We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dejah Griffith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Dejah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The idea of The Lean on Me Foundation was not something that dawned on me over night. It actually started out as a tiny little thought that slowly brewed overtime into this beautiful idea in a two year time-span. In 2020, during covid just like everyone else, I too wanted to start my own business but I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. Creatively designing things not my specialty so a clothing line was out of the question. I’m not artistic nor talented so making a product from scratch or learning an artistic skill/hobby was definitely out of the question. So I just pinned the thought in the back of head and said to myself “if it happens, cool. if not, that’s cool also.” Moving forward and it is now 2021. As I continued to reflect on and off at the thought of me going the entrepreneurial route, I started forming a new thought that was more like a self question. “How am I going to start up a business without any knowledge about business?” Still continuing to pin the thought, a year later I enrolled into the University of Toledo as a business management major looking to pursue a career as a team manager for a professional sports team. It is now 2022 and everything is going great. But yet something was missing. One night during my nightly routine prayer, I said to God that if me starting a business was something that I was suppose to truly do, it had to be something that was beneficial to the community. I asked for him to speak to me and to guide me as I figure out what it is that I am suppose to do. I prayed that he would give me the proper tools and knowledge that I needed to startup whatever this business was. That is when the long lasting thought turned into an idea. And just like that, March of 2022, The Lean on Me Foundation was born.

Dejah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Dejah R. Griffith and I am the CEO and President of The Lean on Me Foundation. I was born in Toledo, Ohio and raised in Houston, Texas. Before I was a business major, I was a pre-med major studying biology with a minor in chemistry at THE BEST HBCU, Prairie View A&M Universty located in Prairie View, Texas, outside of Houston. I got into business by accepting a student position as a team manager for the men’s basketball team. It was something that was so out of what I was already studying and doing, I think that’s why I loved it! It gave me an experience and showed me a new world that I had to dive further into. The Lean on Me Foundation is a community organization that is for women, supporting women’s empowerment in the community of Toledo. TLOMF is committed to the Unapologetically E.M.P.O.W.E.R.I.N.G women by creating safe spaces for them to be seen, heard, and recognized through memorable opportunities and resources. Everyone asks “who are unapologetically women?” These are the type of women that not only embody what it means but also what what it looks like to be Unapologetically (E)xtraordinary, (M)ajestic, (P)owerful, (O)ptimistic, (W)orthy, (E)ssential, (R)esilient, (I)nfluential, (N)urturing, and (G)raceful. The Lean on Me Foundation has only been active for a year and we still have so much more evolving to do. Outside of doing empowerment events that bring women together for networking and uplifting, we have future plans to provide aid vouchers for women in need as well as classes that will teach women about health and wellness, job prep, money management and so much more. What I believe that sets me apart from others is the fact that I am not scared of transparency. In fact, it’s the key thing that I embrace the most. I am someone who is not afraid to talk about my hardships, dark moments, or failures. I truly believe that those are the things that make us who we are as people. Not only that, I have always felt that what I go through is not only to make me stronger, but its for me to share with someone who is going through that same thing or something similar. I’m just here to empower by telling my story and give back to others what was given to me.

What am I most proud of you ask? So far I am proud of how much The Lean on Me Foundation has grown! TLOMF now officially has a board of trustees. There’s me as president of course, but now I have a vice president, a treasurer, and a secretary. TLOMF has only been established for a year. Together as a team we have been researching and talking with people about what we can do to benefit the women in our community. Learning what does it take to successfully run an organization, making sure all the proper paperwork has to be done to be established, etc… Recently, we have started doing research for our five year plan and all that it takes to get there. The main thing I want potential supports to know is that all women are welcomed! It does not matter what race you are, how you’re built, what your accomplishments are or anything like that, that the world tries to project on women. Those type of projections are what makes us “compete” against each other. In this organization we are ALL one, just trying to uplift and empower by working together to make a difference in our community.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

This was actually just recently. So when I initially first started TLOMF, it was suppose to serve all of the community. Men, women, and children. My first event was August of 20223 which was a women’s empowerment brunch that was wonderful. My second event, that following December for Christmas, I held a donation drive for women and kids in need which too was a success. So at the beginning of 2023, I wanted to start my first youth program which was planned to be a book reading program. The book reading program was not only designed to promote more reading for our youth, but to improve and advance cognitive and motor skills outside of the classroom. The book reading program was well detailed and very thought out in terms of creativity, I knew parents were going to love the idea and sign their kids up. But I was wrong. In fact, it was a total complete fail! Not one parent and I do mean, not one, registered their child. Working for the greater good of the community is not always easy. When your intentions are pure and you’re very passionate about improving the lives around you, it hits you personally to see ideas turn out to be unsuccessful. I cried, shut down, and went into a mini depression for a while. In the mist of me feeling down and sorry for myself, I was reminded by my village that yes there will be wins and successful events. Yet there will also be loses and failed attempts. I can either let it stop me completely or I can go back to the drawing board and reanalyze everything that has worked and not work and rebrand based on my analysis. Looking at my final results, women are my biggest supporters. Women need women. We need safe spaces for us to be us without being judged and mistreated. We need more opportunities that recognize us for who we are within that are filled with love and empowerment. And just like I discovered a new focus for TLOMF, women’s empowerment.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think my transparency. For years, I use to be terrified to ask for help and to let someone know of my struggles. But as people we have to remember that it is the lessons within our hardships that make us who we are. Everything that we experience in life is meant to elevate us, not hold us back forever. Yes, we will experience delays and setbacks, but that’s all that they are. My supporters get to not only see all the good within TLOMF but they also get to hear about the blood, sweat, and tears that go on behind the scenes. The women that support me understand that yes I am doing a good deed, but I too experience trials in tribulations not just within my business life but also in my personal life. The rewarding part that I get to enjoy from sharing my experiences are the personal connections I make. Sharing my experiences gives me hope to inspire and uplift the next women on her journey going through the same thing or something similar.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tlomf.org
• Instagram: theleanonmefoundation_
• Facebook: The Lean on Me Foundation

Image Credits
Image Credits: Alissa Mauter, CEO of groundUp, Creative Agency