others to avoid pitfalls and help strengthen their organizations and businesses. Any young person looking into starting your own organization, practice, or nonprofit my advice would be for you to do something you are passionate about. Do not do what’s trending or what someone else is forcing you to do. That includes your parents, society, or social media pressures. Do what you love and love what you do. Don’t chase money, chase greatness. In your pursuit of greatness the money will follow.

Armand , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I got my start running the nonprofit organization Paving Great Futures, after recognizing that the cycle of death and incarceration that continue to plague my community and the cycle that took the lives of most of my friends and brothers was still happening. I did not know that this was something I was going to do. If I wasn’t going to take up the fight then no one else would either. The saying goes “Calgary is not coming for us, we have to save ourselves.” As the government and society continue to shun communities of color and look at it as if we chose to be in the condition we were, I knew we could not protest, ask, cry, or beg our way out of this. We had to create something that would ignite the community from within and do this ourselves. One thing for sure I knew, this was too big for me to do on my own. No business, organization, or movement of great value can be done by an individual. It does require a team. Also being self aware I knew that I was not capable of doing all of the things that were needed to make this successful. Financial management is not one of my specialties; even writing or contracts or numerous other things needed to build an organization would not be best suited in my hands. So from the very beginning putting ego in my back pocket I went out and found qualified people that shared the same passion and desire I did for community empowerment.

Our mission is to increase the health and wealth in underserved communities in order for marginalized and at risk individuals to thrive socially, economically, and politically. The service we provide is more than an object or an idea; it is life. It is an amazing shift and something that helps entire families, communities in our society as a whole.

What sets me apart from many is that I operate from a place of extreme passion. A passion that is fueled by extreme pain. If I told you my story you would wonder how I even smile. Not that my story is different from others or that others have not experienced even more horrific pasts and places of pain. The difference is I choose to transfer that letting go of ego and utilizing it of others to live.

As a society we need to wrap around each other and help to create a better society. I was taught very young to leave the place you stay in a better condition than the way you found it. Make sure you do all that you desire to do, remembering that you have this life only once. To this day I have never met an individual who got to come back for a second round.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Our organization started in 2012. Halfway down the road in 2017 I lost two of my best friends within 60 days of each other. Three weeks later my young 21-year-old cousin was murdered as well. This had to be one of the hardest periods of my life but I had to continue to push forward and work to help others. Sometimes on your road down your journey you’re going to be faced with adversity and unexpected pain. Remaining resilient and holding on to your passion can be critical.

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

Staying true and consistent was something that continued to help the people and community we serve believe in us. No matter what and no matter how hard it was at times to continue being a service didn’t stop. We found a way even when it appeared as if there was no way. We found funding even if it appeared there would never be any. For the first five years of this organization me and fellow co founders did not take one dollar from the organization. For the last two years of that five I was homeless sleeping in the office just so that I could get by and build something firm that would continue on for years to come.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pavinggreatfutures.org
• Instagram: @armandKing
• Facebook: Armand King
• Linkedin: Armand King
• Twitter: @MrArmandking
• Youtube: Armand King