Dr. Johnny L. Mullins started JM3 Consulting in 2017 with a mission “to use my life experiences to assist all with creating healthy, sustainable, and affordable COMMUNITIES,” according to his website. 

JM3 Consulting provides over 25 years of experience in architectural and interior design, real estate development and construction services. Mullins told Southland Marquee his goal is to forge deep connections with the people with whom he works.

“We look at our client relationships as partnerships, whether they are residential or commercial,” he said. “At our core, we are helping people’s vision come to life.”

Dr. Johnny L. Mullins has come a long ways from his upbringing in Mississippi, but said he learned important lessons that benefit him today. | Submitted

JM3 Consulting helps clients by providing a plan based on architectural experience and real estate construction to ideally meet the client’s needs. They design and build, help new business start-ups with branding and real-estate development, and use community psychology to develop engagement and outreach.

How did he get started? Mullins explains it in an essay he wrote about his career.

“The short answer is I wasn’t afforded the same opportunities that many of my peers, with the same education, were afforded. From the very beginning, I’ve always had to create my own opportunities. So creating my own business was a natural extension of my experiences in the industry,” he said.

“The longer answer is, I started construction rehab in 1996 when I bought a two-flat in Bronzeville and converted into a single-family home and business office. I cut my teeth with this project. I learned many hard-earned lessons about what it takes to get things done. It gave me an opportunity to develop the skills I needed in order to be successful in future projects and jobs.

“I was working at an engineering firm at the time and was treated as the “errand runner”. It was frustrating at the time, because I wanted to design, however the experience I gained was invaluable. I learned how the city planning and permitting department worked, I learned how to survey, excavate…all skills that I utilize to this day,” Mullins wrote.

“Along the way, I’ve worked at some of the top engineering/construction firms in Chicago and noticed a significant disparity in black-owned businesses, very few of them were truly black-owned. I also experienced industry leadership often complaining about not being able to meet mandates because of the low number of options as well as the quality of work. Considering my natural tendency towards entrepreneurship, it was inevitable that I would create something to bridge the gap.”

Mullins has other interests as well. His company provides personal services such as hosting after-school programs, summer camps and public speaking events featuring Dr. Mullins.

He has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and interior design, a master of art in computing and digital media, 3D animation and a Ph.D in community psychology. Mullins said he sought to advance his education to become a better developer.

“I pursued a Ph.D in community psychology to deepen my mastery in my field. When I decided I wanted to become a developer, I thought it was important to understand how different factors, such as social, economic, and environmental influences, shape communities,” he told Southland Marquee. “So, I pursued a Ph.D in community psychology. I knew that with my background in architecture and digital media, I would have a deeper understanding of how design and technology can be used to create positive change in communities.

“I am currently using my community psychology degree to build better communities,” Mullins said. “In addition to the construction and design services, JM3 also provides community engagement.”

He is committed to helping people more forward in life, and has a special interest in assisting and educating young people.

“It’s been my experience that a majority of college students are very aspirational and hungry to create their life, and working with people who are investing in themselves is motivational to me,” he said. “It’s the intelligence exchange between professor and student that I’m most passionate about. As I teach, I learn.

“Unfortunately, I am unable to teach right now because of all the work I’m doing, so I mentor three college students getting degrees in architecture, construction and engineering,” Mullins said. “There are so many things about this industry that I had to learn by failing and trial by fire. I enjoy being able to provide wisdom and support to our next generation.”

That includes guiding people through troubling times, like the COVID-19 pandemic. He has used his work experience and educational knowledge to do that, and is encouraged by what he is seeing.

“From what I've observed, the pandemic significantly set people back socially, emotionally and financially,” Mullins said. “However, I am also witnessing an uptick of people investing in their community. Challenging times, such as a pandemic and subsequent lockdown, really brings to light how being part of a community provides a sense of belonging and social connectedness. As a developer, tapping into the psychological sense of community and helping them to bring their collective vision to life is very rewarding.”

Mullins grew up in the Deep South, and life was often difficult, with little money and many needs. But he overcame that to succeed, and he often reflects on those early, lean years.

“If I look at my life in Mississippi through the lens of my life today, I would have to say I grew up VERY poor. There were times when we didn't even have running water,” Mullins said. “However, when I put myself in the shoes of young Johnny, living in Mississippi provided community support, a powerful family structure and strong work ethic. I know, I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren't for my life in Mississippi.”

Today, Mullins is deeply rooted in Chicago, he said.

“Chicago is truly home for me,” Mullins said. “This is my community. I most definitely enjoy contributing to my community.”

But he is well aware of the continued obstacles many people face in and around the city as they try to survive and thrive.

According to previous reporting by the Southland Marquee, Chicago pastor Bobby Lewis, son of famous jazz pianist Ramsay Lewis said Chicago’s aggressive ticketing policies and fines are “weapons.”

In 2018, ProPublica Illinois covered this issue with many accounts of Chicagoans who had lost their driver’s licenses due to unpaid ticket fines and subsequently were unable to pay the debt back. The report also found ticketing enforcement is affecting Black and brown communities more often.

“People of color, and also immigrants, have always been the target of oppressive laws,” Lewis said. “This is nothing new to Chicago, the Midwest, the United States or the world, for that matter.”

Another Chicago pastor, Rev. Tyrone McGowan called it a “regressive policy.”

Mullins said he has learned how to cope with and overcome these hurdles. It’s a matter of awareness and adaptations.

“As a developer, getting things done in Chicago has its challenges. If I’m honest, there are those who don’t want to see our communities thrive,” he said. “There are also those who are willing to invest and support Black communities. The trick is figuring out which one of those two you are dealing with.”