Pearland ISD alumnus Mike Collins recounts path from struggling student to business leader and mentor

Mike Collins, a 2007 Pearland High School graduate and chief operating officer of Elevate Franchise Brands, told Pearland ISD's Building Blocks podcast that early academic struggles, the 2017 death of his father and damage to his home in Hurricane Harvey helped shape his career and his decision to mentor young people.

Collins said he struggled in high school and took summer school, but that pressure and a desire for independence pushed him to leave school early and go to work. "I needed to get out," he said. He described his fathers influence on his work ethic: "Failure is not an option," Collins said was a lesson his father frequently taught him.

The guest appearance was part of Pearland ISD's Building Blocks alumni spotlight, hosted by Pearland ISD superintendent Mr. Berger, who introduced Collins as "a proud graduate of Pearland High School, class of 02/2007." The episode traces Collins's path from warehouse work for his father's business to obtaining a journeyman plumbing license, taking leadership responsibility after his father's death in 2017 and eventually leading two service brands within Elevate Franchise Brands: 1-800 Plumber Plus and Patch It Up.

Collins told the superintendent that he did not immediately go to college after high school, instead working in the family business and learning trades on the job. He described the transition after his fathers death as "sink or swim," saying he had to learn leadership and make mistakes: "I make mistakes every single day," Collins said, adding he uses those mistakes to learn.

Collins said a period of personal upheaval after Hurricane Harvey, when his house flooded and he lacked flood insurance, and later attending a Grant Cardone 10X conference helped change his mindset. He said exposure to sales and leadership training spurred a shift toward investing in self-improvement and business growth.

In addition to running the businesses, Collins described mentoring work he does through the RISE program and a co-hosted podcast, Unleashing the Power. He said mentoring students and small business owners is a primary motivator: "If I could do anything at all, it would... donate my time and just be able to pour into people," he said. He recounted mentoring a young person through RISE who improved failing grades and noted the satisfaction he gets from seeing mentees progress.

Superintendent Mr. Berger framed the segment as part of Pearland ISDs effort to highlight alumni pathways. Producer Mac closed the episode by inviting nominations: "If you know someone who's an alumni and has a story to tell or just have a suggestion for a podcast, click in the show notes, click in the link, and fill out the form," Producer Mac said.

Why it matters: Collinss account connects classroom struggles to postsecondary career paths and local mentorship opportunities, illustrating how district alumni engage in community mentoring and entrepreneurship. The episode documents concrete programs and practices students can access: the RISE mentorship program and the district's alumni spotlight podcast.

Details from the episode: Collins identified himself as class of 2007; he said his father died in 2017 and that his house flooded during Hurricane Harvey (late 2017). He said he is COO of Elevate Franchise Brands, which includes 1-800 Plumber Plus and Patch It Up; he co-hosts Unleashing the Power and participates in the RISE mentoring program. He described family details on the show (wife Sue Collins; three children: Brinley, age 10; "Bud," age 9; and Kane, about 3—.5, as stated on the episode). (Ages and dates are those Collins gave on the podcast.)

The episode does not record any formal district action, votes or policy changes; it is an alumni-profile segment recorded as part of Pearland ISDs Building Blocks podcast. The superintendent and producer framed the interview as an alumni highlight and solicited future guest nominations.