Braxton Miller isn’t just putting time in on a football field these days. He’s turned to business — investing in and endorsing several brands.
“I usually follow my instincts of what I really like and what I really want to get involved with,” says the former Ohio State University quarterback-turned-wideout.
Miller, who made the transition from signal caller to wide receiver his final season at OSU, spent last season on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. He’s competing for a roster spot this year.
While Miller was first exposed to business through Urban Meyer’s Real Life Wednesdays program at The Ohio State University, the 26-year-old is enjoying learning more now.
“I like the process — how you build it up to where you really want to be,” says Miller, who fortunately hasn’t had any investing failures so far.
Smart Business Dealmakers caught up with Miller during the offseason to find out what business endeavors he’s involved with.
Building his brand
Miller has a streetwear clothing collection, CHARG1NG, that’s sold online, which he says is starting to grow. He came up with the idea after he injured his shoulder and had to switch positions.
“I don’t think I would ever come up with it, if I hadn’t got hurt,” he says. “The brand was recharging my whole mental game and my whole body and just everything.”
Several youth teams and many people from his old high school have ordered the brand.
Miller will host two CHARG1NG youth football camps in the Columbus area and Dayton in July, which includes free swag. He says it gets bigger every year.
“I started doing camp stuff with the brand,” Miller says. “I started off small, with like 400 kids in the first year. The second year came up to 600, and then the third year, that’s when it’s over 1,000 kids.”
Now, some adults are starting to wear the brand.
Miller also is partnering with Cleveland’s Fresh Brewed Tees with an eye selling merchandise from a T-shirt truck in Columbus.
In addition, he’s a part owner of the MOTI video chat app. Miller says he’s learned a lot from Michael Giuliano, the COO of MOTI Technology and a serial entrepreneur who has a background in venture capital and private equity.
Inspired by others
However, Miller would have never gotten interested in business without Real Life Wednesdays. When he met people from Fortune500 companies and heard about how they started out, it opened his eyes.
“That’s when I really felt like I was understanding the business side of things,” he says. “That’s a reflection on where I’m at today.”
The most memorable people he met were L Brands CEO Les Wexner, Quicken Loans and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.
“Now, I got different avenues, business dreams and money and stuff like that,” he says, adding that it’s nice to wake up — in the offseason — knowing that he’s got things to work on where there’s a potential for greater things to come.
