Today we’d like to introduce you to DJ Lewis.
Hi DJ, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Education has been ingrained within me since birth as my mother is a lifelong educator and current principal. My parents consistently stressed the importance of knowledge and enablement. There was no limit to my potential if I was committed to the tactful and consistent pursuit of knowledge. I pride myself in earning the opportunity to think critically, form a supported opinion, and say no to options that misalign with my personal mission statement. Additionally, I am a firm believer in enjoying my journey. I have always been that easy-going guy who is good for a laugh and memorable experiences. My life’s mission is to pour into and enable others with the knowledge and experiences I collect along my journey called life. With these principles, I was able to do fairly well in my academic and personal career. Earning high honors in my high school’s engineering program and a B.S in Nuclear and Radiological Engineering from Georgia Tech – some of the top programs in the country. More importantly, I was able to gain lifelong friends, whom I call family, along the way. Fraternal bonds are highly important to me. So much so that I played football/track in high school, was a member of Naval ROTC in college, and a lifelong Brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Pouring into others while enjoying the ride is what I’m all about.
Throughout my life I have been fortunate enough to informally and formally mentor, teach, and enable others. The relationships I have built through these activities are my life’s greatest achievements. Upon graduating from Georgia Tech, I pivoted my focus into enterprise software and technology at IBM as a technical sales engineer in their Global Sales School – the Summit Program. One of my older fraternity Brothers encouraged me to pursue this role because I can explain technically difficult concepts in simple ways and generally interact well with others. Summit exponentially propelled my career by allowing me to meet and grow bonds with people across the United States. I had so much fun traveling the country while learning about cutting-edge technology such as Blockchain, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and more. It was here that I solidified my love for solving business-critical problems with robust and scalable technology. I am now a Corporate Customer Engineer at Google NYC specializing in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. Now, I primarily help tech startups and private equity firms solve business critical challenges with Google Cloud solutions. It’s a fast paced, dynamic, and rewarding role.
As a full fledged, professional adult, I realized that something was missing. I was seeking consistent mentorship and volunteer opportunities without luck. Fortunately, I met Lorenzo (Zo) Gordon – Founder of Humbl Huslr Foundation (HHF). Long story short, I was referred by one of my fraternity Brothers to Zo, who reached out, and we instantly found synergies regarding our life missions and values. From there, we crafted a one-of-a-kind entrepreneur program for young black boys known as Hustl Print. We help our young men create and scale their own businesses from scratch while connecting them with prominent entrepreneurs throughout Atlanta. HHF is one of my proudest accomplishments as it brings my passions together – youth enablement, teaching, mentorship, and community development. To date, we have impacted 100+ mentees and look forward to our continued growth. Ultimately, I am an ambitious and multifaceted individual who loves to enjoy and experience life. Some words that describe me are friend, brother, lover, enabler, teacher, student, boyfriend, son, and so much more. I am a fitness enthusiast, travel addict, lover of wine/bourbon, anime, avid reader, and good eats. I am honored and humbled for my current state and elated for whatever life has in store for me down the line.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely NOT haha Imposter syndrome Living up to internal and external expectations, I almost failed out of Georgia Tech – had to take Physics II 3 times, Fluid Mechanics 2 times, Calc II 2 times I was almost kicked out of naval ROTC Succumbing to the pressures and responsibilities of leadership I have not progressed through major interviews with companies such as McKinsey and Google Failure has been one of my greatest teachers.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Humbl Hustlr Foundation?
We transform the lives of young black men through our small business development curriculum and extensive local entrepreneur network. We give our young men opportunities and options to thrive, fail, and grow as impactful community leaders. Our curriculum is tailored towards our community. It is not simply business development insights you can find on YouTube. But rather, an extensive platform and network that elevates these men to the next level. I am the Chief Program Officer who has spearheaded our curriculum development and delivery. We provide a mechanism to pass the torch and wisdoms of our forefathers at an early age. Through community, we uplift one another. The future is bright! We officer a six-week business development course. If you know a young man, age 14 to 18, who is passionate about business, then please allow them to join our family!
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is self-defined and personal, depending on the individual. It can be reaching a defined goal or cherishing the journey leading up to said goal. In our society, I am of the opinion that we put too much pressure on ourselves to “succeed” or keep up with the Joneses. The beauty of life is the ability to fail and empathize with multiple perspectives. Our ability to feel passionately and understand others are also forms of success. Success is not a bounding box but rather an ever-changing blob that can be redefined every day if necessary. Choose what success means to you and success will follow without question.
Pricing:
- $25 Humbl Hustlr shirts
- $35 Humbl Hustlr hoodies
Contact Info:
- Email: dj@humblhustlr.com
- Website: https://humblhustlr.com/, https://www.hustlprint.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedjlewis/
