Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Demetrius Short. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Demetrius thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
My non-profit organization was birthed from a very troubling and dark place in my life, BUT I leaned on my faith in God and strong will to overcome and inspire others to never give up on their dreams!
While pursuing my undergraduate degree from Fisk University in the early 90’s, I witnessed first-hand the barriers that led to an increase in college student dropout rates. I didn’t have a scholarship or transportation, and occasionally found myself with little food – sleeping between the dorm director’s office and the couch of a friend. Despite reaching one of the lowest points in my life, I refused to quit and become a dropout statistic. I secured internships with some amazing companies and walked from campus to downtown Nashville in a business suit carrying a briefcase over 3.1 miles a day. After graduating, I returned to campus to nostalgically walk the same route I no longer had to travel. While walking, I had a divine intervention with God. Reflecting with tears in my eyes, I asked God, “Why did I have to go through this pain and struggle?” He responded to me and said, “Every step you took was a step toward your success.” It was at that moment, I conceptualized a God-sized dream, hunger and responsibility to help students overcome their own barriers in life and reach success. I vowed to run a 5K (3.1 miles) in a full suit and sneakers to commemorate my struggle and the Steps of Success 5K and Pathway to Success Leadership Academy was born!
For the past 12 years, I have run in a full suit and sneakers with thousands of runners to help create a Pathway To Success for African-American/Black collegiate students and youth living in underserved communities. Every step taken in the 5k helps youth get one step closer to fulfilling their dreams and maximizing their full potential. After the 5k, students attend our Pathway To Success Leadership Academy where we cultivate future leaders to positively impact their community and the world! Our Black Men Run, Brown Boys Read initiative inspires the love of reading through the love of running to help black and brown boys improve reading proficiency, outrun childhood obesity and life healthier and fuller lives!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and was very much involved in sports and community activities throughout my childhood. I thought my pathway to success was going to be as a scholar athlete at a D-1 school and pursue computer science. Oh did my life change for the better. I come from a very strong family background with 4 amazing brothers and a protective sister (smile). My mom and dad raised us in the church and to love and serve others. Those skills proved valuable later on in my career as I saw a different pathway to success that God was aligning for me. All I had to do was surrender to it early on and never give up along the way.
My journey led me to a very successful Information Technology (IT) career as a Software Test Analyst. I worked for some major companies like IBM, Hospital Corporation of American (HCA) and Cigna. While I love my corporate job, it was my struggles and the desire to help youth maximize their potential that led me to the non-profit industry. I started running 5k’s and marathons 15 years ago and my struggle, love for running and leadership of youth all came together when I birthed Transformation Life Center. Our mission is to Ignite (purpose), Inspire (success) and Transform lives of African American/Black college student and youth living in underserved communities through Education, Leadership, Health & Wellness. Our vision is “Cultivating future leaders to positively impact their community and the world.”
Our staple program is our Pathway To Success Leadership Academy. We host a cohort of 25 college students and empower and equip them to be leaders through personal and professional development. Each student receives a $1000 scholarship to help break down some financial barriers they may be facing. We facilitate 10 power packed workshops and bring the students face to face with industry and subject matter experts in the field of Education, Leadership, Health and Wellness. After completion, the students receive a certificate of completion and are positioned for internships and full time job opportunities.
To combat the literacy epidemic in Nashville, we implemented the Black Men Run, Brown Boys Read initiative, originally created by Aaron Perry in the Madison, Wisconsin. The school provides boys who are reading below the 3rd grade literacy level and we read with them for an hour. We then take them outside for a healthy run/walk. After 10 weeks, they complete the program and run in their first 5k with me at the Steps of Success 5k. This initiative is all about Literacy, Leadership, Health & Wellness of youth living in underserved communities.
Lastly, we host the Steps of Success 5K Run/Walk in September where I run 3.1 miles in a suit and sneakers with thousands of runners to help fund the amazing programs and services we provide to youth at Transformation Life Center. This run/walk commemorates my struggles I went through in life and inspires youth and the entire community to never give up on your dreams. The suit is a remainder that success takes work, but there is a finish line and people to support you along the way.
My dream is to expand this race and these amazing programs to other cities and ultimately the world!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
It is one thing to inherit a business or platform and something totally different to have to build it! All my life my creative ideas have come with digging, planting and then harvesting thoughts and ideas to reality. It takes true resilience to be a business owner. I remember telling everyone I was going to start a non-profit charity and run 3.1 miles in a suit to help college students and youth create a pathway to success. Of course they looked at me a laughed. They didn’t understand what I saw and how I was going to connect my brand (wearing suits) to a NEED in the community. I had no clue about starting a non-profit and went through so many hurdles, hills and valleys of despair trying to set up everything and all the filings and paper work. On top of that, I was told I wasn’t ready nor had the team to put on a 5k run/walk event.
Nevertheless, I educated myself on the process and in 3 months (yes…3 months lol) I hosted the inaugural Steps of Success 5K in November 2010. We had a handful of runners (a little over 100) and raised $8,000 and was able to award $850 dollars in scholarships. I was discouraged by the amount of profit and did it again in 2011. We raised $10,000 and gave a little more in scholarships from the previous year. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it again. All the hard work, planning, fundraising and volunteer organizing was draining my drive to pursue my purpose. I took a year off and developed a solid team and key sponsorships. We moved the 5k from the streets of Nashville to a local park and hosted the race again in 2013 and it was a huge success. More runners, and most important, $5000 scholarships and support for the organization after all the bills were paid.
I almost quit! I dug deep and surrounded myself with people who believed in what I was doing. September 10, 2022 we brought in over $72,000 dollars at the 12th Annual Steps of Success 5K.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I had to unlearn being a one man show. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is keep telling yourself, “I’ll do it by myself.” I’m a get it done type of guy. With that comes you doing and getting everything (smile). I learned the hard way for years having my hands in everything from vision, operations and execution (and event clean-up). It put me in a very bad mental state and spirit of exhaustion that hurt progress and even me personally/mentally.
I learned to surround myself and build a team of individuals to help accomplish goals. You have to share the vision and allow people to help you execute or oversee things. I tried (and believed) early on that I could change Nashville by myself. It almost cost me complete burnout! I built my board, advisory committees and surrounded myself with experts who could coach me to help fulfill my mission. It’s a wonderful process when you invite people to share their ideas and expertise. We ALL win!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.transformationlifecenter.org
- Instagram: @demetriusshort
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demetrius.short
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/demetriusshort/
- Youtube: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/749649836
Image Credits
Alexa Stone Nick Wilder