Robyn Miller
Owner, MorningBird Media: Age 37
Robyn Miller highly values being a mom — her daughter, Addy, is 8 — and is grateful she was able to launch a successful digital marketing and media business that not only helps clients succeed, but gives her the flexibility to raise her child.
“Everything is built around her — I’ve grown this business since she was little,” Miller said. “It was a bit tumultuous at the beginning, at the beginning of COVID; all the daycares were shut, and it was a very difficult, very isolating time, but we persevered.”
Today, she operates MorningBird Media in Springfield’s downtown Marketplace row, offering strategic marketing, media management, branding, website development, and content production. She’s also in the process of building out a podcast studio, a small product and headshot studio, and other services for clients and the community.
“We want to be more than a standard marketing agency,” Miller said, adding that she enjoys the work because every day is different and she’s constantly learning new things to stay ahead of the industry curve.
“The digital landscape evolves every day, so there’s an urgency to evolve with it — or be antiquated,” she noted. “I enjoy that there’s always something new to learn, and our product suite never stops evolving. What worked today might not work tomorrow, so it’s up to us to make sure we’re steering that ship properly.”
As part of that evolution, MorningBird has expanded into AI education and marketing master classes, equipping business owners with tools that prepare them for what’s next.
A connector outside of work as well, Miller has served in multiple leadership roles with the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, founded the Western Massachusetts Women’s Business Network, organized events such as the Creative Unconference at Holyoke Community College, and worked with area colleges to create internship and training opportunities for students.
In recent years, Miller and her husband owned the ShopRite of Enfield, through which they launched an initiative, in partnership with area middle and high schools, to present “The Act of Kindness Award.” This effort was inspired by the nonprofit agency Rachel’s Challenge. At the program’s peak, 84 students a year, in eight schools in four towns were presented awards and recognition for their efforts. When they began new business ventures, they passed the program to the North Central CT Chamber of Commerce, where it has continued, and Miller is looking to start a similar endeavor in Western Mass.
“We were also making donations to the charity of their choice,” she explained. “The award had nothing to do with their grades or how good an athlete they were — just simply, ‘you’re a good person.’”
—Joseph Bednar
