The New CEO Playbook: Leon Shelmire Jr. of Families Rights Matter2 On Balancing Purpose, Profit, and Personal Brand
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Leadership became the natural outcome of purpose, pain, and a calling I couldn’t ignore.
The most successful modern CEOs are rewriting the rules of leadership. They’re not only building profitable companies but building purposeful brands with personal voices behind them. These leaders understand that in today’s world, people invest in people. Their stories, values, and visibility fuel loyalty, attract opportunities, and drive business growth far beyond traditional metrics. In this interview series, we’re sitting down with leaders who’ve learned to balance purpose, profit, and personal brand — and who are using their influence to shape the future of business leadership.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure to interview Leon Shelmire Jr.
Leon Shelmire Jr. is a national advocacy leader, Army veteran, minister, and founder of Families Rights Matter2 and Children of God United, driving mental-health crisis reform, family empowerment, and spiritual unity. He blends faith, policy advocacy, and community organizing to champion systemic change, uplifting families navigating America’s mental-health gaps. Through his writing, ministry, and national outreach, Leon builds a generational legacy of purpose, healing, and justice.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we begin, our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you share your backstory and what led you to become the leader you are today?
I was born in Oakland, California, and grew up in Scotlandville, a proud community in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Raised by my grandparents on my mother’s side, I learned faith, resilience, discipline, and responsibility — lessons that would shape my life in profound ways. Serving in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, becoming a minister, husband, and father taught me about service and purpose, but it was my family’s mental-health crisis that changed everything. I realized how powerless families are in moments when they need support the most. That experience clarified my path, pushing me to advocate for families through Families Rights Matter2. I wasn’t trying to be a leader; I just wanted to ensure no family feels as alone or shut out as mine did. Leadership became the natural outcome of purpose, pain, and a calling I couldn’t ignore.
What’s the “why” that drives your work? How has your personal sense of purpose evolved as your business has grown?
My “why” is straightforward: no family should feel powerless in a crisis. When my family faced a mental-health emergency, I realized we weren’t alone — millions face the same fear and lack of support. That hit me hard. I saw it wasn’t just our pain; it’s a systemic issue that’s cost lives. As my work grew, so did my purpose. What started as a personal fight became a national mission. Every story, every petition signature reminds me this movement’s bigger than me. I’m driven to reform mental-health crisis response and save lives — real families, real outcomes.
Let’s now move to the core of our discussion. This series is about balancing purpose, profit, and personal branding. Can you help explain why each of those three matters, and why they can sometimes pull against each other? If possible, share a real example from your experience.
Purpose, profit, and personal branding all play a role, but for me, purpose comes first. It started when someone showed care for my family during a crisis — that compassion left a mark. Purpose defines who I am, and branding shows the world what I stand for. Profit follows — it’s the resources and support that come because people trust my heart and mission. With Families Rights Matter2, I wasn’t thinking about branding; I was trying to help families like mine. But sharing my story connected with people, not because of strategy, but because they felt the sincerity. That authenticity became my brand, and it grew the support: more signatures, more messages, more people joining. I realized purpose creates the brand, the brand builds trust, and trust fuels real change, which leads to “profit”.
Many CEOs focus heavily on strategy and profitability but hesitate to invest in their personal brand. What do you think about that? What have you seen work best?
I’ve learned that when I show real care for people and their families, I’m building a personal brand without trying. That kind of compassion speaks louder than any marketing strategy. People remember how I show up for them in their hardest moments, and that memory becomes my reputation. Someone showed genuine care for me and my family during our crisis, and that moment shaped my entire purpose. It taught me leadership isn’t about titles — it’s about making people feel seen, supported, and valued.
What are some misconceptions you’ve encountered about personal branding in the C-suite, and how do you challenge those narratives?
I’ve seen a misconception in the C-suite: that personal branding is about image or ego. But for me, it’s about how you treat people when it matters most. When someone shows genuine care for people and their families during a crisis, it leaves a lasting impact. That moment becomes the story people tell about me, the trust they place in me, and why they believe in my leadership. That’s branding — the heart behind the work. It’s not my marketing; it’s marking without trying. Another misconception is that leaders should stay distant to appear “professional.” I lead with authenticity and compassion. People connect with humanity, not titles. When I show empathy, consistency, and purpose, my personal brand reflects my character. And when people trust my character, support, partnerships, and momentum grow naturally.
What’s one specific way your visibility as a leader, through interviews, speaking, or social media, has directly impacted your organization’s success? Walk us through what happened. How did you know it worked, what changed in measurable terms?
One moment that showed me the power of visibility was when my press release ranked #1 and #3 on a national news network. Suddenly, people from across the country started following me on social media. They weren’t just clicking “follow” — they were sharing their own crisis stories under my hashtag, #familiesrightsmatter2. That’s when I knew the message had broken through. People felt seen, and they trusted me enough to attach their personal experiences to the movement. The impact was undeniable: petition signatures increased, social media impressions jumped, and my inbox filled with messages from families who’d been silently struggling. The hashtag took on a life of its own as people used it to connect, support each other, and amplify the mission. I realized visibility wasn’t about me — it was about giving families a place to be heard. When people started sharing their stories publicly, the movement shifted from something I created to something we were building together.
Balancing profit and purpose is easier said than done. What practices or principles guide your decision-making when those two goals seem to conflict?
Balancing profit and purpose is one of the hardest parts of leadership, especially when my mission is rooted in something as personal as my family’s crisis. What guides me is a simple principle: purpose comes first, and profit follows obedience to that purpose. When they seem to conflict, I ask, “Does this decision honor the families I’m called to serve?” If the answer’s no, it’s not the right move — even if it looks profitable on paper.
Another principle I live by is that impact creates its own form of profit. When I show genuine care for people and their families, especially during a crisis, it leaves a mark that no marketing strategy can match. That kind of trust becomes the foundation for everything else — support, partnerships, visibility, and momentum. It’s what I call “marketing without trying.” The heart behind the work becomes the engine that sustains it.
I’ve had opportunities to chase quick growth or funding, but it would’ve pulled me away from the mission. Instead, I chose to stay aligned with purpose, and every time I’ve done that, the right doors opened. The results show up in increased engagement, more families reaching out, stronger partnerships, and a growing movement people believe in because they trust the character behind it. Purpose guides the decision — and profit becomes the confirmation that I stayed on the right path.
Can you share a story about how aligning your personal values with your company’s mission created a breakthrough in performance or growth?
A breakthrough hit when I aligned my values with Families Rights Matter2’s mission. My core values — faith, compassion, and lived experience — are the foundation of how I lead. I tried to separate my faith from my work, but when I stopped doing that, everything shifted. Families felt the sincerity behind every message, and they trusted it. That alignment drove growth:
- More families shared their stories
- More people used my hashtag
- Engagement and petition signatures grew
- My 10-Point Plan gained credibility
That’s why this movement is growing like it does today. The breakthrough wasn’t a marketing strategy — it was a values strategy. When my faith and mission became one, the movement gained a heartbeat, driving growth, momentum, and impact.
In your view, what separates a leader who simply “runs a company” from one who builds a movement around their message?
A leader who runs a company focuses on operations and numbers. But a leader who builds a movement is driven by something deeper — a calling, a conviction, a purpose that goes beyond the business itself. For me, the difference is heart. I’m not just running an organization; I’m carrying people’s stories, their pain, and their hope. My Christian faith gave me the purpose behind Families Rights Matter2 — protecting families during mental-health crises.
A movement leader understands people don’t rally around a product; they rally around a connection. Movements grow because people feel understood, not because they’re impressed by what I offer. When I show true care for families in crisis, it creates a bond that no marketing strategy can match. That compassion becomes my brand — it’s “marketing without trying.”
A company leader asks, “How do we grow?” A movement leader asks, “How do we heal, protect, and change lives?” When people feel my sincerity, see my consistency, and trust my character, they don’t just support my work — they join my mission. That’s how movements are born.
How do you integrate storytelling into your leadership, both internally with your team and externally with your audience or clients?
Storytelling is a key tool in my leadership — I use it for connection, clarity, and conviction. I share stories from my own experience and real situations in the news that mirror what families face. Internally, it helps my team understand why the mission matters, grounding the work in reality. Externally, it’s how I build trust — people connect to humanity, not statistics. When I share what my family went through or highlight systemic failures, people see themselves in the mission. They understand this isn’t just advocacy — it’s a lived truth.
I turn statistics into real people’s stories, representing families in crisis, parents fighting for answers, or loved ones navigating a broken system. Connecting numbers to real stories makes people feel the issue, moving hearts and shifting perspectives. That’s what builds a movement. My stories aren’t entertainment — they’re the heartbeat of the mission, turning information into impact and a message into a movement.
Can you share a time when taking a public stand or sharing your story authentically strengthened your credibility or influence?
A moment that strengthened my credibility began with Shelmire Ministries — my wife and I started it to marry people who didn’t have a church home. Serving them gave us a reputation for caring about people’s real lives. God used that to give me courage to share prayers online, building trust and consistency.
When my family faced a mental-health crisis, I leaned on that credibility. I had to stand up for my family and every family that has been silenced during a crisis. My life’s a testimony — shaped by faith, strengthened by challenges. People trust my voice because they’ve seen my heart, long before they heard my advocacy. That fuels this movement.
What are your “Top 5 principles for balancing purpose, profit, and personal visibility?”
1. I Lead With Purpose First — Profit Follows Alignment
My purpose is the starting point. Profit shows up after I stay obedient to the mission God gave me.
Example: When I launched Families Rights Matter2, I focused on protecting families during mental-health crises. Because my purpose was clear, people began supporting the mission, signing the petition, and sharing their stories — and that visibility created its own momentum.
Action This Week: Write your purpose in one sentence and place it somewhere you’ll see before making decisions.
2. My Faith Shapes My Leadership Voice
My Christian faith gives me strength, clarity, and ideas. It keeps me grounded when the work gets heavy.
Example: Before this movement, my wife and I started Shelmire Ministries to marry people who didn’t have a church home. Out of that mission, God spoke to my heart and led me to post prayers online that spoke directly to people’s situations. That consistency built credibility long before I needed it.
Action This Week: Share one message, prayer, or reflection that speaks to someone’s real situation. Authenticity builds trust.
3. I Use Storytelling to Turn Statistics Into Real Lives
People don’t connect to numbers — they connect to humanity. I use stories to make issues real.
Example: When I talk about mental-health emergencies, I share what happened to my own family and highlight real stories from the news. That turns an issue from something abstract into something people can feel and understand.
Action This Week: Take one statistic you care about and pair it with a real story — your own or one from the news — to make it human.
4. I Treat Visibility as Stewardship, Not Spotlight
Visibility isn’t about being seen — it’s about serving well.
Example: When my press release ranked #1 and #3 on a national news network, people began following me and sharing their crisis stories under my hashtag. That visibility created a safe space for families to speak out and feel understood.
Action This Week: Post one piece of content that highlights someone else’s story or need, not your own accomplishments.
5. I Build Movements Through Consistency, Not Moments
People follow character over time, not one-time inspiration.
Example: My consistency — from ministry work, to prayers, to advocacy, to speaking out during my family’s crisis — created a foundation people could trust. That’s why families now see me as a leader, not just a voice online.
Action This Week: Choose one small action you can repeat weekly (a prayer post, a story, a reflection, a resource). Commit to it for 30 days.
Finally, if you could summarize your leadership philosophy in one sentence, what would it be — and why?
I lead by putting purpose before profit, people before platforms, and faith before fear — because true leadership is measured by how deeply I care for others, especially in their moments of crisis. Because when my leadership is rooted in compassion, guided by faith, and aligned with a mission bigger than myself, people don’t just follow my work — they join my movement. Profit will follow.
How can our readers continue to follow you or your company online?
You can stay connected with me and follow Families Rights Matter2’s work through my online platforms. Each one offers a different perspective on the mission:
Families Rights Matter2 Petition: Stand with us and push for national change: https://c.org/hYNMCJFJzz
Families Rights Matter2 Website: Press releases, resources, and updates on our national advocacy work: https://familiesrightsmatter2.shelmireministries.org/
Shelmire Ministries Website: My wife and I co‑founded this ministry; she leads the wedding services and I support the work. It’s the foundation for everything we’ve built: https://shelmireministries.org/
Facebook: Daily reflections, prayers, and advocacy updates: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DXH1FPXt7/
LinkedIn: Mental‑health reform insights, press releases, and movement storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leon-shelmire-jr-4a86163a
YouTube Playlist: “100 Uplifting Hymns for the Soul”: A ministry playlist for comfort, peace, and spiritual strength: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7BAF1AF3D3BB7ED9&si=-3Rwar0nkbTMtWad
These platforms reflect different parts of my calling — ministry, advocacy, storytelling, and community support — all pointing to the same purpose: protecting families during mental‑health crises and building a national movement for reform.
Thank you so much for sharing all of these insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my story and this mission. I truly appreciate your support, and I pray for continued success, strength, and good health for you and your team as well. May God’s favor be with you and your families.
About The Interviewer: Chad Silverstein is a seasoned entrepreneur with 25+ years of experience as a Founder and CEO. While attending Ohio State University, he launched his first company, Choice Recovery, Inc., a nationally recognized healthcare collection agency — twice ranked the #1 workplace in Ohio. In 2013, he founded [re]start, helping thousands of people find meaningful career opportunities. After selling both companies, Chad shifted his focus to his true passion — leadership. Today, he coaches founders and CEOs at Built to Lead, advises Authority Magazine’s Thought Leader Incubator.
The New CEO Playbook: Leon Shelmire Jr. was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.