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

Hi Lorenzo, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Turn your pain into purpose.

It’s a philosophy that I live by. With a decade of professional experience in behavioral health and founder of The Confess Project, an initiative that empowers barbers to become mental health advocates for men of color, I help individuals confess to their issues to begin to build a better process of living.

Born in jail to an incarcerated mother, I struggled with depression, anxiety, and anger throughout my youth. At 17, I almost re-entered the system of mass incarceration I had come from. It was then I snapped in and began my journey to wellness.

It started with an education at Arkansas Baptist College and continued with me facing my own emotional challenges, eventually becoming a mental health advocate. Since then, I’ve been a keynote speaker at numerous venues across the country—from organizations to universities to government agencies—exploring themes such as toxic masculinity, therapy taboos, and more. I’ve also presented at TEDxFayetteville and TEDxPointParkUniversity.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

There are many things I’m proud of. An entrepreneurial changemaker and Chief Visionary Office for The Confess Project, I’ve transformed the organization into a national grassroots movement. To date, my team has trained over 1,300 barbers in more than 20 cities. Fast Company named The Confess Project as one of “The 10 most innovative health companies of 2021.”

My parent nonprofit, L&J Empowerment, supports several other of my initiatives, including the Arkansas Barbershop Network for Youth Criminal Prevention, which helps prevent at-risk youth across Arkansas from entering the juvenile justice system through education and by providing opportunities for them to live healthier and make more responsible choices for a brighter future. The project targets youth aged 14-21 and provides holistic care, job skills training, and other essential benefits, such as healthy decision-making and communication skills.

In addition, I believe building generational wealth is key and so have launched several family businesses that not only generate opportunities for my wife and daughter, but help everyday folks thrive.

Community comes first in all of my endeavors—whether it’s the people I serve or the talent I hire. I believe that when you empower individuals, you empower the community. My book, Jumping Over Life’s Hurdles and Staying in the Race, threads together these lessons to tell a story of how I became the visionary I am today.

I now train business professionals in workplace settings on mental health and diversity–including wellness tips for diverse employees and how Human Resources can better support LGBTQ, people of color, and people with disabilities.

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

Yes, a few times. Personally, it’s when I realized I wanted to live a life of wealth, freedom, and helping others. This led me to leave my job years ago and become an entrepreneur. In business, it’s when I left my first nonprofit and partnered with my wife to begin our other nonprofit and corporate for-profit arm through The Lewis Family of Businesses. Both moments were personal and propelled me to leap forward. Without leaving both situations, I wouldn’t have gotten to this place and achieve the success I’m able to experience in this moment.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Yes, my favorite book in business is “Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You,” by John Warrilow. This book really sparked my serial entrepreneur spirit in many ways and elevated me as a leader, making me think about scale and growth of business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lorenzoplewis.com
• Instagram: @lorenzoplewis
• Facebook: @lorenzoplewis
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzoplewis
• Twitter: @lorenzoplewis
• Youtube: lorenzoplewis

Image Credits
Courtesy of Valdez Photography