Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rell Holman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rell, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I own two businesses—a detailing company and a nonprofit—along with a third venture focused on personal finance coaching. For this discussion, I’ll delve into our nonprofit, Bigger Than Us Inc (BTU).

The journey began with a casual conversation among friends who were eager to make an impact. Recognizing our potential, we initially decided to host parties during our college days, thinking it would be a fun venture. However, we soon realized that this wasn’t the path we wanted to take, leading us to launch BTU instead.

With BTU, we aimed for meaningful change. The early days were chaotic; condensing seven ideas into one cohesive plan proved challenging. To bring structure, we designated Sundays as our meeting day, creating a routine where we could brainstorm and refine our nonprofit’s mission. We also introduced a voting system, helping us quickly reach decisions and stay committed to them.

Defining roles was crucial to avoid overlapping responsibilities, and we established strict deadlines to ensure accountability. Our first task was to design a logo to start building our brand. It took over three months from concept to having our first products—hats—in hand. Once we launched them on social media, all 20 hats sold out within a month!

Energized by our initial success, we reinvested the proceeds into better quality hats, purchasing another 20. These sold in just two weeks. Building on that momentum, we introduced shirts and sold 25 of those in the same time frame. Our mission resonated within the community, and soon after, we were approached with a wonderful idea: hosting a backpack giveaway. We recognized this as a significant opportunity to expand our outreach and make a tangible difference for families in need.

The income generated from our clothing line played a crucial role in funding these nonprofit events, allowing us to further elevate our mission. Today, we are proudly preparing for our 9th Annual Backpack Giveaway, a testament to the growth of our initiatives and our commitment to serving the community. Each year, this event not only provides essential school supplies but also fosters a sense of unity and support among local families.

Through this journey, we learned the importance of organization, collaboration, and community engagement, which have been pivotal in taking BTU from an idea to a thriving initiative.”

Rell, 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?

My name is Rell Holman, and I am a co-founder of Bigger Than Us Inc (BTU), a Fort Wayne–based nonprofit. BTU main mission is to create better environments in our communities and we do this by being dedicated to empowering underserved communities through education, experience, financial wellness, and youth development and fostering unity with one another. I graduated from the university of St Francis, was a Football captain of a national championship team and this helped me develop the bigger than myself mentally! BTU was born out of a deep desire to not just make a difference — but to be the difference. I come from a community where opportunities didn’t always show up at your doorstep — you had to go find them, create them, or fight for them. And I knew that if we could build something rooted in love, strategy, and support, it could change lives from the inside out.

I got into this work through my own experiences with struggle and survival — growing up seeing how lack of access, knowledge, and opportunity affected families, especially Black and brown families. I wanted to create something that could reach people where they are, without judgment, and help them move forward — practically, emotionally, and financially. That’s how BTU started — first as a community effort, and then as an organized nonprofit.

BTU offers a wide range of community-based services — from financial literacy workshops and entrepreneurial education to youth sports programs and annual events like our Backpack Giveaway, Community Egg Hunt and Bring Your Own Brand (B.Y.O.B.) Networking Party. Our programs are intentionally built to solve real problems: lack of financial literacy, lack of access to mentorship, and the overall sense of disconnect that can exist in underrepresented communities. Whether it’s helping someone get out of debt, connecting a small business to resources or giving a child their first backpack and the confidence to succeed in school — BTU shows up.

What sets us apart is that we’re community-first, always. We don’t create from the top down. Everything we do starts with a conversation — we listen, then we build. We collaborate with local leaders, businesses, and volunteers who understand that real change happens when people feel seen, valued, and supported.

What I’m most proud of is how we’ve become a trusted source of hope and support in our city. We’ve helped hundreds of families with resources and stability, given youth an outlet through activities, sports and mentorship, and connected countless entrepreneurs through our networking events and pitch competitions. But beyond the numbers, it’s the impact we make on people’s confidence — their belief that they can do better, be better, and live a life that’s bigger than just surviving.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about BTU, it’s this: we are of the community, for the community. We’re not here for temporary fixes — we’re building long-term change. We believe everyone deserves a chance to rise and contribute to society in a positive manner. That’s the bigger than us model and we’re here to help the community do it.

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

Absolutely. Resilience isn’t just a buzzword for us — it’s a requirement when you’re trying to build something great for the community. With every step forward, there’s always a challenge that tests your heart, your grit, and your ability to lead under pressure. One of the most vivid examples of this happened during what was supposed to be our smoothest, most well-planned community event: our annual Easter Egg Hunt.

We’d hosted this event several times before at the same park in Fort Wayne, IN — a public park that operates on a first-come, first-served basis for the pavilion. We knew the drill. We double-checked every detail days in advance. We were expecting 500 to 1,000 people. We had bounce houses, food trucks, games, prizes, free clothing, live music, and thousands of eggs stuffed with candy. For once, everything was lining up perfectly — no missing pieces, no surprises. We actually said, “This might be the first time we got everything right.”

Then, event day came.

We had our morning team call for encouragement and final check-ins, then headed to the park around 10:30 AM — hours before the 2 PM start — ready to set up. But when we pulled in… our hearts dropped.

Another nonprofit was already fully set up at the pavilion — decorated, matching shirts, and ready to host their own Easter event. They’d also invested time, energy, and money, and like us, were under the impression they were first.

It felt like all the air left the day. We were crushed. Not only had we spent thousands preparing — we had families counting on us. We couldn’t force them to leave, so we had to think fast. After a respectful and honest conversation with their director, we agreed to combine our efforts and co-host the event. They were originally scheduled for the day before, but due to rain, they moved it to Easter Sunday — the same day as ours. We agreed on shared credit and mutual respect. In the spirit of community, we pivoted.

Problem solved, right?

Not quite.

We soon realized another massive problem: the park had no power or running water. Unknown to either of us, the city had changed its policy — now you had to call ahead to have electricity and water turned on. It was Easter Sunday. City offices were closed. No one had made the call.

By 12:30 PM, we were in full panic mode. Hundreds of people were on their way. Restrooms wouldn’t flush. Bounce houses couldn’t inflate. Food trucks were stalled. Everything we’d promised the community was falling apart.

Then a stroke of luck — the bounce house vendor arrived and casually asked where the generator should go. Wait — generator? We didn’t know we needed one. He told us it’d be $250 extra. We hesitated, already deep in the red financially — but we said yes. Then, just as we were about to pay, he mentioned a workaround: call the non-emergency police line, and they’d dispatch someone to turn on the utilities. We canceled the generator and made the call.

By now, it was 1:25 PM. The park was filling up with families. No power. No restrooms. We scrambled, setting up what we could. We gathered everyone together and I stood on a hill yelling updates, trying to hold things together with pure energy and presence.

At 2:10 PM — ten long minutes after start time — the officer arrived and turned on the power. Restrooms opened. The bounce house inflated. The sound system came alive. And just like that, we had momentum again.

Despite all the chaos, that day ended up being one of our best events ever. Families had a great time. The energy was unforgettable. We built a new relationship with another local nonprofit. We learned new procedures for the park. And most importantly, we didn’t fold — we pivoted with faith and refused to let the community down.

We were even more proud because nobody outside of the planning team would have guessed how close we were to disaster. The event went on, the kids laughed, the music played, and we made memories. That’s resilience.

(Though, funny enough — we were banned from that park the next day due to “too much trash in the bins”… but that’s a story for another time.)

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A major lesson I had to unlearn was: it’s not about what I think is right, it’s about what the community needs and wants. As a leader, it’s easy to believe your vision or plan is what’s best because you’re passionate, experienced, and trying to do good but intention doesn’t always equal impact.

I used to pour my energy into programs or events I thought were perfect what I believed people needed. But sometimes, despite all the planning and effort, the turnout was low or the feedback didn’t match what I expected. It was frustrating until I realized, I wasn’t listening enough. I was creating for the community, but not always with them.

That’s when things shifted. We started asking more questions, doing more listening sessions, being flexible with ideas. Once we began letting the community co-create the experience and from program topics to event formats everything became more impactful. Engagement went up. Trust deepened. And I became a better leader.

It’s humbling to accept that your way isn’t always the way but that’s where growth lives. Now, every decision I make with BTU starts with one question: What does the community actually want and need? That shift changed everything for us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Biggerthanusinc.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btu_rell?igsh=MXV6OWpneGUzcmZ0Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1AFpDa7XP1/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: My personal pages will lead you to my business pages but I did add my nonprofit website.

  You can donate to my nonprofit via cash app, $BTU1
  Or
  Text to donate: “GiveBTU” to 44-321

Image Credits

Credits go out to the BTU Board members Tyler, Daryl, Brain (RIP), Markiston and Lorenzo. All of our partners and people who worked with us, OG Kels, Tyler Fuller, Jarrell Harris, Adam Blakey Foundation, Bloom Project, Amazon, Abbett Elementary, Adams Elementary, Black Woman of Excellence, University of St Francis and more!