Conversations with Lesley Henderson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Henderson.

Hi Lesley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story really begins long before any business card or title ever said so.
Growing up in Cincinnati with a drive to do more than just exist in a room, I’ve always been someone who saw potential where others saw problems. I studied Business Management and Exercise Science at Auburn University Montgomery, and while I didn’t follow a traditional linear path, every step I took taught me something invaluable about people, systems, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts.
My professional career took root in the multi-family housing industry, where I spent over a decade managing residential communities — from stabilizing distressed properties to repositioning underperforming assets. At my peak, I was overseeing properties of 300+ units, leading teams of up to 15 people, increasing Net Operating Income month-over-month, and taking properties from near-failure to near-full occupancy. It was demanding, detail-intensive work — and I loved it. It gave me a masterclass in operations, finance, people management, and what true accountability looks like.
But somewhere along the way, I realized my real gift wasn’t just running things — it was building them. Helping others see the vision, create the systems, and execute with excellence. That realization led me to launch Seven21 Designs in 2017. What started as a consulting firm helping aspiring entrepreneurs get off the ground has grown into one of Atlanta’s most trusted business coaching agencies. I’ve helped dozens of clients go from “I have this idea” to “my business is actually thriving,” and every single one of those wins feels personal to me.
Then there’s Melanin Fitness Nation — which is honestly one of my greatest loves. In 2014, I walked into a CrossFit gym at 280 lbs and made a decision to change my life. I had no idea that decision would eventually lead to building a global fitness community. I founded Melanin Crossfitters in 2017 — now Melanin Fitness Nation — specifically to bring CrossFit and functional fitness to the Black community in a space where we felt seen, celebrated, and supported. We’ve hosted international virtual competitions with athletes from five countries, raised donations for youth centers, and put on events drawing hundreds of spectators. It’s more than fitness. It’s legacy.
Today, I wear a lot of hats — CEO, coach, community builder, and published author. I live in Covington with my wife, Reese, and our dog, Kree. Between running two businesses, providing support for various other businesses, writing a second book, collecting sneakers, doing yoga, and spending time with my village and building something great — life is full. And that’s exactly how I like it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Absolutely not. And honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.
The road has been full of lessons disguised as setbacks, and I’ve had to learn — sometimes the hard way — that growth rarely comes wrapped in a bow.
One of my earliest challenges was simply believing I was enough. When you’re the person in the room who looks different, thinks differently, and moves differently, self-doubt can be a loud voice. I had the skills, the drive, and the vision, but learning to trust myself fully — especially when stepping out of a stable career in property management to bet on my own business — that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
Building Seven21 Designs from the ground up came with all the struggles any entrepreneur knows too well — inconsistent income, figuring out how to price my value, learning to say no to clients who weren’t the right fit, and wearing every single hat in the business simultaneously. There were seasons where I questioned everything. But I kept going, kept refining, and kept showing up.
One of the harder business lessons came when I had to close the warehouse. The concept was bold, forward-thinking, and something I believed in deeply — but sometimes the world isn’t quite ready for a vision that progressive. That one stung. But it also taught me that being ahead of your time isn’t a failure, it’s just an invitation to keep evolving.
Melanin Fitness Nation brought its own unique set of challenges. Then in 2021, I lost my dad — and I stopped. Grief has a way of doing that. Everything I had been building, the momentum, the mission, the movement — it all went quiet while I tried to figure out how to exist in a world without him in it. I was stuck, and for a while, that was okay. Healing required me to step back before I could step forward again.
And through all of it, I was managing my own personal health journey. Walking into a CrossFit gym at 280 lbs and deciding to rebuild your body and your relationship with yourself is not a small thing. That journey taught me more about discipline, resilience, and grace than almost anything else in my life.
What I can say is this — I have poured into people. I have shown up to celebrate others’ wins, their milestones, their accomplishments, even in seasons when I was still finding my own footing. Sometimes you give your best energy to the room, to the community, to the client — and that’s not a loss. It’s who I am. But I’ve also learned the importance of making sure that same energy finds its way back to me.
The truth is, the struggles are part of the story. Every distressed property I turned around, every client I helped get off the ground, every athlete I watched find their strength — none of that happens without the hard parts. The road wasn’t smooth, but it was mine, and it led me exactly where I’m supposed to be.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
With Seven21 Designs, I provide hands-on support for business owners in whatever form they need it most — whether that’s project-based work or an ongoing retainer relationship. My goal is simple: to work with you and your business so that you can focus on doing what you actually love. The operational, administrative, and strategic pieces? That’s where I come in.
We cover a wide range of services — from admin tasks and website hosting and builds, to full business setup and marketing plans, event management, funding discovery, and even app development. Whatever stage you’re in, whatever you’re trying to build, Seven21 Designs is here to help you be great. No cookie-cutter solutions, no one-size-fits-all packages — just real, dedicated support tailored to you and your vision.
Melanin Fitness Nation is where my heart for community lives. We connect coaches with clients, clients with coaches, and coaches with gyms — creating an ecosystem where everyone can grow. We’ve hosted in-person competitions and virtual competitions with athletes spanning multiple countries, and we’ve shared resources with the community on how to level up their gyms and businesses. Our vision is bigger than fitness — we want Melanin Fitness Nation to be a platform where minorities and allies alike can come together, access resources, and build a healthier, stronger community. Because we genuinely believe that wellness is one of the most powerful tools we have to uplift our people.
What I’m most proud of is the transformations — not just the business wins or the competition numbers, but the moments when someone realizes they are more capable than they ever gave themselves credit for. I’ve watched clients go from overwhelmed and stuck to running thriving businesses. I’ve watched athletes discover a strength they didn’t know they had. Those moments never get old.
What sets me apart is that I’m not just a consultant or a coach from the outside looking in — I’m an entrepreneur myself. I’ve built businesses, made hard decisions, navigated loss, and kept going. I bring lived experience to every client relationship, and I genuinely invest in the people I work with. I’m not here to hand you a plan and disappear. I’m here to roll up my sleeves and build alongside you.

How do you define success?
Success, to me, has never been about a number in a bank account or a title on a business card.
I used to think success looked a certain way — a certain level of revenue, a certain size of operation, a certain amount of recognition. And while those things have their place, I’ve learned that real success runs much deeper than that.
Success is transformation. It’s watching a client who came to me overwhelmed and doubting themselves walk away with a thriving business and a renewed sense of what they’re capable of. It’s an athlete who walked into a gym not knowing if they belonged, discovering that they were stronger than they ever imagined. That kind of shift in a person — that’s success I can feel.
Success is impact. It’s building something that outlasts the moment. Melanin Fitness Nation wasn’t just about competitions and coaching — it was about creating a space where our community could access resources, find belonging, and invest in their health. When I see that ripple out into people’s lives, that’s success.
Success is also personal. I walked into a CrossFit gym at 280 lbs and decided to choose myself. That was one of the most successful decisions I’ve ever made. Losing my dad in 2021 and finding my way back to my purpose after grief nearly swallowed me whole — that was success too. Not every win looks like a celebration. Some of them look like simply getting back up.
And success is building something great with great people. It’s my village. It’s the relationships, the collaborations, the community I’ve poured into and that has poured back into me. None of what I’ve built means anything without the people in it.
So when I define success, I define it broadly and I define it personally. It’s growth. It’s impact. It’s showing up fully — for your clients, your community, and yourself. And it’s knowing at the end of the day that what you built actually mattered.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/lesleyhenderson
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/seven21_designs17?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-henderson-5111b691/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@seven21designs75

Image Credits
Carl Bunche- ICU Studios