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

Hi Reginald, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I am the Founder of Serve4Men which is an organization that offers personal and professional development specifically tailored towards men. In 2009, God began speaking to me and telling me that I would be a leader of leaders and a leader of men. In full transparency, I was barely leading myself. However, I woke up from the dream, wrote down the word “Serve” in my journal, and came back to it years later. It was around 2015 or so when Serve4Men was formed. At that time, I found myself as a man, father, and husband who was searching for community amongst like-minded men. Unfortunately, there was none. I decided to create one myself. Serve4Men exists to serve men just like me. Husbands and fathers who work tirelessly for their families while balancing and juggling life’s responsibilities as best as possible. It’s a safe space that provides support so the mental health and well-being, of men, are not neglected. The organization now offers legal services and ID Theft Protection because what we have found is that many men are experiencing family matters such as child support, child custody, divorce, etc…

Serve4Men also provides one-on-one or group coaching on various professional development-related matters. From resume writing to interviewing to book clubs, Serve4Men has what men need to survive and thrive on a personal and professional level. Since there have been many instances, in my own life, when I needed the sound advice or wisdom of other men, Serve4Men has been my safe space. Countless men have shared their testimonies of how the organization has been the blessing that was missing in their lives.

Serve4Men is very meaningful to me. We know that men all over the world are experiencing life daily Research has shown that mental health matters to men, and our organization hosts virtual and in-person meet-ups where men gather. We believe that when men change and get right, families and communities also change for the better. When the man takes his rightful place as head of the home, everything else falls in line. This is why the mission of Serve4Men is so meaningful to us. We are literally changing the world one man at a time.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Baltimore, MD native. I was raised in a single-parent home since my parents divorced when I was fairly young. I grew up, in the inner city of Baltimore, in one of the most dangerous zip codes in the state. Statistically, as an African-American male, I wasn’t even supposed to make it this far. But God.

I became a teenage father just like my father. While attending college at a local HBCU, I found out that I was going to be a parent. Life changed for me immediately. I went from full-time classes to part-time to pick up a job, and eventually to no time at all for school. It took me 10 years to get a 4-year degree, but I finished college eventually. It was a proud moment when my daughter was present to witness me walk across the stage at graduation.

Life was hard parenting outside of the home. My daughter lived with her mother and I did the weekend thing. We went through our drama, our ups and downs, as most young people do. We did the court battles, child support, and the like. It brought out the anger in me. Already impacted by the lack of my father’s presence the way I would have liked as a child, I struggled with fatherhood. I made bad decisions and messed up often.

I carried around resentment, anger, and rejection internally. I was hard to deal with and as a result, I messed up quite a few relationships and friendships over the years. I call it “Male Pain”. The title of my recently published book is “Male Pain – Breaking Your Chains to Achieve Greatness”. The book discusses the various aspects of male pain which is something that impacts us all around the world. In that book, I discuss the topic of pain as it relates to men and share several solutions and alternatives to ponder when dealing with a male who may be in that position. It’s a great resource for men and women alike.

One of the things that sets me apart from others is my ability to inspire. What I have found is that men and women have come to see me as a valuable resource for many different reasons. As someone who has trained well over 50,000 people, authored 5 books of my own, started several business ventures, and serves as a community leader and ministry leader while raising 5 children and being a husband, I know what it means to “serve”. I know what it means to add value. I leave things and people better after an encounter with me. I try to represent my Lord and Savior and give Him the glory when I am being used in this world.

I would venture to say that my proudest accomplishment in life is being a husband and father. To me, that’s my life. Everything I do is for them. Everything I have is for them. Despite the tremendous responsibility and burden that it can be at times, my wife and our children, are my world. I love to see them operating in their gifts and calling. I know that as I continue to work on myself and make myself a better person, it gives them permission to do the same.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

When I authored my 5 book, Male Pain – Breaking Your Chains to Achieve Greatness, I realized there was so much for me to release and unpack. A major lesson that I had to unlearn, over my life, is that there are always three sides to a story. There’s one person’s side, the other person’s side, and the truth is somewhere meshed with parts of both sides and parts left out.

What I have learned from talking to men from all around the world is that male pain is real. It exists in many men today. We have grown men in our society today who are carrying childhood hurt, pain, shame, and baggage. And, it’s impacting them. It impacts the way they show up, the way they relate to other people, and even the way they communicate.

I carried around a lot of childhood hurt and anger for many years. Having only been told one side of a story impacted me. It wasn’t until I started talking to other men that I learned that I wasn’t alone. I began to hear stories of how other males were raised and learned more of their stories. Many of us have common themes. Our mothers may have raised us and we all desired a different kind of relationship with our fathers. Then, we all grew up and had children and wives of our own. We dialogue around the struggles we face now as men, fathers, and husbands.

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is that there is always another side to a story and then the truth is meshed in between stories. We can no longer just go by one person’s account, but instead give grace to all parties involved. I have found, in life, that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have. Some do better than others. Others eventually learn the lesson sooner or later. While there will still be some people who will never learn. And, it is all okay.

Our greatness unleashed is why we are here. We are here to serve ourselves and others to greatness. That will come with some failure, flaws, and forgiveness. Despite what may have happened to you, or what may be happening to you now, know that it won’t last forever. Give life your best in all situations and circumstances and place your faith and trust in God for the rest.

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

I am fortunate enough to be highly sought after in many ways. My gifts have truly made room for me. As a resume writer, I have personally served and assisted hundreds of clients. As a trainer/speaker, I have empowered and educated well over 50,000 people. As an entrepreneur, I have proudly protected hundreds of families, businesses, and business owners with legal services. I would say the main reason that my reputation has preceded me is that I have always been known to add value. I leave things and people better after an encounter with me. I am known to be trustworthy, dependable, and reliable. I have always been a man of action, and folks know that my word is my bond. If Reginald Gant says he’s going to do it, you can count on that. I have built a brand centered around faith, family, and fatherhood. These are my pillars.

For anyone looking to build their reputation, start with your why. What are your core values and principles? What are you passionate about that you can do effortlessly? This is a great place to begin. However, brand management is critical. Once your brand is established, you must do everything in your power to maintain and protect it at all costs. If you think about all that you have to lose, make decisions that will always position you to make the best choices for yourself, your loved ones, and your brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.serve4men.com
• Instagram: @reggieserves
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reggieserves
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-gant
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@reginaldgantserve4men
• Other: linktr.ee/yourgreatness bit.ly/thegants