We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeff Dess and Lenny Williams and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeff Dess and Lenny Williams, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Our thought process was to reimagine what traditional education looked like. Trill Or Not Trill had a goal to assure that all students had their voices heard. We were two educators from two different spaces and backgrounds who decided that to change the landscape of education and to best prepare our future leaders we had to set aside our egos and come together to create change in leadership, education and career development. We wanted the voice of hip hop, the voice of the pop culture, the voice of the marginalized, the voice of the people to be infused in all aspects of learning.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are an institute who specializes in culturally responsive leadership. We provide innovative strategies and culturally competent solutions to organizations large and small. Our team of educators, strategists, and leaders are dedicated to enhancing the voices of today and developing the change agents of tomorrow.

We believe in building communities and being collaborative in our process of education and leadership. We continue to grow in large part due the partnerships we’ve made. From Tech to business, education and more we have forged relationships that will benefit the lives and careers of students and professional.s.

As two black men in education, we are proud to be entrepreneurs in this sector. So often education gets left out of the conversations that matter. Educators aren’t considered influencers and are usually underpaid. We want to assure that black and brown students can see us a role models but also as the cool older brothers or uncles teaching them how to be successful. We want our fellow professionals to understand how to be their authentic selves.

Our book, We Wear Kicks to Work demonstrates the importance of being authentic in the work place.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Some our favorite spots to go include
– The amazing Georgia Aquarium
– Truist Park for some baseball
– Suite Food & Lounge
We love the atmosphere of an Atlanta United soccer match

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We want to give a shoutout to our dear fellow educator, John Smith who serves as an advisor for the Equal Opportunity Program at New Jersey City University.

We want to give a shoutout to our dear friend Ash Cash. He’s been a supporter from day one and continues to do great work in the financial space.

We want to give a shout out to Create Labs Ventures for their amazing support and incredible work in STEM and providing resources to communities nationwide

Website: trillornottrill.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/trillornottrill

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trillornottrill

Twitter: @trillornottrill

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXdHssoOplrHGDAWQgybQmA

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